THE BLUEPRINT:
Mother Cabrini Health Foundation awarded $16 million to 32 Long Island organizations in 2026 funding
Grants support healthcare access, mental and behavioral health, workforce development and basic needs
Funding targets populations most affected by health disparities, including low-income families and older adults
Part of a broader $142 million investment across New York through 399 grants
To advance health and well-being on Long Island, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation awarded $16 million to 32 organizations. The funding is part of more than $142 million for programs across 399 grants designed to support people in need in 2026.
“Our grantee partners are navigating an incredibly challenging landscape, and yet their commitment to serving their communities continues to deepen,” Msgr. Gregory Mustaciuolo, CEO of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, said in a news release about the funding for programs this year.
“These grants demonstrate our resolve to stand with them by addressing urgent needs today, while strengthening the systems and workforce that will support New Yorkers’ health for years to come,” he added.
The funding comes at a time when nonprofits are facing rising demand, higher operating costs and shifts in public funding. The grants, according to the foundation, reflect a focus on meeting current community needs and strengthening long-term health systems.
The funding supports four program areas – access to healthcare, basic needs, the healthcare workforce, and mental and behavioral health – as well as a general fund for initiatives outside those areas. Grantees serve populations most affected by health disparities, including low-income individuals and families, children, older adults, immigrants, people with disabilities and justice-involved individuals. In 2025, the foundation also launched a $50 million nursing initiative to support nursing professionals, address workforce shortages and improve patient care at 13 New York hospitals serving high-need communities.
Funding to support healthcare workforce initiatives on Long Island included $4 million to Catholic Health and $850,000 to Molloy University. Fostering mental and behavioral health initiatives, more than $248,000 was awarded to Youth Environmental Services and $94,000 to Adelphi University. Funding for access to healthcare included $200,000 for SEPA Mejur and $181,000 to East End Hospice. To fund basic needs, $150,000 is going to Community Action Southold Town to support immigrant families facing food insecurity and needing wraparound services. Another $150,000 is going to United Veterans Beacon House for unmet needs, $250,000 went to Island Harvest, and $350,000 is going to Pronto Long Island. The full list of Long Island awardees is available here.
“At a time when many families are being asked to do more with less, the Foundation remains focused on showing up in tangible ways for people across New York,” Jennifer Balbach, finance committee chair of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Board, said in the news release.
“These investments prioritize everyday stability – from access to nutritious food and safe housing to mental health care – and reflect our belief that long-term community well-being starts with practical, people-centered support,” Balbach said.
“New Yorkers rely on a web of nonprofits that are often the first and most trusted source of support,” Kathryn Ruscitto, regional grants committee chair, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Board, said in the news release.
“These grants help those organizations not only stabilize their services, but expand them, so they can bring care into homes, schools, rural communities, and neighborhoods where traditional systems have not kept pace with need,” Ruscitto said.