Each spring the Rita J. Bicknell Women’s Health Fund (WHF) giving circles meet to review grant requests to fund projects to “improve the health and well-being of women by supporting education, increasing awareness and sharing quality of life opportunities to benefit all women.”
As CFSEK celebrates our 20th year of “benefiting the common good and the quality of life” in SEK communities, we are proud to be affiliated with the WHF and the great work they do.
Since 2007, the WHF Women’s Giving Circle has supported 65 organizations with over $300,000, and the Circle of Friends has donated $43,600 to 34 organizations!
We hope you enjoy reading about the 2021 recipients and their projects to improve the health of women in SEK.
Table of Contents
Women’s Giving Circle 2021 Grants
- Angels Among Us – “Financial Assistance to Cancer Patients” will support any and all financial needs of cancer patients in the Southeast Kansas area throughout their treatment process.
- Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas – “A Simple Solution to a Woman’s Difficult Problem” will provide pelvic-floor-muscle physical therapy for low-income women.
- Community Mental Health Center of Crawford County – “Beyond Trauma: A Healing Journey for Women” will host a women’s evidence-based trauma group in coordination with area community agencies.
- Community Mental Health Center of Crawford County – “Technology Connection” will create a room at the Women’s Reintegration House with technology needed to search for jobs and housing, replace identification documents, and improve skills with training and education.
- Fostering Connections – “Teen Girls Life Skills Classes” will provide social, emotional, and life skills to teenage girls in foster care.
- Labette Health Foundation – “OB/GYN Expansion” will provide the Labette Health birthing center with a new, portable birthing cart ensuring needed medical supplies are available in birthing rooms.
- Mount Carmel Foundation – “Next-Generation Equipment” aims to provide specialized care to the women of our region with the purchase of new hysteroscopy equipment.
- Pittsburg State University School of Nursing – “Birthing Bed for Victoria” will purchase a birthing bed to accompany “Victoria,” an advance-obstetric simulation patient, for nursing instruction.
Circle of Friends 2021 Grants
- Catholic Charities – “SEKS Neighborhood Financial Stabilization” is a project that provides housing intervention and supportive services to single women and mothers in financial crisis or instability.
- Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters – “Empower Night” will provide a Little Sister/Big Sister match activity to celebrate, encourage, and strengthen young women.
- Ronald McDonald House of the Four States – “Nursing Mother’s Kits” will provide encouragement and support as mothers nurse NICU babies.
- Special Olympics Kansas – “Women’s Health in Special Olympics Kansas” will screen and apply health data in the development of individual programming for Special Olympics female athletes.