CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Sisters Health Foundation, associated with the former St. Joseph’s Hospital in Parkersburg, has given its largest-ever grant to help with West Virginia flood relief.
The charitable organization gave $155,500 to West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster.
The foundation’s charitable works are meant to benefit residents of the area the hospital formerly served, so the money is aimed to help flood victims in Roane and Jackson counties. The money also goes to help West Virginia VOAD hire a recovery coordinator and a construction coordinator.
“The need is so great,” said Molly Bauer, program officer for the Sisters Health Foundation. “When we spoke with West Virginia VOAD and talked with them about what were the critical needs to move the recovery along, when we took that information to the board they were very desirous of responding as well as we could, given the amount of funding that we had.”
Some of the gift will provide funding for emotional and spiritual care teams to go into flood-struck communities to help people struggling with trauma.
“We know trauma becomes more apparent six months to a year into the process,” she said.
While making the grant presentation Tuesday at the Charleston Area Alliance headquarters, Bauer said, “We’re delighted to provide support to meet the needs of people, especially of body, mind and spirit.”
The grant is among the most generous gifts West Virginia VOAD has received, said Jenny Gannaway, executive director of the organization. The only larger grant West Virginia VOAD has received was one from the Benedum Foundation.
“This ranks right at the top,” Gannaway said.
She said being able to hire a recovery coordinator and a construction coordinator will be helpful.
“Those are two of the key elements we really needed from the grant,” Gannaway said.
Joe Ross, who leads the Long Term Recovery Committee in Roane County, said county residents who are recovering from the flood will benefit.
“It goes a long way,” Ross said. “We’ve learned to take a little bit of money and make it go a long way. We really appreciate any money we get.”
John Ballengee is volunteer chairman of the Greater Kanawha Long-Term Recovery Committee, which also helps provide flood relief to victims in Jackson County. He said those people will benefit too.
“The volume of need is huge,” Ballengee said. “You need to be patient but also empathetic.”