The Munroe-Meyer Guild’s 2025 grants will aid children and adults prepare for swallowing assessment appointments, help individuals access local transportation and achieve independent mobility, and connect parents with their infants in neonatal intensive care units via a telehealth platform.
The three proposals from the Munroe-Meyer Institute will receive $70,000 from the guild. The Munroe-Meyer Guild has funded grants at MMI for more than 50 years, totaling more than $1 million in grants.
“We believe that these grants are essential for effectively serving our community, and we are eager to observe their progress,” said Jennifer Read, president of the Munroe-Meyer Guild. “This period is one of the most rewarding times of the year for the guild. The opportunity to enhance the lives of the patients at MMI is a significant privilege for us.”
Funded proposals include:
“Pediatric and Adult IDD Swallowing Assessment and Resource Program”
A new program at MMI will help children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who struggle to complete essential swallowing assessments due to anxiety and challenging behaviors. In preparing patients for their swallowing assessment appointments ahead of time, the program will help to increase success rates, minimize stress and lead to improved outcomes. It’s also expected to help reduce wait times, decrease need for rescheduling and enhance both patient and provider satisfaction.
“Foundational Driving Program for Individuals with ASD, IDD and ADHD”
This program will help individuals who face challenges accessing local transportation to achieve independent mobility. Existing driving education often does not address diverse needs of the population. This pre-driving program will provide individuals with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with skills and confidence to navigate safely. It also will create a community driving track to teach individuals how to navigate public transit.
“NICU Engaged Families Project: Addressing Disparities in Engagement Using Bedside Telehealth”
The project will create a telehealth platform allowing parents to connect with infants in the NICU remotely. Many families face barriers when a child is in the neonatal intensive care unit, including mental health challenges, distance, transportation issues and competing responsibilities. This program will support essential parent-infant interactions and promote healthy development. It aims to enhance parent engagement, responsiveness and sensitivity, ensuring that children reach their developmental potential.