Wake Forest University School of Medicine has received $4,729,778 from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for continued support of the Faith in Action national office. The national office is directed by Burton V. Reifler, M.D., M.P.H., professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine (geriatric psychiatry.) The additional money brings the total received by Wake Forest to $13,308,257 since Faith in Action moved to Wake Forest in February, 2001.
Originally launched by the foundation in 1983, Faith in Action is a nationwide interfaith volunteer caregiving program. Through the national office, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation makes grants to groups representing many faiths who volunteer to work together to care for their neighbors who have long-term illnesses or disabilities.
Faith in Action volunteer activities may include shopping for groceries, providing rides to medical appointments, cooking meals, doing light housework, running errands and providing companionship through visiting or phoning. Volunteers also may provide respite care and relief for family caregivers. Volunteers come from churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship as well as from the community at large.
Faith in Action provides grants of up to $35,000 to groups interested in establishing or building such interfaith partnerships. Since the move to Wake Forest, Faith in Action has funded 342 programs for a total of $11,932,019 on behalf of the foundation.
The national office provides ongoing assistance to all applicants ranging from advice on grant writing to managing a local caregiving program.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care.
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Contact: Robert Conn (rconn@wfubmc.edu), Karen Richardson (krchrdsn@wfubmc.edu) or Barbara Hahn (bhahn@wfubmc.edu) at (336) 716-4587