RISE Cowley partnered with three community agencies to secure $33,000 in grant funds as a part of the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) initiative. RISE Cowley is a coalition of like-minded organizations dedicated to making Cowley County a healthier place to live, work, and play. Lindsay Wilke, RISE Cowley Grant Coordinator noted: “RISE partners are implementing new solutions and strategies. Cowley residents can be excited about these grants and the activities of these organizations combating health inequities and thinking outside of the box to meet community needs.”
Legacy Regional Community Foundation was awarded $18,000 to create mini documentaries highlighting health inequities faced by county citizens. A team of nonprofit frontline service providers will lift up narratives detailing gaps in the county safety net system, as well as bright spots and strengths. The documentaries will focus on: social determinants of health, mental health, substance abuse, and equitable access to healthy food.
The Community Health Center in Cowley County was awarded $15,000 to provide software support to nonprofit service organizations to help them track client needs and use of their services. Community organizations such as Eagle Nest Inc. and Angels in the Attic will utilize the software to collaborate and show impact. The Community Health Center will work with these nonprofits to expand use to other safety net organizations in the county.
The two grants are part of $200,000 in funds BCBSKS has earmarked for RISE Cowley over the next two years. These funds help move forward healthy initiatives in Cowley County and further the implementation of the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment plan found at www.wnhcares.org/about/community-health-needs-assessment.
“We have the health data, research and resident feedback that we need to reveal gaps in our local healthcare system, and we must continue to take action to strengthen our system of care,” states Wilke.
To learn more about RISE Cowley and the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas initiative, please visit risecowley.org.
