Advocate Aurora Health announced the recipients of another $500,000 round of grants through its Better Together Fund.
The health system announced last month it will award a total of $2.1 million in grants to Milwaukee community organizations over the next few weeks to address the social and economic needs of the city amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Its latest investment is focused on supporting mental health, resiliency and support services for vulnerable people.
It is awarding $250,000 to Sigma Pi Phi Beta Alpha Boulé/Marquette University Center for Peacemaking to deliver support services for students struggling with mental health, academic or behavioral challenges.
“At school, the compromised mental health of students can increase barriers to learning and hurt their relationships with classmates and school staff,” said Larry Waters, Sire Archon of Sigma Pi Phi Beta Alpha Boulé. “Virtual learning has compounded pre-existing education disparities and made it more difficult for students and families to access resources, connect to schools, and manage mental health challenges. This grant from the Better Together Fund will provide necessary support for staff and therapists to ensure students are successful.”
The health system is also awarding $125,000 to UMOS’ sexual assault and domestic violence program, which provides advocacy services for Hispanic sexual assault and domestic violence survivors.
“This grant will assist our work to help more than 2,000 people throughout Milwaukee by receiving information on domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, as well as comprehensive advocacy services available, not just for themselves, but for their families,” said Mariana Rodriguez, UMOS program manager.
Another $125,000 grant will support The Asha Project’s sexual assault and domestic violence program, which provides advocacy services for African American sexual assault and domestic violence survivors.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Advocate Aurora to help develop a link between victims, health care services and victim services. Advocacy support is a critical need, particularly now,” said Antonia Drew Vann, director of The Asha Project.
An earlier round of Better Together Foundation grants totaling $500,000 was awarded the Hispanic Collaborative to support Hispanic-owned businesses as they build out their online presence and e-commerce sales platforms, and to the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin in support of its RISE entrepreneurial training program.
The Better Together Fund is managed by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
