Grant round will focus on assisting local non-profits in improving the health of children and seniors in their communities
LANSING, Mich. – Recently, the Michigan Health Endowment Fund (MHEF) awarded nearly $2 million through the Local Impact Grants Program to 27 non-profit organizations across the state. The funds are assisting local communities improve the health and wellness of children and senior residents which in turn will help reduce the cost of health care.
Non-profit organizations across the state were invited to apply for the Local Impact Grants through the Fund’s Fall 2015 grant application process. The grant requests were awarded to organizations focused on areas such as: wellness and fitness programs; healthy food access; behavioral health services; health-related transportation services; foster and adopted children health services; and technology enhancements.
Family Futures was granted $100,000 to expand Connections, a program that would include partnering with three additional foster care agency providers. The goal is to ensure more Kent County children under five in foster care have access to regular developmental and social-emotional screening. Additionally, it will create a circle of support; provide appropriate referrals; parent coaching and data tracking/analysis; support the new statewide trauma care support and screening efforts; and implement a Foster Care Liaison.
Greater Flint Health Coalition was awarded $97,500 to implement the Commit to Fit and Prescription for Health Programs through its various partners to combat health consequences of sedentary lifestyles and obesity for people in Flint and Genesee County. Through this effort, residents will be provided with disease-specific activity plans and linkages to community-based physical activity, health maintenance, and wellness resources such as opportunities to practice physical activity in safe, affordable locations. Additionally, the project will incorporate a nutrition education component for
at-risk Flint children and their families to provide them with nutrition and lead education, lead mitigating recipes, access to healthy food and support with securing food assistance resources in Genesee County such as Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Double-Up Food Bucks. Other awards range from $11K to $100K. (A detailed list of grant recipients is included at the conclusion of the release and online.)
“The Michigan Health Endowment Fund is proud to invest in organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children and seniors in our communities,” said Rob Fowler, board chairman. “We’re excited to collaborate with such a variety of community and non-profit organizations as they harness these grants to enhance their programs and services.”
Most of the grants awarded will be for a one-year period, and in some cases a two-year duration.
“We are pleased to partner with these local organizations who are doing great work to impact the health of their communities,” said Paul Hillegonds, chief executive officer of the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.
The Fund was created as part of 2013 state legislation that allowed Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to become a non-profit mutual health insurer. Nearly $38 million in grants were awarded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund in 2014; $8.5 million awarded in December of 2015 to 29 Michigan community health foundations; and an additional $4.2 million to the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards earlier this year.
For more information on the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, please visit healthendowmentfund.org.
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2016/2017 Grant Recipients
| Organization Name | Project Summary | Award Duration | Region | Award Amount |
| Adoption Option Inc. | Provide funding for gaps in medical expenses for foster and adopted children. | Two Years | 15 counties in the Great Lakes Bay Region | $125,000 |
| Allen Neighborhood Center | Expansion of Market Walk and Market Moves programs for adults and seniors. | Two Years | Lansing | $55,000 |
| Bay County Health Dept. | Integration behavioral health into existing clinic. | Two Years | Bay County | $94,900 |
| Bridging Communities | Non-emergency medical transportation for seniors in Detroit. | One Year | Detroit | $38,000 |
| Cadillac YMCA | Enhancement of “youth fit” program. | One Year | Cadillac | $69,408 |
| Charlevoix Area Hospital Foundation | Non-emergency medical transportation for people in Charlevoix and Antrim counties | One Year | Charlevoix & Antrim Counties | $50,000 |
| Child and Family Services of Northeast Michigan | Grant to support the already-existing Day One program which supports at-risk families (children). | One Year | Northeast Michigan/Alpena | $90,000 |
| Danialle Karmanos’ Work It Out | Childhood obesity in Detroit schools – yoga, wellness and fitness, nutrition education. | Nine Months | Detroit | $100,000 |
| Deaf, Inc. dba Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services | Support of ADAPT Program that provides 39 hearing devices for approximately 20 seniors in Kent County. | One Year | Kent County | $75,000 |
| Detroit Food Policy Council | Development of five Youth Peer Leaders | One Year | Detroit | $30,000 |
| District Health Department No. 10 (Cadillac Area) | Reduce barriers to accessing health foods in Kalkaska and Manistee counties. | One Year | Kalkaska & Manistee Counties | $100,000 |
| Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan | Support Progress Toward Wellness Program that focuses on support of adults/seniors with epilepsy toward wellness goals. | One Year | Michigan | $65,000 |
| Evangelical Homes of MI | Implement Fall Proof! evidence based fall prevention program in two senior facilities in Detroit. | One Year | Detroit | $11,000 |
| Family Futures | Support Connections program in Kent County. Connections serves foster children and focuses on developmental and social screening as well as ongoing support for caregivers. | Two Years | Kent County | $100,000 |
| First Steps Kent | Support of Welcome Home Baby Gateway Transition home visiting. | One Year | Kent County | $50,000 |
| Greater Flint Health Coalition | Prescription for Health and Commit to Fit Program. | One Year | Flint & Genesee County | $97,500 |
| Kalamazoo County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services | Project is focused on nutritional and wellness behaviors of children with serious emotional disturbances and intellectual/developmental disabilities. | One Year | Kalamazoo County | $100,000 |
| Keep Growing Detroit | Support of “Fresh Detroit” garden resource and education program. | One Year | Detroit | $50,000 |
| LAHC – Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities | Expansion of current “Healthy Living” program in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Detroit to include 5th grade students. | One Year | Dearborn, Dearborn Heights & Detroit | $50,000 |
| Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly | Non-emergency medical transportation for seniors in the rural Upper Peninsula. | Two Years | UP | $46,179 |
| Midland County Cancer Society, Inc. | Provide a multitude of support services to cancer patients and their caregivers/family. Expansion of service area. | Two Years | Midland County | $100,000 |
| RSVP of Ingham, Eaton & Clinton County | Establish a senior-youth “Bridge to Wellness” center at their Elmhurst location in Lansing to provide cost=free wellness and fitness programs. | One Year | Elmhurst/Ingham County | $75,000 |
| Saginaw Area Foundation for Eye Care | Support for their “Site to Sight” program which involves mobile eye-are (including comprehensive eye exams, prescription lenses and in-office surgical procedures. | One Year | Saginaw | $11,000 |
| St. Patrick Senior Center | Non-emergency medical transportation for seniors (55+) living in Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck. | One Year | Detroit, Highland Park & Hamtramck | $95,851 |
| Superior Alliance for Independent Living | Funding to support the Single Point for Activities and Recreation (SPAR) program for individuals of all abilities aged fourteen and older in the Western Upper Peninsula (U.P.) counties. | One Year | Western UP Counties | $75,000 |
| Van Buren Intermediate School District | Support to add SPARK curriculum to the current Project LEAN program. | One Year | Van Buren | $100,000 |
| The Village of Hillside and Perry Farm Village | Non-emergency medical transportation for seniors in Emmet County. | 18 Months | Emmet County | $100,000 |