Kelly Cares Foundation Announces 2016 Grant Recipients

South Bend, IN – April 18, 2016 – The Kelly Cares Foundation is pleased to announced the recipients of its 2016 grant funding. Each year, the Kelly Cares Foundation selects grant funding recipients, both locally and nationally, whose programs and initiatives closely align with the goals and values of the Foundation in its three main pillars: Health, Education, and Community.

The organizations chosen to receive $10,000 each in grant funding are the following, The Bridge Teen Center in Orland Park, Illinois, Andean Health & Development in Madison, Wisconsin, and Indiana Women in Need Foundation (I-WIN) in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“Selecting grant recipients is something the Kelly Cares Foundation takes very seriously, as we know the organizations that apply for funding work hard every day to create a positive impact,” said Paqui Kelly, Co-Founder of the Kelly Cares Foundation. “We are so excited to provide funding for these amazing organizations that align very closely with our three pillars. The local, regional, and global impact that our gift can make is truly humbling and we are privileged to provide funds that will be used to improve the lives of others.”

Interested organizations needed to apply by December 31, 2015 through the Kelly Cares Foundation website, www.kellycaresfoundation.org, to have their request considered. From those applications, the Kelly Cares Foundation Grant Committee selected those that most exemplified the ideals of the Foundation and are able to project long-term benefits resulting from the grant.

The Kelly Cares Foundation Grant Committee selected the following grant recipients:

The Bridge Teen Center in Orland Park, Illinois - $10,000

The Bridge Teen Center offers free afterschool programs for students in seventh through twelfth grade. Their mission is to provide programs that help students develop mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. This includes a menu of programs that are holistically designed specifically for teens. The grant funding will be used to support their Educational programming, more specifically, tutoring test prep, financial aid workshops, and leadership development classes.

"The Bridge Teen Center is so grateful to have been awarded a grant from the Kelly Cares Foundation for our Educational Support programs. I have been a student at The Bridge for the last five years and I have utilized their free tutoring services, learned how to combat my test anxiety through an educational support workshop, discovered what career I want to pursue and they've even helped me file my college financial aid paperwork. I can say with certainty that The Bridge has helped me excel academically and prepare for my future. From all of us students at The Bridge, thank you for supporting a place that has changed our lives," said Amber Holup, Development Assistant.

Andean Health & Development in Madison, Wisconsin - $10,000

Dr. David Gaus (ND '84), a family physician from Wisconsin, and Fr. Theodore Hesburgh founded the US-based organization, Andean Health & Development (AHD) in 1997. AHD opened and operates two innovative rural hospitals in Ecuador that train local doctors in Family Medicine and provide high quality care to some of the region's poorest people in a financially self-sustaining way. Andean Health opened its first hospital in 2000, and in 2014, opened its second, larger facility. The two hospitals have served 200,000 patients and counting.

"We are honored and humbled by Kelly Cares'; generous contribution to improve the health of Ecuador's underserved through Andean Health & residency program. Thank you for including Ecuador and Hesburgh Hospital in Kelly Cares' good works for the community," said Andean Health & Development Executive Director, Dr. David Gaus.

Indiana Women in Need Foundation(I-WIN) in Indianapolis, Indiana - $10,000

The I.W.I.N. Foundation was launched in 2000 by Nancy Shepard, RN with a mission to improve the quality of life for women with breast cancer. Nancy's dedication to the fight against breast cancer was inspired by a friend's personal journey with breast cancer. Nancy witnessed the fatiguing nature of chemotherapy and the physical limitations surgery had on her friend and realized that even the simple things, such as cleaning the house or preparing a meal, were very stressful and difficult. Nancy then decided to establish an innovative nonprofit organization built on passion, dedication and integrity with support from the community to provide a "neighbor next door" for Indiana women so they would have the strength to endure breast cancer treatment.

“Support from the Kelly Cares Foundation will have a profound and positive impact on relieving the physical and financial hardships that women encounter during their treatment for breast cancer,” said Nancy Shepard, Founder & Executive Director of I.W.I.N.

About The Bridge Teen Center

The Bridge Teen Center offers free afterschool programs for students in seventh through twelfth grade. Their mission is to provide programs that help students develop mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Visit www.thebridgeteencenter.org for more information.

About Andean Health & Development

Andean Health & Development operates two innovative rural hospitals in Ecuador that train local doctors in Family Medicine and provide high quality care to some of the region's poorest people in a financially self-sustaining way. Visit www.andeanhealth.org. for more information.

About Indiana Women in Need (I-WIN)

I.W.I.N. fills a critical gap in the breast cancer support network and is the link in the chain that keeps these women in treatment. Too often the physical and financial strain of treatment causes individuals to give up their fight thereby losing their opportunity to receive treatment and their only chance at survivorship. Visit www.iwinfoundation.org for more information.

About the Kelly Cares Foundation

The Kelly Cares Foundation was established in 2010 by the Brian and Paqui Kelly family to support organizations, initiatives and programs that closely align with the goals and values of the Kelly family. A strong emphasis has been made on three main pillars: Health, Education and Community. The Kelly Cares Foundation has donated nearly $3 million to support causes locally, nationally and globally. Some notable organizations that have received contributions from the Kelly Cares Foundation include the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Breezy Point Disaster Relief Fund, Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA, and the Notre Dame Hesburgh Library.

To arrange an interview with Paqui Kelly from Kelly Cares Foundation, or to speak with a representative of any of the grant recipients, please contact Becky Beckman at 574.307.9139. To learn more about the Kelly Cares Foundation and its initiatives, visit www.kellycaresfoundation.org.