Capuchin Soup Kitchen awarded grant from the Total Health Care Foundation
The Capuchin Soup Kitchen announced today it has been awarded a $208,988 grant from the Total Health Care Foundation in partnership with Priority Health. Created as part of the merger between Priority Health and Total Health Care, the Total Health Care Foundation has committed to providing millions of dollars worth of grants over the next few years to support organizations committed to improving the lives of individuals they serve.
The funds awarded by the Total Health Care Foundation will purchase $140,000 worth of food pantry items that will meet the needs of up to 20,000 families for the next 3-6 months.
The balance of the grant will fund a collaborative job readiness program in partnership with Detroit at Work for guests of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen. The program, which is in place at the Capuchin Services Center, provides opportunities for guests to achieve full-time, sustainable employment. A Detroit at Work representative meets with guests weekly in addition to specialists and employment recruiters to conduct on-site job interviews at the Services Center. One individual who went through the program found full-time employment within two weeks providing her with a living wage and was able to purchase a car to meet her family’s needs.
“We are very blessed to receive this substantial support from Priority Health and the Total Health Care Foundation,” said Br. Gary Wegner, OFM Cap., executive director of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen. “This grant will serve as a catalyst to providing basic human needs for people experiencing financial hardships, as well as match and prepare guests who visit us with job opportunities in the area.”
The creation of the Total Health Care Foundation demonstrates Priority Health’s commitment to finding solutions to the health disparities and Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) facing Michigan residents such as food and housing shortages, economic stability and health issues.
As the grant announcement was made, employees of Priority Health volunteered at the Capuchin Services Center for a special food distribution to guests.
For more information about the Total Health Care Foundation and Priority Health, please visit priorityhealth.com/thcfoundation.
About the Capuchin Soup Kitchen
Founded in 1929, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen serves Metro Detroit by providing food, clothing, and human development programs to the community. In addition to preparing and serving meals at the Meldrum and Conner soup kitchen sites daily, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen also operates a food and clothing pantry, and the Rosa Parks Children’s and Youth Program. The Earthworks Urban Farm program harvests produce from a 1.5-acre USDA-certified organic farm and provides education on sustainable relationships between human beings and the earth. The Soup Kitchen’s On the Rise Bakery program affords workforce development and skills training for formerly incarcerated citizens. The Capuchin Soup Kitchen’s Jefferson House program, a twelve-bed residential substance use treatment facility, assists men seeking to reclaim their lives from addiction. CSKDetroit.org
The Capuchin Soup Kitchen is a ministry of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph, headquartered in Detroit, with a presence in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Montana. The Capuchins are funded primarily by donations and foundation grants. Visit www.theCapuchins.org for additional information.
About Priority Health
With over 30 years in business, Priority Health is the second largest health plan in Michigan, offering an extensive portfolio of health benefits options for employer groups and individuals, including Medicare and Medicaid plans. Serving more than one million members each year and offering a broad network of primary care physicians in Michigan, Priority Health continues to be recognized as a leader for quality, customer service, transparency and product innovation. Learn more about affordable, quality health coverage options from Priority Health.
