Emerson Health is committed to collaborating with our community partners to improve the health status of all those it serves, address root causes of health disparities, and educate the community in prevention and self-care strategies. The Christine Gallery Community Benefit Grant, formerly known as the Emerson Health Community Benefit Grant, will provide awards up to $7,500 for initiatives to improve community health. The review committee will take all requests into consideration and will award applicants based on need and alignment with priorities.
About The Christine Gallery Community Benefit Grant
Christine Gallery served as the Chief Strategy Officer at Emerson Health for over 25 years. Christine’s commitment to advance the health needs of the community and make healthcare more accessible to all were inspiring. The grant program continues Christine’s work and honors her memory by supporting local non-profits that improve the lives of the community.
Important dates
Eligibility
- Eligible groups include, but are not limited to, service providers, health and community-based organizations and coalitions, municipalities, schools, and communities of faith.
- Previous Community Benefit Grant recipients are eligible to apply for a NEW project only.
- Applicant must serve people in one or more of the Emerson Health communities (Appendix A).
- Applicant must be a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) under the IRS code or a public entity. If applicant is not a 501(c)(3), they must have a Fiscal Agent who is a 501(c)(3) or partner with an agency with an IRS designation as a 501(c)(3), a Section 170, or other IRS non-profit designation.
- Project must address at least one of Emerson Health’s priority focus area
- Collaboration among two or more partners is highly encouraged (not a requirement).
- Funding is not eligible for fundraising efforts or fundraising events
The following information are highlights from Emerson Health’s most recent Community Health Needs Assessment. The full report will be available
on November 1.
Economic Stability (originally described as High Cost of Living)
The percent of individuals living below the poverty line is lower in the service areas than the state or Middlesex County overall, but there is a range – in Sudbury just 1.5% of individuals live below the poverty line while it is 8.3% of individuals in Maynard.
- Unemployment peaked in 2020, but rates in the service areas returned to pre-COVID levels by 2022. Current unemployment is 2.7% in the primary service area and 3.0% in the secondary.
- Interviewees and focus group participants noted that the cost of living has been increasing.
- While lower than the state overall, still almost a quarter (23.2%) of CHES respondents in the Emerson service area reported trouble paying for basic needs, it was about double that for those with less than a bachelor’s degree (45.0%) and with any disability (44.7%).
- CHES respondents in the Emerson service area reported not having enough money at the end of the month more than the state overall (22.6% vs. 16.5%).
- Housing and food came up as two areas of concern around affordability.
- As with the state overall, nearly half of households in many towns in the Emerson service area spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
- Fewer households receive SNAP in the service area, but food costs came up as a concern for those receiving and not receiving benefits.
Mental Health
- The health concern that came up the most across interviewees and focus groups was mental health. Among focus group participants, there was a focus on anxiety, depression, and isolation.
- Almost a quarter (22.1%) of adults from the CHES reported having a mental health condition.
- Some interviewees noted the intertwined nature of mental health and social determinants of health.
- Interviewees and focus group participants identified youth as a community that is particularly impacted by mental health issues, citing school pressures & high expectations, along with social media and COVID-19 as leading factors. Youth experiencing depression, self-injury, and suicide had decreased from 2022 to 2024.
- Many of the key informant interviews highlighted the difficulties of reaching medical appointments when patients do not have access to a vehicle, with one mentioning that there is no bus route to get to Emerson.
- A range of barriers were identified in relation to mental healthcare including a lack of practitioners, inadequate insurance coverage, long waitlists, and lack of hospital beds.
- Substance use was described as something that may not always be visible but still existed in the area.
- Some interviewees and focus group participants noted that the stigma surrounding substance use discouraged people from openly acknowledging what’s going on or seeking resources / help.
- Alcohol related emergency room visits increased significantly from July 2018-June 2019 to July 2022-June 2023, more than doubling for Massachusetts, Middlesex County, and the majority of the towns in the Primary Service Area.
The following is an excerpt from Emerson Health’s 2025-2028 Strategic Implementation Plan. The full plan will be available November 1.
| Priority Areas |
Objectives |
| Mental Health |
1.1 |
Increase the awareness of both clinical and non-clinical mental
health and substance use support services by 2027. |
| 1.2 |
Decrease stigma that serves as a barrier to seeking mental health
and substance use services by 2027. |
| 1.3 |
Enhance collaborations with community-based organizations to
improve social connection and address populations at risk of
social isolation by 2027. |
| 1.4 |
Enhance understanding, education, and support for the mental
health needs of youth by 2027. |
Financial
Stability |
3.1 |
Increase connections of those experiencing or at risk of food
insecurity to programs and agencies that can help improve food
access by 2027. |
| 3.2 |
Increase collaborations with and support community-based
organizations who assist people at risk of losing housing, who are
in substandard housing, and people in need of housing by 2027. |
| 3.3 |
Increase access to resources, training, and education that
address financial stability by 2027. |
Populations Most Impacted
The following populations are those most impacted across the Priority Areas Addressed by this Strategic Implementation Plan:
- Low-income households
- Migrant populations
- Older adults
- People of color
- People with disabilities
- Youth
- Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+)
Application
Christine Gallery Community Benefit Grant Application
Christine Gallery Community Benefit Grant Application - Appendices
Advertising & Fundraising
For other fundraising or advertising opportunities, separate from the Community Benefits Program, email marketing@emersonhosp.org.
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