Two community projects, one that uses art to promote mental wellness and another which connects rural children with medical expertise, will share $25,000 in grants awarded by the Marilyn Gaddis Rose and Stephen David Ross University and Community Projects fund.

The projects were chosen from a pool of 16 applicants to share in this year’s award from the $2.1 million fund endowed by University faculty members Rose and Ross in 1998. The fund supports projects which are cooperative efforts of the University and local not-for-profit organizations.

A collaborative project between the University’s Institute for Child Development and United Health Services’ Binghamton Pediatric Center will receive $17,000 to test the effectiveness of using technology to provide both medical and psychological assistance to children in rural areas. The project, which begins in September, will help children with learning and/or developmental disabilities via a video conferencing system. The system will provide their families with expert medical consultation and assistance without having Binghamton Pediatric Center staff travel to their locations. The video conferences will take place in designated assistance sites that could include school district nurses’ offices, family residences and community clinics. Equipment at the sites will also be funded by the grant.

The fund also awarded an $8,000 grant to a project called “Healing Our City Through Expressive Arts,” that is a joint venture of the School of Education and Human Development and the Mental Health Association (MHA) of the Southern Tier. The project will use art as a healing tool for persons with mental illnesses or addictions. The program will be implemented in September and will allow clients to paint and sculpt at the Soul Open Gallery, 120 Washington St., Binghamton. The gallery will be open to MHA and YMCA clients weekday afternoons. University faculty and staff will provide tutoring and mentoring to participants. The grant will also provide funding for a series of expressive arts performances and healing programs that will be open to the general public.

President Lois B. DeFleur called the fund “a unique campus-community partnership which reflects Professors Ross and Rose’s belief that the University and the community must work together to benefit our common social, cultural and physical environment. This year’s awards, with their focus on health and healing, are particularly meaningful and the University is proud to be a partner in these projects.”

Grant recipients are chosen annually and must include both a University and community partner. Grant requests between $10,000 and $25,000 are encouraged, but smaller requests are considered.

More information can be found at http://roserossfund.binghamton.edu. Specific questions should be directed to Lee Nesslage, grants administrator-777-4278 or via e-mail at nesslage@binghamton.edu.