In October 2021, the Superior Health Foundation awarded Partridge Creek Farm a $106,427.50 proactive food insecurities grant for year one for its “Building Sustainable Community-Based Solutions to Tackle U.P. Wide Food Insecurity” program.
The goals of this program include creating educational marketing materials, a Food Insecurity Community Needs Assessment, identifying 50 Community Champions, building a U.P.-specific pre- K-12th grade agriculture and food-focused curriculum, building out the Partridge Creek Intergenerational Farm, and creating and conducting community trainings.
Progress made during year one includes new educational marketing materials, increases in amount of food grown and distributed, Farm-to-School program expansion, and a 6th grade healthy cooking program.
Many more exciting developments are to come in year two!
We’re very excited to see this growth and investment in addressing food insecurities in the U.P.
In October 2021, the Superior Health Foundation awarded the Upper Peninsula Veterans Community Action Team a $50,000 proactive Food Insecurity grant for year one of its Veteran Food Assistance program.
The project goal is to increase veteran food access and connection with additional resources and services. Food assistance is provided in the form of grocery store gift cards/certificates to eligible applicants (military service, surviving spouses, household family members and caregivers).
The goal of this program was to reach 940 applicants, and it was exceeded by 123. A total of 2,011 household members were served!
Just awesome! The Superior Health Foundation is so honored to have supported this program and our much-respected veterans!
In March, the Superior Health Foundation awarded the Gogebic Medical Care Facility a $2,500 Equipment Fund grant for its “DrumFIT Activity, Exercise and Fun!” program.
Designed for seniors, DrumFIT Music, Motion & Memory is a unique program that uses movement through drumming to benefit both the mind and body. DrumFIT is a great music social activity that encourages participants of all ability and mobility ranges to socialize and move together for brain and body health. Participants benefit from improved memory, cognitive function, increased heart health, enhanced mood and reduced stress and anxiety while drumming along with great generational music.
Gogebic Medical Care Facility holds the activity twice per month for residents and their families. Each month between 15 and 50 residents participate.
We are pleased to have supported this program!
In October 2021, the Superior Health Foundation awarded Trillium House a $4,044 Fall Grant for its Resident Care Safety Enhancement project. With grant funding, an “IndeeLift” human floor lifting aid and a “Dignity Lift” toilet lift were purchased.
Both of these pieces of equipment help to prevent falls and potential injury to residents and staff alike. These safety items are used daily and will continue to serve residents of Trillium House for years to come.
We were honored to support this effort!
In Spring 2021, the Superior Health Foundation awarded a $7,500 Spring Grant to DAR Boys & Girls Club in Menominee for its Emotional Wellness Head to Toe program.
This program builds the foundational social-emotional and health skills that help enable youth to make healthy decisions. People with better social-emotional skills report participating in fewer risk behaviors, including substance use and smoking.
Twenty-one youth participated. Many members understood how their feelings influenced how they act. They also learned coping strategies for certain emotions and how to release anger in safe ways.
The Superior Health Foundation gave a $11,517.84 grant to Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan for its Anishinaabe E-Cigarette and JUUL Health Education Project.
The objective of the grant was to increase knowledge and awareness on the dangers of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), also known as vaping and JUUL, among students at the Hannahville’s Nah Tah Wahsh School Academy and Bark River Public Schools, parents and the broader community, and expanding policies that limit the use of ENDS (E-cigarettes, JUUL), thus leading to reduced use and improved health outcomes.
This grant allowed the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan to develop a culturally tailored ENDS educational social media campaign. The Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan collaborated with the Hannahville Health Center and Nah Tah Wahsh Indian School. This collaboration made it possible for them to hold a discussion group with 47 students to gain insights on vaping beliefs and attitudes, social media use behaviors, and test social media messaging.
The discussion group guided the development of the social media posts and Instagram page.
In July 2021, the Superior Health Foundation gave a $2,500 Equipment Fund grant to Teaching Family Homes for its Telehealth Expansion project. The grant was used to construct an additional telehealth suite to double its capacity to provide access to required health professionals.
During the course of the pandemic, other requirements (psychological therapy, other medical needs, court visits and caseworker conferences) have been met through these tele-conference suites as well.
This enhanced the safety of youth in its care and staff that no longer had to travel long distances for these functions.