Moses Taylor Foundation Grants Funding for Mental Health in NEPA Moses Taylor Foundation, a private foundation with a mission to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania, will invest $2,130,200 to address well-documented regional mental and behavioral health care needs. The Foundation’s Board of Directors recently selected nine organizations to receive between $113,000 and $300,000 across a two-year span. The selected projects will utilize innovative, evidence-based solutions and promising practices to strengthen the care continuum, increase the availability of and diversity of providers, integrate mental health services in health care and non-health care settings, or eliminate barriers to care. “Mental and behavioral health challenges touch every corner of our 11-county service area. The organizations selected for this inaugural initiative are deeply ingrained in their respective communities, paving pathways to solutions with compassion and care,” stated Danielle Breslin, President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation. “The amount of interest in this new initiative and the diversity of responses we received underscores the pressing need for innovative approaches to mental and behavioral health and wellness. Moses Taylor Foundation is proud to uplift and support this recent cohort of grantees and improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania.” The following organizations received an approval notification following Moses Taylor Foundation’s March 27 board meeting: Catholic Social Services; Community Care Behavioral Health Organization; Geisinger Health Foundation; Greater Scranton YMCA; Keystone Human Services; The Wright Center for Community Health; United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania; Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers; and Wyoming County Health Family Partnership
Moses Taylor Foundation Honored with Friend of School Nursing Award The Pennsylvania Association of School Nurses and Practitioners (PASNAP) recognized Moses Taylor Foundation as the recipient of the 2025 Friend of School Nursing Award for Pennsylvania. This award is presented to organizations and individuals outside the profession of school nursing who have made significant contributions to the practice of school nursing in the Commonwealth. Christine Marcos, Senior Program Officer, has been immersed in the Foundation’s strategic focus area of school-based health for seven years. She shares, “School nurses are on the front lines of meeting the health needs of students, and their work encompasses far more than what most people realize. They are key to helping students manage chronic diseases, connecting families to crucial resources, screening children for health concerns, and much more. Our Board and staff are continually inspired by their resilience, knowledge, and passion for student health, and it is our privilege to support their work.” Representatives from Moses Taylor Foundation accepted the award on March 22, 2025, in State College. Alongside key partners such as PASNAP, Moses Taylor Foundation has so far invested $1.7 million, countless staff hours, and other resources to support school nurses through a four-point strategy that includes: Advocacy for regular reevaluation of school health law, policies, and mandates Building awareness of the school nurse role and connections between school nurses and key partners Increased professional development opportunities specific to the role of the school nurse Research and piloting of innovative school nurse workforce and funding models “Since 2019, Moses Taylor Foundation has put school nurses front and center, advocating for solutions to barriers affecting school nurses, and helping to improve school health services for the students of Pennsylvania. I can think of no person or organization more deserving of this year’s Friend of School Nursing award,” said Kathy Verbel, MEd, BSN, RN, NCSN, PASNAP’s Moses Taylor Foundation Liaison.
Johnson College Receives Grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation Johnson College has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation to establish a medical assistant laboratory at the College’s satellite campus, Johnson College at the CAN DO Training Center in Hazle Township. The designated laboratory space is being converted into two distinct clinical areas – a hospital room and a physician’s office – to provide a full range of training experiences for students enrolling in the program. These facility updates will allow Johnson College to provide the latest in hands-on education and training to meet the needs of the healthcare industry throughout the region and beyond. The Medical Assistant program is part of the College’s Continuing Education initiative. The program prepares students to assist physicians by performing functions related to the clinical aspects of a medical office including preparing patients for examination and treatment, routine laboratory procedures, pharmacology, and taking and documenting vital signs. Students learn the fundamentals of phlebotomy and venipunctures, anatomy, and physiology, and medical terminology encountered in the field. Upon completion of the program, students are prepared to take the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Medical Assistant (CCMA) exam. To learn more about Johnson College’s Continuing Education Medical Assistant program, visit https://johnson.edu/continuing-ed/medical-assistant/.
