St. David’s provides $2.9 million to local organizations

By Wesley Gardner
LPR Editor

The St. David’s Foundation has awarded nearly $6.5 million to 116 organizations in Central Texas for the second and final phase of its COVID-19 Recovery Fund, with $2.9M being awarded to organizations that provide support in Caldwell County.
In April 2020, St. David’s Foundation, which serves Central Texas and is committed to health equity within its five-county footprint, created a $10 million COVID-19 Recovery Fund to support nonprofit organizations and public entities serving on the front lines of the pandemic.
According to Edward Burger, CEO of St. David’s Foundation, this phase of funding aims to address some of the most critical issues Central Texas’ most vulnerable populations are facing.
“For this round, our focus was primarily on mental health,” said Burger. “People are struggling through this, and a lot of it has just been the basic needs.”
Burger noted each organization receiving Phase II Recovery Fund support is serving priority populations such as rural populations and communities of color, and providing vital services including behavioral health and emotional well-being, among other priorities.
Burger noted that while the end of Phase 2 of the COVID-19 Recovery Fund marks the end of that particular program, COVID-related needs will still remain a focus for the foundation.
“COVID is gonna remain with us for probably another year or more and there are some really serious needs that need to be addressed,” said Burger. “I just think the pandemic has really brought to light a lot of the inequities that we’ve been living with for a long ling time, and a lot of that is systemic. “
In its first phase, the Foundation awarded $3.5 million to Central Texas partners. Among the organizations receiving funding in Caldwell County include:
Truth Be Told: Truth Be Told will use funding to provide women at Lockhart Correctional access to mental health support and trauma-informed curriculum through a mail correspondence program. The grant would also enable virtual peer support programs for formerly incarcerated program graduates in Austin and across Texas who are disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
Prospera Housing Community Services: Prospera Housing Community Services will use the grant to assist its residents struggling with job loss or economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be used to provide basic needs assistance, such as eviction prevention, food insecurity assistance, and health care and hygiene supplies.
Community Health Centers of South Central Texas: Community Health Centers of South Central Texas will use funds to reinstate its full array of dental services and acquire equipment to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 during dental procedures for both patients and staff.
CASA of Central Texas: CASA of Central Texas will use funding to assist its leadership team to continue to design strategic innovations to ensure seamless delivery of programs and support for abused, neglected, or abandoned children.
CommuniCare Health Centers: CommuniCare Health Centers will use funding to continue to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Hays and Caldwell counties and plan for future strategies to increase overall access to healthcare services.
Connections Individual & Family Services: Connections Individual and Family Services will use the grant to continue to provide no-cost counseling and community-based substance abuse prevention services to vulnerable and at-risk youth within Bastrop and Caldwell counties.
The St. David’s Foundation’s mission is to create healthier lives for all Central Texans by addressing the region’s top health challenges. Through a partnership with St. David’s HealthCare, the foundations invest more than $75 million each year back into our five-county service area in Central Texas, made up of Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties.