MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Superior Health Foundation (SHF) alongside the Michigan Health Endowment Fund work to provide grants to a number of Upper Peninsula care providers year round.
Some of these grant partners were recognized at Thursdays PowerUP collaboration at the Northern Center, sharing their stories about the impacts made with these funds received over the years.
“We find it really important to offer opportunities to our partners to really think about the bigger picture of the work that they’re doing,” said SHF CEO, Megan Murphy.
One of these recipients includes Intermediate School District (ISD) Prevention Services and the Healthy Youth Coalition (HYC) of Marinette and Menominee counties.
These programs have successfully created a framework where students educate others about the importance of avoiding drug and alcohol usage at an early age.
“They’re very creative with the activities they come up with to try to educate their peers,” said HYC Executive Director, Karianne Lesperance. “And to also include alternative activity support for them to get involved.”
Like many others, the program has largely benefited from funding through the SHF and the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. Along with its youth programs, the HYC has received 25,000 a year to provide free medication lock boxes in its “Lock it, Drop it, Stop it” campaign.
These efforts have gone far since 2015, now making it possible for those on either side of the state border to utilize the program.
“Anybody who comes to one of our events or calls our office looking for a lockbox or deactivation bag, we can give them that with no questions asked,” said Lesperance.
The HYC was one of the many programs involved at todays event, which welcomed a full day of speakers, networking opportunities, and hands on workshops, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
To learn more about the Superior Health Foundation, visit superiorhealthfoundation.org.
For more about the HYC program, visit mmhyc.org.