Scranton Area Community Foundation Awards Grantees in 2024 Employee Assistance Grant Program The Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation, in collaboration with AllOne Foundation & Charities and the Moses Taylor Foundation, gathered to award over $1.1 million to the recipients of the 2024 Employee Assistance Grant Program. Funds will assist nonprofit organization grantees in behavioral and mental health care across Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Counties. Employee Assistance Grants will help the recipient organizations sustain a sufficient level of qualified providers to meet community demand. Specifically, funds will alleviate financial-related stressors, minimize employee attrition, and serve as an additional recruitment strategy while supporting the long- term development of a sustained workforce for providers. The 2024 grantees are Allied Services for an enhanced assistance program for behavioral health team members; Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA for launching an employee assistance program to retain and attract behavioral health employees; Children’s Service Center for an employee tuition and loan assistance program; Friendship House for the Friendship House ABA Program Staff Recruitment Initiative; Jewish Family Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania for investing in social workers; Scranton Counseling Center for the Scranton Counseling Center Employee Assistance Program expansion; and Volunteers in Medicine for the development of an employee assistance program in a nonprofit free clinic setting. For more information about The Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation, contact NEPAHCF@safdn.org or visit www.nepahealthcarefoundation.org.
Moses Taylor Foundation Hosts Biennial Event, Recognizes Leadership Moses Taylor Foundation Hosts Biennial Event and Honors Teri Ooms with the Douglas G. Allen Leadership Award Moses Taylor Foundation, a private foundation with a mission to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania, hosted its biennial meeting on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Danielle Breslin, President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation, shared a strategic update on the Foundation’s four focus areas of Health Care Access and Quality, Older Adult Health, School-Based Health and Nonprofit Effectiveness. Pictured L-R: Douglas G. Allen, Founding Chairman of the Board of Directors of Moses Taylor Foundation; Teri Ooms, President & CEO, The Institute Teri Ooms, President & CEO of The Institute, was recognized as the recipient of the Douglas G. Allen Leadership Award. The award was established in 2019 to honor Doug Allen’s 35 years of leadership as Chair of the Moses Taylor Foundation Board of Directors. It is awarded biennially to a community leader who shares in his commitment to improving the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Ooms has led The Institute — a non-profit research organization dedicated to identifying opportunities, issues, and challenges unique to the region and finding innovative ways to solve problems — since its inception twenty years ago. Under her leadership, The Institute has become an integral support for regional nonprofits and legislators, providing the unbiased local data necessary to create jobs, programs, and legislative changes. At the event, Allen spoke of Ooms noting, “Teri approaches her work humbly and with a genuine commitment to the betterment of our area. She is always generous with both her time and knowledge, and on behalf of the Board and staff, I am delighted to recognize Teri today.”
Moses Taylor Foundation Welcomes New Finance Director Emily Clifford, CPA, has joined Moses Taylor Foundation, a private foundation with a mission to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania, as its Finance Director. Over the past decade, Clifford honed her skillset as a Certified Public Accountant at MMQ & Associates, P.C., working closely with many of the area’s nonprofits. She earned a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Wilkes University’s Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. “In addition to more than a decade of experience serving local nonprofits with audit and tax services, Emily is a lifelong resident of Northeastern Pennsylvania with deep community roots. As Finance Director, she is responsible for managing and implementing all aspects of the Foundation’s accounting and investment functions. I am confident she will provide the leadership and expertise necessary to continue to advance our mission,” said Danielle Breslin, President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation. Clifford will also support the Foundation’s payroll/human resources, grants management, and activities related to previous hospital system business. She assumed her responsibilities in late August 2024.
Moses Taylor Foundation Welcomes New CFOO Tom Bisignani has joined Moses Taylor Foundation, a private foundation with a mission to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania, as its Chief Financial and Operations Officer. He will be responsible for all aspects of the Foundation’s financial and business operations, along with supporting strategy development, program implementation, and grants management within the Foundation’s 11-county service area. Bisignani is a highly accomplished, results-driven financial executive with 20 years of experience in hospital operations and finance. He brings notable expertise in the healthcare sector with demonstrated success in blending quality and fiscal management to improve outcomes and satisfaction for physicians, patients, and team members. Most recently, Bisignani served as Commonwealth Health’s Market Chief Financial Officer – Scranton Market, overseeing fiscal operations for its two-hospital integrated healthcare delivery system and Physicians Health Alliance. Bisignani previously held Chief Financial Officer roles at Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital. “Tom has built an impressive career in healthcare leadership and is deeply familiar with our regional community health needs. In this new role, Tom will provide leadership and expertise as we continue to advance the Foundation’s mission across our service area,” said Danielle Breslin, President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation. Bisignani assumes this role in advance of the planned July 14, 2023, retirement of the Foundation’s long-time Chief Financial Officer, Thomas Kelly, Jr. Bisignani holds a Master of Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Scranton. He assumed his responsibilities at Moses Taylor Foundation on June 12, 2023.
