2020 Parkinson’s Foundation Community Health Grants Total $1.5M

Note: This story was updated Aug. 17, 2020, to correct that the Upper Valley Programs for Parkinson’s is in New Hampshire, not Ohio.

The Parkinson’s Foundation has awarded more than $1.5 million in community health grants to about 100 programs that will benefit Parkinson’s disease patients in 37 states.

The grants range from $5,000 to $25,000 and support local health, wellness, and educational programs that address unmet needs in the Parkinson’s community. The community grant program is in its ninth year.

“We are proud to continue to provide community grants and expand programs and resources that focus on diverse and underserved populations within the PD community,” said John L. Lehr, president and CEO of the Parkinson’s Foundation, in a press release. “With COVID-19 impacting the world and Parkinson’s community as a whole, this is a vital year for the Parkinson’s Foundation to provide support and funding for grant recipients who remain committed to making life better for people with Parkinson’s.”

The grants are for new and existing U.S. programs that serve diverse and underserved populations, reach the newly diagnosed, and address mental health and Parkinson’s. As such, the awards fund wellness, dance, and music therapy programs, plus educational classes and services, that can improve Parkinson’s patients’ quality of life.

One award recipient is Upper Valley Programs for Parkinson’s in Lebanon, New Hampshire, an organization that supports, organizes, and produces physical and social programs for the Parkinson’s community.

“Thanks to the generous support of the Parkinson’s Foundation, Upper Valley Programs for Parkinson’s will be able to provide a range of quality, evidence-based exercise and activity programs specifically for people with Parkinson’s in New Hampshire,” said Rick Dickson, certified health coach and personal trainer for Upper Valley Programs. “Without the assistance of the Parkinson’s Foundation, our community would not have ready access to any of these resources.”

Since 2011, the Parkinson’s Foundation has funded more than 436 community-based efforts. A full list of this year’s awardees is available here, and more information about the grant program is here.

In related news, the nonprofit organization this year opened its Centers of Excellence Community Outreach Resource Education (CORE) grant program to support community-based Parkinson’s education and outreach initiatives. The Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence designation is given to medical centers that have a specialized Parkinson’s care team and that demonstrate excellence in research and care.

In its inaugural year, the CORE program awarded 19 grants to national and international centers for their programs for underserved communities. Funds will support a range of Parkinson’s programs that address mental health, provide professional healthcare training and innovative therapies, and reach patients with early onset Parkinson’s.

CORE grant recipients include, for example, Growing the Chicago Movement Coalition, an academic-community partnership for Parkinson’s education in underserved communities, at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Another awardee is Parkinson’s Disease: Movement to Mental Health, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada.

Visit this site for a complete list of CORE recipients.