The Wellmark Foundation Funds Nine Mini-Grants in Iowa

June 20, 2007

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Contact:
Angela Feig
515.245.4551
feigab@wellmark.com

(Des Moines, Iowa) –The Wellmark Foundation funded nine mini-grant requests totaling $78,655 to improve the health status of Iowans. Organizations receiving awards in the funding priority areas of depression, diabetes and health literacy were:

• Avera Health Foundation received a $7,400 grant for development of a diabetes education project in LeMars, Iowa. Floyd Valley Hospital, in partnership with the elementary schools in LeMars and Remsen, Iowa, will develop a diabetes education and awareness program targeting children in grades 2 – 4. Strategies will include classroom presentations, games and written materials.
• The Burgess Foundation in Onawa, Iowa, was awarded $8,371 to develop a diabetes education, management and prevention project. Burgess Health will partner with local libraries to launch a public campaign and community program, including display, resource kits, books, videos, magazines and cookbooks.
• The Elderbridge Agency on Aging in Mason City, Iowa, received $8,304 to develop and implement a type 2 diabetes prevention and maintenance program for older adults. The program, which incorporates physical activity, nutrition and lifestyle education components, will be piloted at the Gowrie Congregate Meal Center.
• Harrisdale Homestead Educational and Research Center in Atlantic, Iowa, received a $10,000 grant to develop a type 2 diabetes prevention awareness program targeting children in kindergarten through 5th grade. The program will be piloted in the Atlantic Community Schools and will be expanded to all elementary schools in Cass County. Strategies will include community gardens and the development of walking school bus routes.
• The Iowa Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics will use a $10,000 grant to begin expansion of Iowa’s Reach Out and Read (ROR) Program to all 12 Community Health Centers in the state. ROR-Iowa serves approximately 30,000 children across the state. The expansion will eventually provide books, literacy counseling and enhanced health literacy skills to an additional 12,000 high-risk children and their families.
• The Iowa Health Foundation in Des Moines received a $10,000 grant for a program to reduce, prevent and stop childhood obesity and its co-morbidities. The Center for Advocacy and Outreach at Blank Children’s Hospital will utilize the funds to develop the school-based program, which will focus on healthy lifestyle choices regarding diet, exercise, media awareness and health maintenance.
• The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation received a $6,000 grant to develop a statewide diabetes and physical fitness project. The project will establish the framework for a community survey to increase physical activity on recreation trails in Iowa. This project will serve as the first step toward future collaboration between recreation trail developers and the health care community.
• Iowa Partners: Action for Healthy Kids, Inc. was awarded a $10,000 grant to provide mini-grants to 20 participating youth who attend Youth Empowered Ambassadors for Health (YEAH!), a statewide summit that engages Iowa youth as ambassadors for school health and wellness. The mini-grants will increase the health literacy of youth, help them develop leadership skills, and empower them to work with teacher sponsors to advocate for healthier school environments.
• The Sibley-Ocheyedan Community School District was awarded $8,580 to implement a 12-month depression education program as part of an ongoing community-wide initiative, Project HOPE (Helping Others by Preventative Education). The program will include free educational seminars for health care, law enforcement and public health professionals, as well as teachers, parents, students and the general public in the district.

The Wellmark Foundation has provided more than $12.16 million to fund 363 health-related grants in Iowa and South Dakota since 1997, including a total of $1,243,864 to date in 2007.

The Wellmark Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation created by Wellmark, Inc., doing business as Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. Visit The Wellmark Foundation's Web site at www.wellmark.com/foundation for a list of grant recipients and grant application instructions. Capacity-building grants are due September 12, 2007. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield and The Wellmark Foundation are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.