Parkinson’s Foundation awards more than $1M in grants
2024 community awards range from $10K to $25K per organization
The Parkinson’s Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in 92 community-based grants across 40 states in the U.S. to improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s disease.
This year’s funding, which ranges between $10,000 to $25,000 per organization, was awarded to programs that address local Parkinson’s disease communities’ unmet needs in areas such as health, wellness, and education. The funding period started in July and continues until the end of next June.
“Community grants help people with PD [Parkinson’s disease] live better lives, today,” John L. Lehr, Parkinson’s Foundation president and CEO, said in a foundation press release. “These investments reflect the Foundation’s continued commitment to meeting unmet needs in the Parkinson’s community.”
Funded local programs seek to provide education and exercise to Parkinson’s patients, address their mental health needs, and aid caregivers.
‘Hope for the future’
Erika Jackson, co-founder and CEO of Supreme Physical Therapy and Wellness Rehabilitation Center in Houston was one of the 2024 award recipients.
“The Community Grant we received from the Parkinson’s Foundation will enable us to significantly enhance our rehab programming, providing much-needed support and resources to individuals living with Parkinson’s disease,” Jackson said. “This funding will help us improve the quality of life for our participants, offering them specialized care and rehabilitation services tailored to their unique needs.”
Applications to the community grant program are reviewed by members of the Parkinson’s community who select which programs to fund. Members include people with Parkinson’s, caregivers, and healthcare professionals who work with Parkinson’s patients.
“Being a grant reviewer was a reminder of how many people in cities and towns all over the country are working hard to improve the lives of those of us with Parkinson’s disease and our care partners,” said Esther Labib-Kiyarash, who has Parkinson’s and is a member of this year’s community grant review committee. “Sometimes it’s easy to lose hope, but the really creative and impactful programs that the Parkinson’s Foundation is funding gives me so much hope for the future. “These programs truly make it possible for people to live better lives with this disease.”
Since 2011, the Foundation has invested more than $11.5 million in 879 community-based programs.
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