Celebrating Our 25th Anniversary!
After years of supporting the health and wellness of our communities, the Ottauquechee Health Foundation is marking its 25th anniversary. Over the years, OHF has provided support for education, initiatives and grants to help our neighbors get the health care they need.
It all began after a 1996 pact with Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center to manage the Ottauquechee Health Center, which enabled the Foundation to be created and begin supporting access to health care. Since 1998, the Ottauquechee Health Foundation has committed more than $4 million to help improve the health and wellness of our communities. That includes nearly $2 million in Community Grants, over $2 million in Good Neighbor Grants, as well as grant money for homecare and scholarships.
Grants through OHF pay for crucial services patients couldn’t otherwise afford, such as dental work, eyeglasses, mental health or caregiver support, just to name a few examples. Thanks to our partners and supporters, OHF has been able to provide great consistency in that funding. Since the year 2000, the Foundation has delivered well over $100,000 in grants annually, sometimes reaching well into the $200,000 range.
OHF is based at the Simmons House, an important building in the history of local health care. In 1958, it was purchased by an anonymous individual and donated to the Ottauquechee Health Center, Inc. The Center’s trustees later built a new building behind the Simmons House to help address the expanding needs, and that’s where the current Health Center is located. Over the years, additional changes have been made to improve delivery of care at the clinic, including transferring operation to Mt. Ascutney Hospital & Health Care Center in 2007. OHF has greatly valued its partnership with Mt. Ascutney and other community partners throughout its history.
Through much hard work and collaboration over the years, OHF has positioned itself to address the future health and wellness needs of the community as they arise. OHF looks forward to continuing its support of these critical health care resources far into the future.