CHI Saint Joseph Health Announces Youth Service Grant Recipients

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 23, 2023) – Saint Joseph Hospital’s Creating Safer Neighborhoods initiative has awarded two Youth Service Mini-Grants to local grassroots organizations, Box2Box and Exhilarating Inc. Creating Safer Neighborhood’s goal is Saint Joseph’s Violence Prevention Program in Lexington. Each organization will receive $5,000 over the next three years – $15,000 total – from the Creating Safer Neighborhoods initiative through a grant from the CommonSpirit Health Mission and Ministry Fund.

The Creating Safer Neighborhood initiative began in 2013 to focus on reducing violence committed by and against youth ages 5 to 13 in Lexington and expanded in August 2022 to include youth ages 14 to 18 in Lexington. The initiative provides programming in designated communities, encouraging the involvement and commitment of youth who live in the area. The program offers opportunities to promote healthy beliefs, behaviors and choices for and by youth.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to support and fund the expansion of safe and supportive learning environments and give back to wonderful organizations like Box2Box and Exhilarating Inc.,” said Anthony Houston, Ed.D., FACHE, CEO, CHI Saint Joseph Health. “These programs are essential for engaging middle and high school youth and providing them with education and career training, mentorship opportunities and mental health support. We look forward to seeing the organizations' increased impact in our local communities.”

“The Creating Safer Neighborhoods Initiative is committed to making positive sustainable impacts throughout the community. Investing in our neighborhoods, strengthening our youth and building a healthier Lexington community are mutually reinforcing goals that serve as cornerstones for our efforts,” said Demetria Blair, violence prevention manager, Creating Safer Neighborhoods Initiative. “Collaborative community partnerships, like those formed through the Youth Service Mini Grants, are key to expanding program capacity, connecting to a broader audience and being even more intentional in providing positive experiences for youth. We look forward to supporting Exhilarating Inc. and Box2Box over the next three years.”

Box2Box programs use mentorship, sportsmanship and education to strengthen identity and empower refugees, new American students and their families to become independent thinkers, high-achieving scholars and productive citizens. Their unique programs merge academic support through English proficiency; holistic, trauma-informed support; the confidence and socio-emotional skills to navigate a new culture and country; and a community wholly invested in each student.

Exhilarating Inc. provides a safe, structured, holistic environment for youth and young adults within their programs, which educate, empower, and promote social and emotional development. Exhilarating Inc. offers community-wide workshops for personal growth that enable participants to acquire and develop new skills and build self-confidence, all while learning to become compassionate and progressive leaders.

To learn more about Box2Box, visit https://www.box2box.space/. To learn more about Exhilarating Inc., visit https://exhilaratinginc.org/. 

For more information about the Creating Safer Neighborhoods initiative, contact Demetria Blair, Violence Prevention manager for the Creating Safer Neighborhoods Initiative, at [email protected].  

About CHI Saint Joseph Health

CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in CHI Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. CHI Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services toward a goal of building a healthier future for all. CHI Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves.

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