Community Health Foundation

Kelli Northcutt (left), Executive Director of the Community Health Foundation, and Wendy Stobbe, CEO of North Central Palliative Care and Hospice of NCO discussing Hospice’s new palliative care service.

It goes without saying that our personal health is important. Good health allows us to live our lives to the fullest, do the things we want to do and be the kind of person, parent, friend and employee we want to be. This past year, we have seen just how important the health of our community is, as well. The health of the community has taken on a new meaning and we have seen more than ever how it affects our personal health and our ability to live, work and function in the larger world around us.

The Community Health Foundation has been focused on the health and well-being of individuals and the community since its beginning in 2006. The Foundation was created when a new hospital corporation purchased the nonprofit hospital, Via Christi, that operated in Ponca City for many years. The hospital Board at the time knew that Via Christi managed a private foundation that benefited the health of Kay County and that the new hospital would not be able to do so. The Board made the decision then to form the Community Health Foundation as a separate entity that could carry on the work of the former Via Christi health foundation.

The Community Health Foundation (CHF) is a nonprofit organization that exists to improve the health of the citizens of Kay County primarily through programming, education, scholarships and grants. The Foundation focuses on all ages and virtually every aspect of a person’s health. Each year CHF has an open grant process where organizations and agencies in Kay County apply for funds that will be used with the CHF mission in mind. CHF has made contributions to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma for its Kay County elementary backpack and middle school and high school food pantry nutrition programs; to Survivor Resource Network for domestic abuse victim counseling; to Edwin Fair for community mental health services; to RSVP to support senior adults; to NERA; to NOYS for its Family Resource Program; to the United Way Prescription Program; to Hospice of North Central Oklahoma to assist in launching its Palliative Care service; to the University Center’s Bachelor of Nursing Degree program; to Dearing House; to Golden Villa; and more.

Another large aspect of the Community Health Foundation’s work is its scholarship program. CHF understands the importance of investing in our present and future healthcare professionals. A considerable factor in the health of our community members is having access to quality care. Every year, CHF gives NOC registered nursing students and Pioneer Technology licensed practical nursing students a combined $20,000 in scholarships. The majority of these students graduate and then work as nurses in Kay County. The Foundation also awards scholarships Van Page (left) and Ken Kestler (right) at Ponca City Senior Center accepting a donation of cleaning supplies every year to high school seniors planning to pursue a degree in healthcare, University Center Bachelor of Nursing Students, and to University students pursuing a wide variety of degrees who currently or will hopefully one day choose to work and live in Kay County. With many medical associations predicting a shortage of almost every healthcare professional in the United States in the coming years, CHF is working to help ensure a quality healthcare workforce here at home. The Foundation even began a monthly Healthcare Professional of the Month program this year to recognize and honor an amazing person from our healthcare system each month.

The Community Health Foundation has been extremely proactive throughout the last year to assist Kay County in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. CHF provided snacks to every unit at Alliance Health Ponca City, purchased about 2400 student face masks for use in Ponca City and Kildare elementary schools, purchased cleaning supplies for Peckham and Kildare elementary schools, purchased face masks for Ponca City Head Start students, and very recently contributed funds to RSVP to provide meals to shut-in senior adults and cleaning supplies for McCord and Ponca City Senior Centers.

CHF can contribute to local agencies, provide scholarships and assist our community in a health crisis because of our ongoing investments and our many very generous local donors. The Foundation makes sure that every single dollar donated by community members is used for improving health through grants, education or scholarships.

Jessica Duncan (left) and Noel Lawver (right), CHF NOC Nursing student scholarship recipients To learn more about or donate to the Community Health Foundation or to nominate someone for Healthcare Professional of the Month, visit CHF’s website at chfofpc.org or at the Community Health Foundation Facebook page.