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Avera Jump Starts Community Health and Wellness Initiatives

Newsletter: All Of Us, Summer 2005
In The Community

Home Fire Safety Equipment and Education for
South Dakota Urban Indian Health, Inc., Pierre, $30,000

Residential fire deaths and injuries to the Native American community will be reduced through a program that provides families with a basic first aid kit, smoke detectors, a carbon monoxide alarm, fire extinguisher and special night lights. Education in basic fire safety and equipment use will be provided through a “Circle of Teaching.”

Some 20 projects will receive 2005 grants from the Avera Community Service Fund, Sr. Mildred Busch, chair of the Avera Health Board of Directors, announced on June 29. She noted, “People have great ideas for improving the health of their communities. Avera is pleased to use the funds from this endowment to help them get started.” A total of $400,466 in funds was awarded this year.

Sr. Mildred referred to the Avera Community Service Fund as “just one of the ways that we advance the Avera mission.” She explained, “Catholic health care answers God's call to foster healing and promote wellness by partnering with the communities we serve, not only to heal the sick, but to improve overall health and quality of life. We are especially pleased to be able to impact the health and vitality of rural communities.”

Since the fund’s inception in 1999, Avera has awarded some $3,164,321 in start-up funding for health and wellness initiatives throughout the region. The fund entertains grant requests from facilities and communities for programs or projects that might otherwise be lost due to a lack of initial development dollars.

Projects must be community-focused, integrate health and wellness, involve Avera or a community partner and represent a new approach. Grant recipients are asked to allow Avera to glean practical applications, disseminate information and, when possible, replicate successful programs. Grant requests must have a letter of support from an Avera facility, but the projects do not need to be in communities where an Avera hospital or clinic is located.

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