Neighboring Community Foundation Awards Grants To Calaveras County

Calaveras Community Foundation photo

Angels Camp, CA – A neighboring county charitable foundation is helping Calaveras County non-profits provide lifesaving health services.

The San Joaquin Community Foundation, through its Community Health Fund, has awarded a grant of just over 25,000 to the Calaveras Community Foundation. That funding has been broken up into four grants to support the health and wellness of Calaveras County residents. The health fund was established through a Delta Blood Bank Foundation gift aimed at improving healthcare services, health outcomes, and medical education in the area.

The grant recipients and breakdowns were:

• Copperopolis Fire Protection District: $6,884 for open water rescue training;
• Mark Twain Health Care District: $4,000 for two Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machines;
• Mark Twain Medical Center Foundation: $8,500 for blood pressure cuffs and glucose monitors;
• West Point Community Food Pantry: $5,724 for kitchen upgrades to support its meal program.

Dr. Randall Smart highlighted the Mark Twain Health Care District’s objective to expand the availability of AED machines in Calaveras County. “This grant will literally save lives. Automatic External Defibrillators are machines that jump the patient’s heart from a fatal rhythm to a normal rhythm; first responders have only 10-15 minutes to do that to prevent a fatal outcome. This grant will equip responders to provide that essential life-saving care.”

Also stressed was the life-changing impact of glucose monitors that allow a person with diabetes to monitor their blood sugar level after eating or at any time without the need to prick a finger. For more information about the Calaveras Community Foundation, click here.