The Greene Community Health Foundation

Greene County Combined Health District (GCCHD) operates in southwestern Ohio and serves 147,866 residents that represent a combination of rural, urban and suburban communities. Greene County has been designated as both a medically underserved population (MUP) and a health professional shortage area (HPSA). A community health assessment conducted in 2001 indicated that over 56% of the population lacked adequate health insurance and have great medical needs and this population continued to increase each year. Unfortunately, for many years, there were no funds available to help people who lacked the financial means to get the required medical attention that they needed. To address the significant needs of the underserved clients (especially those that cannot be paid for with Health District funds), GCCHD incorporated their own private fundraising arm, the Greene Community Health Foundation. Through a "Grassroots Fundraising" approach GCCHD has been able to create a foundation that can assist the underserved population with unmet needs that the current public health system has no operating funds to do so.

The mission of the Greene Community Health Foundation is to 1. help assist underserved GCCHD clients with funding for medical needs, 2. find avenues of funding for clients, 3. develop partnerships with providers for reduced charges for clients, 4. develop community partnerships to strengthen programs and projects at GCCHD, and 5. develop state and national partnerships to strengthen the programs and projects at GCCHD.

The Greene Community Health Foundation has been in operation since 1991 and each year it raises more money. The donor base continues to grow at an annual basis of 15% and the retention level of donors is very high, currently representing 94% of donors. In 2003, the foundation raised over $70,000 in cash and over $85,000 in in-kind gift contributions, in addition to forming hundreds of invaluable community partnerships and a never-ending supply of dedicated volunteers. The 2003 donor base reflected 697 annual donors and 72 were new donors. The foundation currently organizes six annual community fundraisers and 11 programs that provide services to over 6,000 clients annually.