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Local Voices

First Niagara Donates $27,500 to VNA of South Central CT Home Health Care Fund

New Haven (July 26, 2013) – John R. Quinn, President & CEO of the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut (VNA/SCC), recently announced that VNA/SCC was awarded a $27,500 grant from the First Niagara Foundation to provide home health care to Greater New Haven’s underinsured and uninsured for the fiscal year 2014. $7,500 of the grant will be used for the 2014 Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing Program hosted by the VNA/SCC which honors area nurses and provides scholarships to students in the five area schools of nursing.

Through the VNA/First Niagara Home Health Care Fund, home health services are provided to Greater New Haven residents who are uninsured or underinsured. Home health care visits include nursing care, rehabilitative therapies, wound care, and social work. This generous funding from First Niagara will enable the VNA/SCC to provide over 150 home care visits to those who would otherwise lack necessary treatment.

“For the past three years, First Niagara has helped our VNA fill a large gap,” said John R. Quinn, President & CEO of the VNA/SCC. “Due to the state of the economy, like other non-profits, we have received less philanthropic support these past few fiscal years, yet there is a greater need than ever to provide services to the underinsured. First Niagara recognized the serious need to fill this gap and continues to offer overwhelmingly generous financial support, living up to their mission of being a genuine neighbor of choice.”

“First Niagara is committed to supporting organizations that help our community thrive,” said David Ring, New England Regional President and Managing Director, Enterprise Banking at First Niagara Bank. “First Niagara has enjoyed a long-standing partnership of support with the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut, and we are proud to continue to be part of the solution to keep our neighbors from returning to the hospital because they lacked critical home health care service.”

To make a contribution to support the VNA/SCC’s mission of providing a wide array of high-quality health services for individuals in the home and community, including the Pam’s Pantry program, please contact Melissa Healy, Community Development Specialist, at 203-859-6054 or mhealy@vnascc.org. You can also donate online at www.razoo.com/story/Vna-Of-South-Central-Ct.

About VNA Health Systems


VNA Health Systems is comprised of the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut (VNA/SCC) and CareSource, Inc.

Founded in 1904, the VNA/SCC, which is the original VNA of New Haven, Milford, East Haven, and the Valley, is a state licensed, non-profit, community-based home health care agency. The VNA/SCC staff consists of highly skilled nurses, therapists, medical social workers and home health aides. A vital resource to the communities it serves, the VNA/SCC provides a wide range of specialized clinical services, community programs, the Nurturing Families Network and subsidized care, (through the Valley United Way and First Niagara Foundation) to those who are in need. The agency employs over 180 staff members, has an average daily census of over 900 patients and makes over 150,000 home visits per year. The agency is the founder of the Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Nursing. The VNA/SCC is supported in part by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Valley United Way, First Niagara, corporate sponsors and individual donors. To learn more about the VNA/SCC visit www.vnascc.org.

CareSource strives to maximize the quality of life for its clients and their caregivers in the home and health care settings. Their services include homemakers, companions and live-in aides. To learn more about CareSource visit www.caresourceinc.org.

About First Niagara


First Niagara, through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., is a multi-state community-oriented bank with approximately 420 branches, approximately $37 billion in assets, $27 billion in deposits, and approximately 6,000 employees providing financial services to individuals, families and businesses across Upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.firstniagara.com.

About First Niagara Foundation


First Niagara Foundation is a not for profit corporation founded in 1998. The Foundation is committed to supporting organizations in the communities in which we live and work with specific focus on youth and education, community development and neighborhood revitalization. In 2012 the Foundation contributed more than $10 million in charitable grants to community partners. For more information, visit www.firstniagara.com/community

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