Russell, Kan. -The Kansas Health Foundation has invited the Russell County Area Community Foundation to become a participant in the GROW (Giving Resources to our World) Healthy Kansas initiative. This initiative is designed to help build and support community foundations in Kansas, enabling communities to improve the health and well-being of their citizens.

"The Kansas Health Foundation knows that healthy communities are those that collaborate and address complex issues together," said Marni Vliet, President and CEO. "This grant offers Russell the chance to provide funding and assistance to help address those issues and improve the health of their community."

A generous $100,000 donation by Senator Bob Dole will put the foundation well on its way to meeting its phase one fundraising goal of $300,000 - an amount that will be matched by the Kansas Health Foundation. "I'm so pleased to be able to partner with the Kansas Health Foundation and help the Russell County Area Community Foundation better serve the needs of Russell area citizens," said Senator Dole. "It will be exciting to look back in a few years and see what a difference this program will have made in developing the capacity, and growing the assets of the Russell County Area Community Foundation."

The GROW Healthy Kansas initiative allows participating philanthropies to progress through different stages of supported development. At each stage, the Kansas Health Foundation provides matching funds and technical support - operating in an advisory capacity. The funds collected in phase one of the GROW program will be used as operational funds, allowing the Russell County Area Community Foundation to build the necessary infrastructure to better serve Russell County (e.g. hiring an executive director, establishing an office, and setting up the necessary technical support systems). Following stages of the program will provide matching funds for endowments raised by the Russell County Area Community Foundation; earnings from these funds will be used to support the health and well-being of Russell.