LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky announced its newest grant recipients for its FREE program. FREE stands for Funding for Recovery Equity and Expansion. 11 grant recipients met at the Recovery Cafe in Lexington and got to speak more with the foundation’s COO.
Chief operating officer Allison Adams says, "We're happy to be able to support the passing and the supporting of the funding to the smaller organizations that may not be able to front the resources to do the good work that they do on the community level."
One grant recipient, Pathways, is based in Ashland in Boyd County. They help individuals who are seeking recovery and work to break stigmas. The organization got nearly $50,000 in funding. Its team will create a digital marketing campaign and do more community outreach. The goal is to help more minority communities.
Pastor and advocate for Pathways in Ashland, John Crockrel, says, "Not everybody wants to be on drugs. There are some people that actually want to get off drugs that want help. Some have told me that they want to get help, they just don't want to be sick. And so, giving them the resources and giving them avenues of getting off the drugs and getting back into society with housing and jobs and opportunities just like everybody else — it means everything."
The foundation hopes this program will decrease overdose deaths and help more under-resourced communities. COO Allison Adams explains that overdose death rates are going down in the state, but she says there's still a disparity among Kentuckians of color.
"They are still dying at a higher rate than their white counterparts. So, we believe at the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky in equitable resources, and we want to provide more resources to the communities that are affected most,” says Adams.
More than $400,000 was granted. The funds come from the state and federal government — including the CDC and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This project is about empowering these community organizations to reach more people and continue their good work.
Adams shares, "The communities know what to do and how to address the situation and so we want to be able to support what they know will work. And so, understanding that if we can provide them the resources to do their good work...they are the subject matter experts, that's where we feel like the foundation can serve the community the best."
These teams are working to save more lives and get more people healthy.
