St. Joseph’s Health Secures Grant Funding to Expand Community Health and Workforce Initiatives

 

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – St. Joseph’s Health is proud to announce that it has received nearly $650,000 in grant funding from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation in 2024, supporting three vital programs aimed at improving patient care, addressing food insecurity, and advancing workforce development.

 

“These grants allow us to further our mission of providing compassionate, high-quality care to the communities we serve,” said Meredith Price, Senior Vice President of Acute Operations at St. Joseph’s Health. “Thanks to the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation’s dedication to improving health equity and addressing barriers to care, we can expand vital programs in workforce development, maternal health, and food security, strengthening both our health system and the well-being of our region.”

 

“We are deeply honored by the wide-ranging impact of our work and by the dedication of our grantees across New York State. We’re inspired by the compassionate legacy of Mother Frances Cabrini, as this year marks a significant milestone in our grantmaking, as we surpassed $1 billion in grants since our founding,” said Msgr. Gregory Mustaciuolo, Chief Executive Officer of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. “This moment fuels our commitment as a Foundation to look toward the future, where we will continue making bold investments in a healthier, more equitable future for all.”

 

The grants to St. Joseph’s Health included:

 

Enhancing Maternal Care with the OB Academy

A $25,000 grant has enabled St. Joseph’s Health to establish the OB Academy, a specialized training program for newly hired obstetrical nurses and those with fewer than 5 years of experience in OB or Labor & Delivery nursing. By standardizing education in labor and delivery, obstetrics, and postpartum care, the OB Academy equips nurses with the skills and confidence to quickly recognize and respond to complications. This program ultimately improves patient safety and outcomes for expectant mothers and their newborns.

 

Expanding Food Security Through the Food Farmacy

With a $525,000 grant, the Food Farmacy enters its fourth year of fighting food insecurity and improving health outcomes for patients with chronic conditions. The program provides nutritious food, one-on-one education, and cooking resources to patients in need. The funding will expand partnerships with community-based organizations, increasing outreach to vulnerable populations, including refugees, seniors, and low-income families. As of mid-2024, the program had provided more than 1,600 meals to participants.

 

Breaking Employment Barriers with Workforce Development

The Outside In–Inside Up Workforce Development Program, supported by a $100,000 grant, helps remove barriers to employment for refugees, immigrants, and underserved populations. In 2024, the program focused on job readiness training, interview preparation, and career development for those new to the workforce. In 2025, the initiative will expand to provide career advancement pathways for current St. Joseph’s employees, offering mentorship, skills training, and credentialing opportunities to help them grow within the healthcare field.

 

By securing this critical funding, St. Joseph’s Health continues to invest in innovative solutions that address social determinants of health, enhance patient care, and create new career pathways for individuals in the community.

 

Our sister hospital system, St. Peter’s Health Partners (SPHP) in Albany, was also the recipient of nearly $2 million in grants from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. Thanks to Mother Cabrini’s generosity, SPHP will be advancing patient safety and care in its behavioral and mental health units; expanding its suicide prevention outreach efforts; growing its Food Farmacy initiative to address food insecurity; expanding its bereavement and Hospice support to rural communities; and providing crime victim prevention education and resources to some of the community’s most vulnerable members.