Visiting Nurse Association Awarded $464,000 United Way Grant
Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) has been awarded $464,600 in grant funding from United Way of the Midlands (UWM) to support several programs in Douglas and Sarpy counties in Nebraska and Pottawattamie County in Iowa. For 97 years, VNA has partnered with UWM to improve the quality of life for our community.
“Thanks to the generosity of United Way donors, VNA is able to provide help to the area’s most vulnerable residents,” said James Summerfelt, VNA President and CEO. “Families can rely on VNA for their healthcare needs regardless of their ability to pay while remaining as safe and independent as possible at home.”
$85,000 to VNA’s Home Health Aide program provides home health aide and homemaking services to vulnerable community members who have little to no financial resources. Assistance with personal care (bathing, personal hygiene) and homemaking (household tasks, meal preparation, and laundry) helps individuals maintain their safety, independence and home environment. These services help to delay and prevent the need for a transition into a skilled nursing facility, decrease caregiver burden and ultimately, minimize healthcare expenses.
$100,000 for VNA’s Maternal and Infant Home Health Care program provides services to at-risk families living in poverty that include physician-directed nurse home visits, shelter nursing, and lactation consultants who provide breastfeeding assessment, support and education. Nurses conduct home visits to women experiencing high-risk pregnancies, post-partum health assessment and safety training, and children with acute illness or injury. Public health nursing services are provided to women and children in homeless and crisis shelters include health screening, assessment, education and guidance. Lactation consultants provide breastfeeding assessment, support and education using a home visitation model. Nurses and social workers work with families to coordinate community resources to assist with basic needs, mental health, child safety, and substance and domestic abuse.
$104,600 for Home Health Care services are physician-directed and provide the full spectrum of care for patients in need, including overall case management, coordination of care, and discharge planning, while focused on continuity of care and outcome achievement. Without this program, and support from UWM, individuals would have limited to no options to secure needed care, treatment and services in their homes.
$175,000 for Maternal Child Home Visitation program offers skilled nurses, parent coaches/family support workers, and social workers who deliver intensive home visitation services to at-risk families living in poverty. The focus is to promote a healthy pregnancy, become knowledgeable and responsible parents, and provide babies with the best possible start. VNA’s Maternal Child Home Visitation programs are Project WIN (Douglas, Sarpy and Pottawattamie counties), Love and Learn Teen and Young Parent Program (Douglas and Sarpy Counties), Nurse-Family Partnership (Pottawattamie County), and Healthy Families America (Douglas County).
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United Way of the Midlands (UWM) has served the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro for more than 95 years. Guided by best practices and community input, it approaches poverty in a specific way – a “united” way. With the support of volunteers, community partners and donors, UWM invests donor dollars efficiently and effectively in our local community. These dollars fund basic needs, education and financial stability programs at local nonprofits, creating a circle of support for people in need. Please visit UnitedWayMidlands.org for more information.
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