The global economic crisis has taken its toll on our communities and the agencies that serve our neighbors most in need. To help ease suffering and to strengthen the roles these organizations play, Providence Health & Services honored a tradition today that dates back more than a century – outreach to the poor and vulnerable.

Providence is contributing more than $250,000 to 14 nonprofit groups in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys that serve the homeless, the uninsured in need of medical care, school children in low-income areas and others in need.

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The money was presented to the groups at a reception at Providence Tarzana Medical Center.

Funding comes from the Mother Joseph Fund, which holds a portion of profits from the three Providence medical centers in the San Fernando Valley. In profitable months, each hospital donates 5 percent of its proceeds to the fund.

“While there is a new spirit of hope that the recession and the unemployment rate are turning around, there are many people among our neighbors who need a helping hand. Providence is please to help these very worthy organizations in their outreach efforts,” said Sr. Colleen Settles, OP, chief mission integration officer for Providence Health & Services, California .

An advisory board composed of Providence employees, physicians, board members and community representatives chose these programs for this second disbursement of Mother Joseph Fund grants:

• Chrysalis, mental health care for the homeless
• El Nido Family Centers, financial aid for struggling families
• Family Promise, aid for the homeless in the eastern San Fernando Valley
• Family Promise, Santa Clarita Valley
• Family Service Agency of Burbank , helping survivors of domestic violence
• Friends of the Family, promoting sexual responsibility for teen-age boys
• Guardian Angel Catholic School, to replace obsolete text books
• Gentle Barn, therapy using animals to help foster children who have been abused
• Kids Community Dental Clinic, free dental care
• Parochial schools, to fund physical education instruction and nutritional guidance
• – Guardian Angel School , Pacoima
• – St. Didacus School, Sylmar
• – St. Ferdinand School , San Fernando
• – Santa Rosa School , San Fernando
• Plummer Elementary School, low-cost optometry program for school children
• Tarzana Treatment Center, clinical treatment for uninsured patients
• Valley Care Community Consortium, needs assessment for Greater Valley Area
• Work of Angels, support services for former foster youth

Sr. Settles credited employees of Providence Tarzana, Providence Holy Cross and Providence Saint Joseph medical centers for making the fund possible by honoring the organization’s core value of stewardship. Providence urges departments across-the-board to identify ways to trim costs without sacrificing care to ensure funding for the community’s most vulnerable.