2021 Healthcare Foundation of Wilson Grant Recipients

Love A Sea Turtle (LAST) has been awarded $15,000 to create a sustainable cycling program and initiative called Wilson on Wheels (WOW) for The SPOT and the greater Wilson community. Funding includes the purchase of bicycles, helmets, water bottle holders, safety lights, bike air pumps, and tool repair kits. The goal is for The SPOT to have a sustainable bike fleet of approximately 25 quality bikes and helmets and to work with local groups to promote cycling in Wilson. LAST will work with The SPOT to train staff and youth in bike safety, simple repairs, recycling, repairing and distributing approximately 75 bikes along with helmets to local community members. LAST will also assist with scheduling rides in bike friendly areas in and around the Wilson area for The SPOT youth.

Opportunities Industrialization Center of Wilson (OIC) received $65,000 to conduct support services and free, voluntary testing for high HIV/STD incidence in Wilson County. This will include door-to-door campaigns to provide health screenings for sexually transmitted infections (STI). Outdoor testing stations will be established in high traffic targeted locations. OIC will partner with Barton College Nursing Department to provide A1c (blood sugar), cholesterol and blood pressure screenings.

The Town of Stantonsburg received $65,000 to make walking trail improvements by creating a smooth even surface that is safer and more accessible to all residents of the town. Outdoor exercise equipment will also be installed. All of these improvements will benefit the health and wellness of residents and will provide a place for exercise and physical activity. The Town will measure outcomes by using pedestrian counters for citizen and staff-led walking groups. The intent of the walking groups will be to encourage and increase daily use of the trail and to conduct a weigh in with residents to track progress.

Wilson County Department of Social Services was awarded $50,000 to continue Eat Smart Move More in collaboration with Wilson County Health Department and Wilson Family YMCA. They will continue to implement the county-wide obesity prevention plan by focusing on core health behaviors. Weight-loss challenges will include education from a nutritionist, opportunities for physical activity, lunch and learns on health topics, and incentives as participants meet weight loss goals.

Wilson County Department of Social Services received $20,000 to implement the Making Proud Choices program that will integrate a curriculum of teen pregnancy prevention along with HIV/STI prevention. The role of responsibility and accountability is stressed, and the curriculum teaches participants to make responsible decisions regarding their behavior. Participants will also be taught about the importance of developing a positive image and respecting themselves and others.

Wilson County Health Department was awarded $214,000 for Wilson Area School Health Centers (WASH) to continue services at Forest Hills Middle School, Beddingfield High School and Hunt High School. The school-based health centers are staffed with a family nurse practitioner, and there is a registered nurse at each school. Any student or staff member at Wilson County Schools can be seen at any of the three locations for wellness or sick visits. The clinics serve both the insured and uninsured.

Wilson County Health Department received $10,000 to provide long-acting contraceptives (Nexplanon) to uninsured women under the age of 26. Studies have shown the increase in the use of long-acting contraceptives is a very effective way to prevent teen pregnancy.

Wilson County Schools received $7,500 for the continuation of Motivating Adolescents with Technology to CHOOSE Health (MATCH), which uses a body-systems approach and empowers students to make healthy choices through lessons taught in Healthful Living, Science, Math, Language Arts and Social Studies.  

Wilson County Schools was awarded $90,000 to implement an outdoor obstacle course at Speight Middle School.  Benefits of an outside obstacle course for students include memory and problem solving skills, sensory processing, motor skills, and coordination. Physical activity can help reduce obesity and improve fitness among students while also helping with overall cognitive development. 

Wilson County Substance Prevention Coalition – Hope Alliance received $12,000 to continue to assist with the growing needs and citizen access to treatment and care needed to combat current issues with substance use disorder.  Funding will support transportation, detox, and treatment costs.

Wilson Parks and Recreation was awarded $8,000 to continue the expansion of an exercise program for the intellectually disabled with outreach to school-age children, teenagers and adults who do not have a group setting for exercise.  

Wilson Parks and Recreation received $130,000 for the Wilson City Miracle League field. This facility will provide recreational opportunities for citizens with intellectual and physical disabilities. The Miracle League removes barriers that keep these children off the baseball field and helps them experience the joy of America’s favorite pastime. Since the main barriers for these individuals arise from the natural grass fields used in conventional leagues, this funding will provide a custom-designed, rubberized turf field that accommodates wheelchairs and other assistive devices while helping to prevent injuries. 

Wilson Youth United (The SPOT) was awarded $134,800 to implement “My Classroom MOVES” which are interactive classrooms that provide the teacher and students the opportunity to exercise together or individually at any time throughout the day. Flexible classrooms are proven to increase engagement, empower student choice, increase oxygen flow to the brain, and increase metabolism. Flexible classrooms will include rising desks, alternative seating, under-desk treadmills, and mats at each station. Virtual field trips using iPad Pro 4D and large projection screens will allow kids to physically move within their designated space as they navigate places like monuments in Washington D.C. or The Sistine Chapel.