CHHSM Ministry St. Andrew’s Awarded Grant for its Project Independence

St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation, part of CHHSM ministry St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors System, has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the Daughters of Charity of St. Louis for its Project Independence.

The grant, awarded during the Daughters of Charity Spring 2018 grant cycle, is awarded to programs that help keep older adults in St. Louis City and County safe and in their own homes by addressing the increasing need for quality minor home repair for low-income adults over the age of 65.

Project Independence was established in 2006 to provide quality home repair for low-income seniors. A variety of repairs are provided through the program, including repair of cracked walls, replacement of corroded and leaking faucets and pipes, installation or repair of locks, replacement of doors that are no longer functional or safe, replacement or re-glazing of broken windows, replacement of rotted or moldy kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, and other measures to maintain sanitation and prevent avoidable accidents.

Remaining in the home prolongs a senior’s ability to live independently and avoids a premature move to a Medicaid nursing home. With support from Daughters of Charity, St. Andrew’s program reduces the risk of accidents, falls or failed health which could lead to hospitalization or permanent disability.

“We seek to enhance the quality of life of our seniors by eliminating the undue stress of safety hazards, and to empower them to take an active role in the management of their own lives,” says Mary Alice Ryan, president and CEO of St. Andrew’s. “By providing a continuum of services, we make sure every older adult we serve is receiving the care necessary to remain living independently in their home and out of a nursing home.”

St. Andrew’s Foundation was created in order to fund outreach programs, and to help St. Andrew’s residents who have run out of money by giving them funds so they can remain in their current community.

The Project Independence grant marks the second Daughters of Charity grant awarded to CHHSM ministries in the St. Louis area in recent months. Deaconess Nurse Ministry received a grant in the Fall 2017 grant cycle to provide case management, health/mental health screening, education and referrals to seniors by community-based nurses.