By Josefa Paganuzzi, Thompson & Bender
The Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe has awarded Iona University a $10,000 grant to conduct local workshops this spring on managing stress, depression, and anxiety.
“We are thrilled to partner with The Community Fund to provide these important workshops for local residents,” said Kavita Dhanwada, Ph.D., founding dean of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences. “This opportunity both aligns with Iona’s mission of service to our local communities and gives our students the chance to gain real-world experience applying the lessons of the classroom into the world beyond.”
Three one-hour workshops will take place this spring at Iona’s Kelly Center for Health Sciences in Bronxville. Workshops include:
- Stress Management for Teenagers
- Mental, Emotional, and Relational Well-Being & Health
- Racism and Multicultural Awareness
The grant will be implemented by graduate students from Iona University’s Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling programs. The goal is to help improve health outcomes based on the Community Fund’s recent Community Needs Assessment, which identified a large gap surrounding mental health and well-being.
Amy Korb, executive director of The Community Fund, said the needs assessment, conducted in partnership with Pace University’s Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship, provided important data to understand the most needed services.
“Our staff, in partnership with our board, worked together to develop the mental health discretionary fund and find robust programs that provide tangible help to our community members,” Korb said. “This isn’t just about mental health awareness; it is about providing our community members with the services and tools to help them thrive.”
Founded in 1919, The Community Fund awards these grants yearly to provide funding and support for agencies and programs serving the health, education and welfare needs of residents in the villages of Bronxville and Tuckahoe and the town of Eastchester. For 2024, they have awarded $600,000 in grant allocations to support the community’s health needs.
