Fidelis Care, the New York state Catholic Health Plan, has announced the distribution of $113,290 from its Community Grant Fund to benefit Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens $115,730 to support Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services, and $190,980 to benefit the Catholic Migration Office of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

For the eighth consecutive year, Fidelis Care offered grant funds to non-profit organizations that share similar missions and values of service to low-income, vulnerable individuals. The Fidelis Care Community Grant Fund will make grants available, in coordination with Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and his brother bishops, across New York State’s eight Roman Catholic Dioceses.

“Fidelis Care has always valued and understood the importance of a strong community presence and enduring partnerships with community organizations that share our healing ministry,” said Mark L. Lane, president and CEO.

Catholic Charities will use the funding to support its “Health Care Solutions to Emergency Room Dependence” initiative. This innovative program brings together Catholic Charities, a consortium of health care providers, and community based organizations to educate the community on alternatives to visiting the emergency room for basic health care needs. It is designed to improve individuals’ health, free-up emergency room resources for their intended services and help contain hospital costs.

Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services (CCNS) will continue its programs that promote medical care and healthy living in Brooklyn’s most distressed communities. CCNS’s Healthy Families Project: Reaching Into the Brownville Community program will work with more than 500 families that live in the Riverdale-Osborne Housing Community. The focus is on strengthening the provision of core services that enable at-risk families and individuals to gain the financial and social stability necessary for long-term good health.

Catholic Migration Office Health Education and Outreach Program provides assistance to the Latino and Afro-Caribbean immigrant communities, particularly in impoverished areas. The program educates clients on eligibility requirements for health care services and benefits, as well as how to access these services and benefits within their communities.