University Hospitals Provides $300,000 To The Parma Hospital Foundation For Distribution To The Hospital’s Founding Cities

Underscoring its commitment to the health and wellness of the communities it serves, University Hospitals will provide $300,000 in grant funding to support wellness initiatives in University Hospitals Parma Medical Center’s six founding communities. The funds will be given to the Parma Hospital Health Care Foundation, which will distribute $50,000 grants to each of the cities of Parma, Parma Heights, North Royalton, Seven Hills, Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights. 

“The Foundation is pleased to distribute these wellness grants,” said Marcia Ferguson, Executive Director of the Foundation. “We are proud to support UH Parma Medical Center’s efforts to enhance and improve its citizens’ health and well-being, and we look forward to the positive outcomes that will arise through these grants.  

As part of the integration of UH Parma Medical Center into the University Hospitals health system in January 2014, UH committed to funding unique programs aimed at improving and enhancing the health of local residents. The municipalities’ mayors worked with their constituents to determine the wellness programs that best fit their needs. 

“We are pleased to announce the distribution of these grants which will help support vital wellness programs in the cities surrounding UH Parma Medical Center,” says Eric Bieber, MD, President, UH Community Hospitals, West Region. “Providing community benefit is a long-held core value at University Hospitals; it is embedded in every aspect of our mission: To Heal. To Teach. To Discover.” 

Plans defined by each of the communities include:

  • Parma – To create a handicapped-accessible area in James Day Park and purchase exercise equipment for Veterans Memorial Park. 
  • Parma Heights – To re-purpose a former ice rink to create and provide equipment for an all-purpose room where daily classes such as Pilates, yoga and jazzercise can be taught to members of the community.  
  • North Royalton – To provide a local match for a $1 million Clean Ohio Grant, which will enable North Royalton to connect with Brecksville, Broadview Heights, and the Metroparks, for an all-purpose walking/biking trail.  
  • Seven Hills – To create a handicapped-accessible playground next to the city recreation center and to improve transportation for seniors who want to come to the recreation center for wellness visits.  
  • Brooklyn – To purchase a van for seniors to be transported to appointments for wellness and medical care. 
  • Brooklyn Heights – To purchase exercise equipment for children and adults to use at the city park. 

“We passionately, and compassionately, care for the welfare of our communities, and for making the Northeast Ohio region a better place to live, work and thrive – in health,” added Dr. Bieber, who also oversees UH’s Accountable Care Organization. “By reinvesting our resources in Parma and surrounding cities – and throughout our region –we help ensure the availability of the best health care for our communities.” 

CJ Sheppard

Communications Strategist, University Hospitals Parma Medical Center

Read More on Parma General Hospital
Volume 6, Issue 8, Posted 10:24 AM, 08.01.2014