Moses Taylor Foundation Welcomes Tom Bisignani as CFOO Tom Bisignani has joined Moses Taylor Foundation, a private foundation with a mission to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania, as its Chief Financial and Operations Officer. He will be responsible for all aspects of the Foundation’s financial and business operations, along with supporting strategy development, program implementation, and grants management within the Foundation’s 11-county service area. Bisignani is a highly accomplished, results-driven financial executive with 20 years of experience in hospital operations and finance. He brings notable expertise in the healthcare sector with demonstrated success in blending quality and fiscal management to improve outcomes and satisfaction for physicians, patients, and team members. Most recently, Bisignani served as Commonwealth Health’s Market Chief Financial Officer – Scranton Market, overseeing fiscal operations for its two-hospital integrated healthcare delivery system and Physicians Health Alliance. Bisignani previously held Chief Financial Officer roles at Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital. “Tom has built an impressive career in healthcare leadership and is deeply familiar with our regional community health needs. In this new role, Tom will provide leadership and expertise as we continue to advance the Foundation’s mission across our service area,” said Danielle Breslin, President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation. Bisignani assumes this role in advance of the planned July 14, 2023, retirement of the Foundation’s long-time Chief Financial Officer, Thomas Kelly, Jr. Bisignani holds a Master of Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Scranton. He assumed his responsibilities at Moses Taylor Foundation on June 12, 2023. Moses Taylor Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to building healthy communities and providing opportunities for people in Northeastern Pennsylvania to lead healthier lives. The Foundation was endowed in 2012 with the net proceeds from the Moses Taylor Health Care System sale to Community Health Systems of Franklin, Tennessee. Since its formation, the Foundation has grown to support approximately $4 million in annual grantmaking in Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming Counties. For more information, visit www.mosestaylorfoundation.org.
Moses Taylor Foundation Welcomes Program Officer Lisa Savero-Mooney has joined Moses Taylor Foundation, a private foundation with a mission to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania, as its Program Officer. In this role, she will direct and oversee Moses Taylor Foundation’s community needs responsive grantmaking portfolio within the Foundation’s 11-county service area. Grantmaking priority areas under Savero-Mooney’s direction will include primary healthcare, mental health and behavioral health, dental care and oral health, healthcare workforce, and human services. Savero-Mooney will also provide support as needed to the Foundation’s capacity building, supporting school-based health, and reducing older adult isolation initiatives. Savero-Mooney built her career in the nonprofit, health, and human services sectors. Most recently, she served as Scranton Primary Health Care Center’s Compliance Director, lending her expertise to mission-focused quality and continuous improvement initiatives. Before joining Scranton Primary, Savero-Mooney spent nine years at United Way of Lackawanna & Wayne Counties, establishing strong professional relationships with community partners and the regional community. As United Way of Lackawanna & Wayne Counties’ Director of Education, Savero-Mooney was directly responsible for every aspect of the organization’s education work, including its Success By 6 community-wide initiative and the development of robust collaboratives and campaigns. “As a native of Northeastern PA, Lisa is deeply committed to this community. Her career has focused on strengthening and enhancing the quality of life for all, particularly the most underserved. We are thrilled to welcome Lisa to Moses Taylor Foundation, and I’m excited for her to continue expanding her professional impact as part of our team,” said Danielle Breslin, President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation. Savero-Mooney holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Services Administration from the University of Scranton. She assumed her responsibilities at Moses Taylor Foundation on March 20, 2023.
Johnson College Receives Grant Johnson College has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation to support the development of a new Biomedical Equipment Technology laboratory to be housed in the new campus gateway building, Ideal Saldi Hall. The new laboratory will provide critical hands-on learning on the latest technology available and in use throughout the region in healthcare facilities. The program trains students as entry-level biomedical technicians with medical terminology and human physiology principles, as well as the maintenance and support, planning, and installation of medical equipment according to standards and guidelines. The future promises revolutionary advancements in the biomedical equipment technology industry. New technology such as 3D printing, computer miniaturization, and nanotechnology, will provide exciting new opportunities for biomedical equipment technology graduates. The construction of the new gateway building is one of the four pillars of the College’s comprehensive, 5-year capital campaign, Innovation at Work. The building will highlight students’ future career potential by showcasing various industry training opportunities within classroom and laboratory spaces such as a Biomedical Equipment Technology laboratory. In recognition of its support, the new biomedical equipment technology laboratory will be named in honor of the Foundation. Campus visitors will have the opportunity to see students actively learning within the new lab through large glass viewing areas. The two-year Biomedical Equipment Technology associate degree program prepares students as entry-level biomedical technicians with skills training that include medical terminology and human physiology principles, as well as the maintenance and support, planning and acquisition, and installation of medical equipment according to standards and guidelines.
