Flaget Memorial Hospital Awards Grants to Two Local Nonprofits

BARDSTOWN, Ky. (Feb. 10, 2025) – Flaget Memorial Hospital has awarded $29,500 in grant funding to the Isaac W. Bernheim Foundation and St. Vincent de Paul Outreach Ministries to help improve the well-being and health equity of the Nelson County area. The funding will be used for the 2025 calendar year.

“Isaac W. Bernheim Foundation and St. Vincent de Paul Outreach Ministries continue to be invaluable partners in empowering our community with the knowledge and resources to embrace healthier eating habits,” said Jennifer Nolan, president, Flaget Memorial Hospital. “We are proud to support their impactful work and look forward to seeing the lasting difference they will make with this grant funding.”

The Isaac W. Bernheim Foundation received $19,500 to support its efforts toward providing healthy food education and access to outdoor spaces for Nelson County students.

“Bernheim is thrilled to continue and deepen our partnership with CHI Saint Joseph Health, Flaget Memorial Hospital, and our surrounding communities through this exciting program,” said Mark Wourms, president & CEO. “Together, we are inspiring behaviors that are healthy for the mind, the body, and the planet. Through hands-on learning in Bernheim's Edible Garden, children and teens will be inspired to eat healthier, grow gardens and yardens at home, and make choices that are more sustainable for our planet.”

“Thanks to the generous funding from Flaget Memorial Hospital's Community Health Improvement grant, Bernheim will be better suited to connect students and the general public with the health benefits of gardens, gardening, and yardening,” said Dan Pascucci, family and youth program manager. “These types of partnerships speak highly of the importance of the work being done at Bernheim Forest through education, horticulture, and sustainable landscapes. By allowing people the space to dig their hands into the soil and plant their own seeds, we are planting the seeds of sustainability and community health for generations to come.”

St. Vincent de Paul Outreach Ministries was awarded $10,000 to provide food safety, nutrition and cooking skills classes and translate materials into Spanish.

“Nelson County’s food insecure neighbors need access to nutritious foods,” said Chris Hovan, executive director. “The Bread for Life Community Food Pantry is excited to again partner with CHI Saint Joseph Health in providing produce, proteins and other nutritious foods to our vulnerable neighbors.”

Across Kentucky, CHI Saint Joseph Health awarded $493,910 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 Flaget Memorial Hospital’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. CHI Saint Joseph Health and Flaget Memorial 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 CHI Saint Joseph Health

CHI Saint Joseph Health, a member 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 CHI 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. CHI Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services toward a goal of building a healthier future for all. CHI 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 Flaget Memorial Hospital

Flaget Memorial Hospital, part of CHI Saint Joseph Health, is a 52-bed facility located in Bardstown, Kentucky. Established in 1951 by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, the facility serves residents of Nelson, Hardin, Marion, Washington, Spencer, Bullitt and LaRue counties. The facility is also home to Nelson County’s first full-service cancer center and is nationally recognized for orthopedic and surgical care, as well as inpatient satisfaction.

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