Hilbert College awarded record-setting grant for second consecutive year

HAMBURG — Hilbert College was awarded a $523,625 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. This grant has surpassed last year’s grant from the Foundation of $500,000 and is the largest foundation grant in Hilbert’s history. The funding will be used to continue support of the Franciscan Advocacy & Resource Center at Hilbert. This center helps students overcome life issues and supports and strengthens their ability to transition and thrive in their educational setting and beyond.

“This is a very significant day for Hilbert College,” Hilbert President Michael S. Brophy, Ph.D., said. “I am extremely grateful to The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for this record-setting grant. The continued support for the Franciscan Advocacy & Resource Center at Hilbert will continue to be truly transformative for the students we serve and the community at large.”

“After nearly two years of recovery 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 health care including vaccines, lack of equity within the health care professions, and racial and economic healthcare disparities made worse during Covid-19. We must continue to support the full range of services that make for healthy people and communities,” said Msgr. Gregory Mustaciuolo, chief executive officer of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.

Led by program director Jeff Papia, vice president of Mission Integration and Campus Ministry, the center focuses on mental health and well-being, student accessibility, success and retention, campus ministry outreach, student advocacy, and collaborative learning and community building.

This funding will continue to strengthen the diversity and inclusion initiatives at Hilbert, address food insecurity, provide emergency funding and scholarships, and sustain the Hawk Express Shuttle. Additional services and support will be provided this year for mental health, accessibility and retention initiatives.

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and well-being 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 health care services or address the social determinants of health. For more information, visit https://www.cabrinihealth.org/.