Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East and Continuing Care Hospital Award $307,000 in Grants to Local Nonprofits

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 6, 2026) – Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East and Continuing Care Hospital today awarded $307,000 in grant funding to eight local nonprofit organizations to improve the well-being and health equity of the Lexington area. The grant recipients are Catholic Action Center, Catholic Charities, Community Inspired Lexington, Lexington Rescue Mission, Mission Health Lexington, Northside Common Market, Refuge for Women and YMCA of Central Kentucky.

“At Saint Joseph Health, we are committed to a healthier future for all and addressing the unique needs of our neighbors,” said Terry Wooten, President of Saint Joseph Hospital. “Our mission calls out a special focus on serving the vulnerable, and the work of these eight incredible organizations is essential in advancing well-being and health equity across the area.” 

“These partnerships highlight Saint Joseph Health’s commitment to improving the communities we serve,” said Jarrett Millsaps, President of Saint Joseph East. “Together, we can make a meaningful impact and create a brighter, healthier future for all.” 

“By investing in our community partners, Saint Joseph Health is creating sustainable change across Lexington,” said Bob Desotelle, President of Continuing Care Hospital. “The organizations we are recognizing today support the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our neighbors across Lexington.”  

The grant funding will be used for the projects through March 2027. Here is what the recipients said about the grants.

Catholic Action Center, received $20,000 to support its Dignity Station Project, a mobile shower and laundry outreach service for the unhoused.

“We are honored to receive the Community Health Improvement Grant in support of our mobile hygiene unit the Dignity Station. With the support of Saint Joseph Health and community members, the Dignity Station has offered over 1,500 laundry services, 3,500 showers and restrooms for the unhoused during the two seasons it has operated,” said Ginny Ramsey, Executive Director. “The Catholic Action Center appreciates the continued support of Saint Joseph Health as we work together to provide dignity, connection and human kindness to those in need in our community.”  

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Lexington, received $25,000 to support five community gardens across Lexington. Each garden will supply fresh produce while teaching participants to grow, cook and sell food, equipping them with skills for long-term self-sufficiency.

“We are deeply grateful to Saint Joseph Health and CommonSpirit for this $25,000 Community Health Improvement Grant, which allows us to expand our Community Agriculture program,” said Dr. Shelli Gregory, executive director. “Through this program, we establish community gardens and teach participants to grow, cook, and sell food — building skills that support long-term self-sufficiency. This program nourishes the whole person — physically, mentally and socially — while bringing people together to build healthier, more resilient communities. With this grant, we will build on the strong partnerships already in place while welcoming new collaborations.”

Community Inspired Lexington, which provides opportunities and support for youth and families in the North Lexington community, received $40,000 to help provide nutritional support for families living in food deserts.

“Community Inspired Lexington is deeply grateful to Saint Joseph Health for this CommonSpirit grant. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to expand our services in Lexington and beyond Fayette County and support families in both Jessamine and Franklin counties,” said Rebecca Webb, Executive Director. “Your investment has allowed us to reach more communities, provide vital resources, and continue living out our mission to uplift youth and families wherever the need exists.”

Lexington Rescue Mission, an organization focused on alleviating the strains of addiction, homelessness and poverty, received $50,000 to support its Street Outreach program that provides mental health care and substance abuse intervention for the unhoused in Fayette County.

“We are so thrilled to be able to expand our outreach to people who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness, thanks to the support of Saint Joseph Health. Because of this CommonSpirit grant, we will be able to meet people's basic needs and connect them to mental health and addiction treatment,” said Laura Carr, Executive Director. “We are thankful to be able to do this alongside Isaiah House, which has partnered with us in this work. It takes all of us coming together to address homelessness, and this grant will not only help people out of homelessness, it will save lives.”

Mission Health Lexington, received $50,000 to provide free medical, dental, vision and pharmacy services to vulnerable individuals. 

“Mission Health Lexington is incredibly grateful for this partnership with Saint Joseph Health and CommonSpirit,” said Abby Pliszka, Executive Director. “This funding allows us to meet our patients with dignity, compassion and comprehensive care. We look forward to working together to strengthen the health of our community.”

Northside Common Market received $22,000 to support the “Neighborhood Food Pathways” project, which will map food access points for Lexington’s East End, Northside and Winburn neighborhoods. This project will also provide wellness-focused pop-up markets and food education kits.

“At Northside Common Market, we believe food is one of the most powerful ways we care for one another,” said Adina Tatum, executive director. “This investment helps us continue empowering our community through access to healthy food, education and opportunity. When we strengthen food access, we strengthen health, and when our neighbors are healthy, our whole community thrives.” 

Refuge for Women, a long-term housing and emergency housing for women who have escaped human trafficking or sexual exploitation, received $50,000 to provide reliable transportation for survivors to access medical care, in addition to continuing their individualized, trauma-informed support.

"We are incredibly grateful to Saint Joseph Health and CommonSpirit for continuing to partner and support the work done through Refuge for Women,” said Steve Oglesby, Board Chair, Refuge for Women in Kentucky. “This generous $50,000 grant will have a direct impact on the lives of the survivors we serve and means that more women will be able to move forward this year on their journey toward reintegration. Through this partnership with Saint Joseph Health, together we are empowering women to move beyond survival mode toward long-term health, stability and self-actualization. Thank you to Saint Joseph and CommonSpirit for your commitment to addressing trafficking and supporting the well-being of survivors.”

YMCA of Central Kentucky received $50,000 to extend and strengthen the LIVESTRONG Program, by expanding its “Mind Your Weight” programing and continuing the “Y on the Move” program.

“We are deeply grateful to receive the Community Health Improvement grant, which will allow us to expand both LIVESTRONG at the YMCA and Y on the Move in 2026,” said Paula Anderson, President and CEO. “This partnership reflects a shared commitment to whole-person health and to ensuring access for all in our community. With this funding, we can strengthen the reach and impact of these programs — supporting individuals impacted by cancer, their caregivers and loved ones, and removing barriers so more people can engage in programs that support health, healing, and well-being in spirit, mind and body.”

Across Kentucky, Saint Joseph Health awarded $558,200 through the grant program, which was open to nonprofit organizations that address the following priorities – substance use disorders, mental health and mental disorders, and weight status, physical activity and nutrition – through projects planned for the next calendar year. The priorities were identified in Saint Joseph Health’s most recent community health needs assessment, which is conducted every three years to help the hospitals and community partners identify and address priority health and social needs faced by residents and the region. 

This opportunity was part of the CommonSpirit Health Community Health Improvement Grants program. Saint Joseph Health, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital and Continuing Care Hospital are part of CommonSpirit Health, which was created in 2019 when Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health came together to create a national health system.

About Saint Joseph Health

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 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. Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services to build a healthier future for all. 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.

About Saint Joseph Hospital

Saint Joseph Hospital is a 433-bed hospital located in Lexington, KY. Established in 1877 by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky, the facility serves residents of central and eastern Kentucky and is a nationally recognized tertiary medical center. Saint Joseph Hospital is Lexington’s first hospital. The hospital’s original mission was to provide compassionate care to the poor and underserved – a tradition still carried out today.

About Saint Joseph East

Saint Joseph East is a 217-bed full service community hospital located in the southeastern section of Lexington, KY. Established in 1983, the facility serves residents of central and eastern Kentucky. At Saint Joseph East, ambulatory surgery, 24-hour emergency care and women’s health services are supported through a vast array of inpatient and outpatient programs.