The Berwick Health and Wellness Fund Grant Information

The Berwick Health and Wellness Fund (BHWF) is the original and largest component fund of the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation. The fund, valued at approximately $34 million, was created through the sale of the Berwick Hospital in 1999, a conversion from public to private ownership. The Foundation seeks to enrich the lives of the residents of the hospital's service area by using the investments from the BHWF to promote individual and community health and well being.

The mission of the Berwick Health and Wellness Fund is to select, identify, and invest in programs and projects that improve the health and welfare of the community. The terms "health" and "wellness" are interpreted in a broad sense to include a wide variety of efforts that have an impact on the community's overall well being.

The geographic boundaries of the BHWF encompass 8 boroughs and 15 townships in eastern Columbia County and lower/western Luzerne County in northeastern Pennsylvania. Home to approximately 55,000 residents, this region is a historic intersection of once thriving iron manufacturing, anthracite coal mining, railways and canals. This geographically diverse area is bisected by the north branch of the Susquehanna River and includes small cities, rural villages, new residential communities, farmlands and forest.

The 23 locales eligible to receive BHWF grants are:

Columbia County Boroughs: Berwick Borough*, Benton Borough, Briar Creek Borough Stillwater Borough. Columbia County Townships: Benton Township, Briar Creek Township, Fishing Creek Township, Mifflin Township, North Centre Township, and South Centre Township

Luzerne County Boroughs: Berwick Borough*, Conyngham Borough, Nescopeck Borough, New Columbus Borough, and Shickshinny Borough. Luzerne County Townships: Butler Township, Conyngham Township, Hollenback Township, Hunlock Township, Huntington Township, Nescopeck Township, Salem Township, Sugarloaf Township, and Union Township
*Berwick Borough is located in both Columbia and Luzerne Counties.

Priority areas of interest. The Foundation board invests in programs and projects that promote overall health and wellness within the geographic boundaries of the BHWF. In the grant review process, priority is given to proposals that respond to one or more of the areas of need identified by a community assessment process:

Ensuring that children are healthy and ready to learn when they enter school.
Promoting oral health for residents who lack access to regular dental care.
Reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease through nutrition, physical activity and tobacco-free lifestyles.
Improving mental and behavioral health through community awareness, support and treatment.