In 2007, a group of compassionate women came together to pool their time and resources to make an immediate impact on women’s health in Southeast Kansas. As a result, these community volunteers and philanthropists formed the Rita J. Bicknell Women’s Health Fund Women’s Giving Circle.
This year, the Women’s Health Fund grew with the addition of the Circle of Friends giving circle.
Both of these giving circles share a common mission “[t]o improve the health and well being of women by supporting education, increasing awareness and sharing quality of life opportunities to benefit all women.”
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2013 RJB Women’s Health Fund grants:
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Women’s Giving Circle Grant Recipients
- Horses of Hope Therapeutic Riding Center: Horses of Hope will conduct five “Spirit Horse” sessions with targeted groups of area women who are at increased risk for anxiety and depression to promote healthy minds that in turn build healthy families and communities.
- Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas: The funds will be used to increase awareness of the risk of shingles (especially in women who are at greater risk for developing them) and to help purchase Zostavax for low-income women.
- Mount Carmel Foundation: The grant funds will purchase post-surgery camisoles for mastectomy patients.
- Angels Among Us: Funds will purchase chairs for the operation of the Angel Café at the Crawford County Fair. This café is a primary fundraiser for the organization so they can serve cancer patients throughout the year. Funds were also granted to aid with additional women’s needs.
- Labette Health: Funds are used to expand the current breast pump loaner program initiated in 2012 by RJB Women’s Fund and Labette Health.
- Vie Medical Clinic: Funds will cover costs for supplies and lab fees for women needing HIV testing.
Circle of Friends Grant Recipients
- Elm Acres: Grant to update Wii gaming system.
- Lowell Milken Center: The Center will develop an “Unsung Heroes in Women’s Health History” exhibit focused on the history of women’s health and its leaders. This is a collaborative effort with Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott.
- Enactus/PSU: The grant will help fund monthly employment workshops for women living at Renewal House and others referred by local service agencies. At these workshops, women learn interviewing and computer skills, receive job-application assistance, and transportation costs are covered. The grant will also help in purchasing appropriate interview clothing from resale shops and Walmart.
- Ronald McDonald House: Funds will purchase books for the two Women’s Resource Libraries, one in each wing of the building. These libraries will make resources readily available to mothers during their stay to help cope with the physical and emotional strain they encounter during the postpartum period with a seriously ill child. There is an exit survey sent to each family and a question about the library and its usefulness will be added so they can track the effectiveness and success of the program.
- Family Resource Center: In a collaborative effort, the Family Resource Center and the Community Health Center are providing women’s wellness screenings and nutrition/weight counseling for the women at the Family Resource Center. The project is for seven months bringing preventative services to the staff.
- Labette Health: The grant will purchase a nursing chair for the private room dedicated to the lactation program. The grant will also purchase educational DVDs and materials to be available in the room.