A rendering of what the completed Guzman Hall will look like when the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness moves in next semester.
Mount Saint Mary College has received a grant for $325,000 from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, to be used for the growth of the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness.
This is the third grant that the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation has provided for the Desmond Center.
The Desmond Center, overseen by Executive Director Genesis Ramos, provides wellness and educational services for underserved individuals and families. The center offers accessible and equitable educational, health, and wellness services for community members and families in the local area. All services are free of cost and open to the community.
The Desmond Center will begin operating out of its new home in Guzman Hall in the Spring 2023 semester. The revitalized Guzman Hall on campus includes new offices and community spaces, perfect for the center’s public events.
“The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation continues to be a massive boon for the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness,” said Dr. Jason N. Adsit, president of Mount Saint Mary College. “We can’t thank the foundation enough for its aid and for believing in our vision of service. In the last year, we have seen the Desmond Center establish itself as a resource in our community. That relationship will only grow from here, thanks in great part to the Cabrini Foundation.”
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named after a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation funds programs and initiatives across New York State that either provide direct healthcare services or address the social determinants of health. For more information, visit https://www.cabrinihealth.org/
“As we look back at the compounding crises of the last few years, the health-related needs of vulnerable communities have only grown,” said Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Visa and Chair of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Board. “Our grantees have demonstrated tremendous resilience, creativity, and dedication to serving those in need, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have such detrimental impact.”
Msgr. Gregory Mustaciuolo, Chief Executive Officer of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, added, “As we begin to recover from a pandemic that has hit vulnerable populations the hardest, we must continue to address the challenges communities across New York State are facing: food and housing insecurity; lack of access to basic healthcare including vaccines; workforce issues; and educational, racial, economic, and health disparities made worse during COVID-19. We must continue to support the full range of services that make for healthy people and communities.”