The Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation has awarded a total of $8,500 to support five health services organizations.

“As 2020 has taught us, the importance of health can never be underestimated,” Kevin Merchant, president and CEO of Jewett City Savings Bank, said in a statement. “The Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation is proud to support the programs and organizations that work to promote health for all members of our communities.”

Included in the grants was a $5,000 donation to United Community & Family Services to assist with the capital campaign for the Griswold Health Center.

Additionally, three organizations were awarded grants of $1,000, including the Connecticut Cancer Foundation of Old Saybrook, which will use funds to support the “Nourish Hope & Knockout Hunger” initiative, a food assistance program that supplements the Cancer Patient Assistance Program. With the grant, the Cancer Patient Assistance Program will provide $100 grocery store gift cards to cancer patients in New London and Windham Counties.

Also receiving a grant was Day Kimball Hospital of Putnam, which received $1,000 in response to its annual appeal.

United Services of Dayville received a grant to fund an initiative in the Youth Service Bureau for case management to identify and address the barriers children and families face in returning to school due to COVID-19.

Receiving a $500 grant was Griswold PRIDE, which will use the funds to purchase locked medication storage bags and medication safe disposal bags to prevent medication abuse and misuse for residents of Griswold.

The Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation awarded 54 grants totaling $68,000 in 2020.