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Taylorville Police ‘Safe Passage’ Program Receives Foundation Grant

Oct 29, 2021 | 9:10 AM

Taylorville Police Department program connecting Christian County residents suffering from addiction with treatment facilities received an $18,400 grant from the Taylorville Memorial Foundation.

Safe Passage, launched in 2019 by the police department, was funded solely by donations, prior to the foundation’s grant allocation.

The program includes two on-call coordinators and a team of volunteer drivers who transport clients to inpatient treatment centers, as well as an aftercare program that allows clients to meet weekly at the police department to support their recovery through group discussion.

“Our Safe Passage program has a 40 percent success rate with our clients, and crime in our city is reduced as residents who were committing crime, such as theft,  to fuel their addiction become sober,” said Taylorville Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler.

Clients suffering from addiction who come to the Taylorville Memorial Hospital Emergency Department for medical treatment are frequently referred to the program, said Wheeler.

The grant is the first to be issued by the foundation as part of its Community Health Grant Program.

The Taylorville Memorial Foundation launched its board-directed grant program to assist with funding health-related projects in Christian County earlier this year.

“With the introduction of our Community Health Grant program, the Taylorville Memorial Foundation demonstrates its commitment to our hospital’s mission and our board’s vision to expand our good work beyond the hospital walls,” said Raedena Ryan, the foundation’s executive director.

Through the program, the foundation awards grants to local 501 (c)(3) nonprofits, education or government organizations to support community health activities. The foundation’s grants committee reviews and selects grant recipients who meet qualifications.

“Engaging like-minded organizations in our community to collaborate and help serve our mission is an opportunity to expand our footprint and improve the lives of our neighbors,” said Ryan.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. A completed application and a detailed budget must be submitted for review and recommendation to the foundation’s grants committee for funding approval.

For more information, contact Ryan at 217-707-5271 or email her at Ryan.Raedena@mhsil.com. Detailed guidelines and application forms are available online at memorial.health/taylorville-memorial-foundation under the Grant Opportunities tab.

To make a tax-deductible contribution, checks can be made payable to Taylorville Memorial Foundation and mailed to Taylorville Memorial Foundation, 201 E. Pleasant St., Taylorville, IL 62568. Donations may also be made online at memorial.health/taylorville-memorial-foundation.