HCA Virginia announces HCA Healthcare Foundation 25,000 grant to Girl Scouts
In conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month, HCA Virginia today announced that the HCA Healthcare Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant from its Healthier Tomorrow Fund to the Girl Scouts Council of the Nation’s Capital council. The gift provides funds to implement Girl Scouts of the USA’s (GSUSA) Mental Wellness Patch Programs for Girl Scouts in fourth through 12th grades.
The programs, Knowing My Emotions, Finding My Voice and Showing Up for Me and You encourage Girl Scouts to learn about mental wellness for themselves and others, recognize and understand their feelings, effectively cope with mental health challenges and feel comfortable seeking help. The GSUSA Mental Wellness Patch Program, developed in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the GSUSA Program Advisory Committee, including HCA Healthcare behavioral health experts, is currently available to all councils nationwide.
“We are incredibly grateful to the HCA Healthcare Foundation for this investment in our mission,” said Kim R. Ford, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts Nation's Capital. “There has never been a more important time to empower young people to lead and succeed. Together, we are helping create a culture where conversations about mental wellness are encouraged and accessible for youth from every background.”
HCA Virginia has invested nearly $70,000 to launch Mental Wellness Patch Programs in Central and Southwest Virginia in partnership with the Girl Scouts of the Virginia Skyline and Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia councils. To date, nearly 3,000 patches have been awarded.
“Mental wellbeing is essential to overall health,” said Nathan Vooys, Chief Executive Officer of Reston Hospital Center. “Girl Scouts are developing the next generation of leaders, and we believe everyone should make mental wellness a priority. This investment demonstrates our commitment to supporting the mental health of our patients, colleagues and communities.”
This award is a result of the HCA Healthcare Foundation’s $1.38 million grant to GSUSA, through its Healthier Tomorrow Fund, which was announced last year as part of the HCA Healthcare Foundation’s Community Catalyst Grant Program through the Healthier Tomorrow Fund, a community impact initiative focused on expanding access to care and addressing critical local health needs.