5 Healthy Towns Foundation Hosts Community Leadership Meeting

One Big Thing, a collaboration of the 5 Healthy Towns Foundation (5HF) and a variety of local organizations, held its 9^th Community Leadership Meeting January 29.

These meetings focus on community outreach projects, funding and grant opportunities, community physical and mental well-being and plans to further improve within the 5HF’s towns of Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, Manchester and Stockbridge.

City of Chelsea’s social worker Emilee Fetters attended the meeting, discussing her newly created position and the services she is working to provide for the Chelsea community, such as walk-in library hours where families and individuals can come in and request resource recommendations for their mental health and well-being.

The foundation has recently granted $90,000 in support of a Community Health Worker position at Chelsea Hospital that would be open to offering resources to anyone in the region. 5HF has also partnered with Home of New Vision, a recovery center focused on “person-centered care” according to its website, to provide information and free resources to address addiction in foundation’s areas.

5HF has also recently announced and discussed at the January meeting new funding guidelines for its community impact grants. One Big Thing’s grant project is funded by the 5HF wellness coalitions.

Collaboration grants given by 5HF are intended to “support local non-profit organizations, school districts and municipalities, to extend their work focused on needs related to general isolation, mental health and substance use disorder awareness & prevention,” according to the foundation.

Additional information for how to apply for the grants can be found at 5HF’s website or by contacting Matt Pegouskie at matt@5healthytowns.org.

The next Community Leadership Meeting will be held April 29 at 8am.