Parkinson’s Foundation Grants $1.5 Million to Local Communities for Parkinson’s Disease Programs
NEW YORK & MIAMI (August 4, 2020) — The Parkinson’s Foundation today announced the recipients of more than $1.5 million in community grants for Parkinson’s disease (PD) programs. Community grants support local health, wellness and educational programs that address unmet needs in the Parkinson’s community.
“We are proud to continue to provide community grants and expand programs and resources that focus on diverse and underserved populations within the PD community,” said John L. Lehr, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Parkinson’s Foundation. “With COVID-19 impacting the world and Parkinson’s community as a whole, this is a vital year for the Parkinson’s Foundation to provide support and funding for grant recipients who remain committed to making life better for people with Parkinson’s.”
The Parkinson’s Foundation awarded more than $1.5 million in community grants, ranging from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $25,000 per grant application. This year’s grant cycle focused on three areas, including: programs that provide services for diverse and underserved populations, initiatives that reach the newly diagnosed and programs that address mental health and Parkinson’s.
“Thanks to the generous support of the Parkinson’s Foundation, Upper Valley Programs for Parkinson's will be able to provide a range of quality, evidence-based exercise and activity programs specifically for people with Parkinson's in New Hampshire,” said Rick Dickson, JD, Certified Health Coach and Certified Personal Trainer at the Upper Valley Programs for Parkinson’s. “Without the assistance of the Parkinson's Foundation, our community would not have ready access to any of these resources.”
New this year, the Parkinson's Foundation launched the Centers of Excellence Community Outreach Resource Education (CORE) grants to support community-based education and outreach programs that address unmet needs in the Parkinson’s community. The Foundation awarded 19 CORE grant recipients across the Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence network for programs that align with the community grants focus areas and offer a variety of innovative therapies, programs and professional healthcare training. Centers of Excellence are designated medical centers with a specialized Parkinson’s care team that practices the latest treatments and research while providing the best care.
Programs funded by the Parkinson’s Foundation community grants also include wellness, dance, music therapy and educational classes and services that can help people with Parkinson’s live better with the disease. These programs will benefit communities in 37 states across the country.
Since 2011, the Parkinson's Foundation has funded more than 436 community-based programs that help address unmet needs for people with PD. To see the full list of the 2020 community grant recipients, visit Parkinson.org/CommunityGrants.
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About the Parkinson’s Foundation
The Parkinson’s Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience and passion of our global Parkinson’s community. Since 1957, the Parkinson’s Foundation has invested more than $400 million in Parkinson’s research and clinical care. Connect with us on Parkinson.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or call (800) 4PD-INFO (473-4636).
About Parkinson’s Disease
Affecting an estimated one million Americans and 10 million worldwide, Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the U.S. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson’s and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S. alone.