investing in children's health through Dayton Children's community benefit funding

It takes a community working together to ensure children are healthy and safe where they live, learn, and play. That's why, as part of our commitment to the community, Dayton Children’s allocates funding to organizations that are working to improve the lives of children and families in our service region.

Each year we partner with several amazing non-profit organizations by providing funding to support their programs that address critical needs in our community including food insecurity, health literacy, mentoring, infant mortality, and health equity.  

Annually, non-profit organizations are invited to apply through our community benefit funding process. Then, the community benefit committee of the Board of Trustees at Dayton Children’s fully reviews the applications and determines who to fund based on alignment with our Community Health Needs Assessment. Finally. after a typically challenging process (because there are so many great applications), funding decisions are made, and programs receive resources to continue their amazing work.

If you know of an organization that may be interested in applying for funding, encourage them to explore our community benefit program.

For example, in 2023, Miami Valley Meals was announced as one of the recipients of our community benefit grant funding. 

Miami Valley Meals’ prepared meal program is an ongoing project in which a team of professional chefs and volunteers transform rescued food into nutritious prepared meals for individuals and families facing food insecurity across the Dayton area. Food insecurity is a priority need for children and families in poverty and underscores every area of a healthy life, as proper nutrition is necessary for child development, learning, and physical health. 

This Fall, we announced funding for these local programs:

• Crossover Community Development Corporation – Family Mentoring Program 
• Old North Dayton Neighborhood Association – Community Outreach to Reduce Possible Contamination  
• El Puente Educational Center – Abriendo Caminos  
• Ebenezer Healthcare Access – Better Health for All  
• Omega Community Development Corporation – Project Hope  
• Dayton Dream Center – Roadmap for Recovery – Family Health Initiative  

Last fiscal year, we also had an amazing group of funded programs, including: 

• American Red Cross – Blood Diversity Sickle Cell Initiative 
• Big Brothers, Big Sisters – Trauma-Informed Youth Mentoring Program 
• Daybreak – Daybreak and David’s Place LFGTQ+ Drop-In Center 
• Dayton Metro Library – Partner Pantry Program 
• Goodwill Easterseals – Car Seat Safety Program 
• Lessons from the Garden – Gardens on the Go 
• Ohio Tri-County Food Alliance – Children’s Feeding Program 
• Catholic Social Services – Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program 
• Miami Valley Meals – Prepared Meals Program 
• Milk Mamas – Moms Night Out Program 

Join us in congratulating these incredible organizations for the work they do each and every day to improve the lives of children and families!