West End Health Foundation Awards $30k for youth mental health programming around Ishpeming area

ISHPEMING, Mich. (WLUC) – The West End Health Foundation recently awarded $30,000 for its 2022 Proactive Grant Cycle. The Proactive Grant program was limited to programs and services developed to address youth wellness with a focus on mental health. Three applications were funded based on a competitive review of the organization, the program and the quality of the proposal.

The following grants were awarded:

Ishpeming Public School District will receive $15,250 to provide a mental health and suicide awareness program featuring Kevin Hines.

Hines is a suicide survivor who has dedicated his life to educating audiences about mental health and suicide prevention. Since attempting suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in September 2000, he has been busy sharing his story by in-person presentations and through a documentary titled Suicide: The Ripple Effect. He has also written a memoir titled “Cracked Not Broken, Surviving and Thriving After a Suicide Attempt.” The grant funds will be used to host Hines during programs for students at Ishpeming, Negaunee, Westwood, and Republic Michigamme school districts.

Great Lakes Recovery Centers received $9,190 to enhance access to mental health services by increasing provider hours at their Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Specialty Clinic in Negaunee.

This grant will provide 115 additional youth and their families with behavioral health services. The range of services that might be provided to these clients will include Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Individual and Play Therapy, Psychiatric Evaluations, Medication Management and Family Therapy depending on the needs of each individual.

The Ishpeming Cancer Society, also known as Cancer Care of Marquette County, will receive $5,560 to help meet the mental health needs of youth cancer patients.

Established in 1979, the Ishpeming Cancer Society assists Marquette County residents who have been diagnosed with cancer. The organization provides financial assistance for treatment, medication, travel, equipment and supplies for cancer patients. The organization also serves as a support network for cancer patients and their families.

“We understand that improving mental health services for youth in our community is important,” said Amy Clickner, chair of the West End Foundation’s Philanthropy Committee. “We received ten proposals requesting over $80,000 and after careful review, our board felt the programs offered by these three organizations will make the most positive impact on local youth. The West End is fortunate to have dedicated professionals in place to help youth deal with the difficulties they face today.”

In addition to the Proactive Grant Awards, the West End Health Foundation also presented a check for $15,200 to the Upper Peninsula Diabetes Outreach Network for the 2022 Teal Lake Swim.

The foundation has been proud to provide matching funds support to the Swim Teal Lake Benefit for Diabetes since 2014. Swim Teal Lake is a fundraiser for the Upper Peninsula Diabetes Outreach Network, which has been nationally recognized for improving diabetes care and outcome across the Upper Peninsula. UPDON works to ensure that cost-effective diabetes prevention, detection, treatment, supplies and support services are available, educates on diabetes to prevent complications, maintains a U.P. wide coalition to enhance collaboration and identify and address gaps in diabetes services, and works with healthcare professional to strengthen knowledge of diabetes treatment and delivery of care.

The West End Health Foundation’s next grant cycle will be this fall and will focus on programs and services that improve health and wellness. Additional information can be found at westendhf.org or by contacting Mary Myers, Business Development Director, Lake Superior Community Partnership at mary@marquette.org or 906-226-6591 ext. 104.

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