Copper Shores Bridges is underway, and the first Investigators have graduated from the Getting Ahead program. Cheyenne, a graduate of the first Getting Ahead program, joined  the Copper Shores Podcast to look back and talk about her experiences. Cheyenne originally saw the program as an opportunity to get grocery and gas money to help her family. After spending some time with Bridges Program Director Mike Steber, and the other investigators, she started to see that this was something she wanted to stick with.  “It seemed like a painted picture, but it widened once you actually stepped into the room,” said Cheyenne. Getting Ahead may sound too good to be true, but it’s made possible by the joy and dedication that Steber has for each investigator. His belief in their ability to succeed helps them open up and connect with each other. “[Mike] was definitely the cheerleader along the way,” said Cheyenne.  She noted how important his check-ins were and still are, making sure each investigator can still work towards their goals.  “A lot of the class was creating goals to step out of the poverty line,” explained Cheyenne. “Finding the reasons for difficulty, like childcare being one, or wages being another. Just covering all demographics in poverty.” Through the self-reflection and goal-setting that investigators do, they also pick up a variety of organizational skills that will help keep them moving forward toward their goals. “Being in survival mode most of the time is what keeps everyone in their spot rather than pushing forward,” said Cheyenne. “Pushing forward is the hardest and the most important part.” Cheyenne encourages everyone eligible to take the class. Copper Shores believes that change starts with individuals. If someone is interested in enrolling in Getting Ahead or learning more about the program, contact Mike Steber at [email protected]. Details can also be found at coppershores.org/bridges.

The Copper Shores Podcast is BACK! With a new name and a great new soundtrack thanks to Ontonagon-native Noah Lukkari! Our first episode back - episode No. 70 overall - is actually a special insert episode thanks to our friends at Copper Country Today. We’re calling it our “State of the Foundation” podcast where we hear a little bit about nearly everything happening here at Copper Shores.  Oh - and don't forget this Sunday is our second annual Copper Shores Community-Wide Picnic! Learn about the event at coppershores.org/picnic. Todd VanDyke of Cooper Country Today interviewed Copper Shores Community Health Foundation CEO/ President Kevin Store on the recent changes at Copper Shores and how it’s going to positively influence the community. One of the first steps in helping the community was rebranding after a double acquisition. “We’ve contemplated the name change for some time now. We've talked a lot about a name that would be a little bit more inclusive and more representative of the region we serve,” said Store.  Knowing the acquisitions would serve as a good catalyst for a rebrand, Copper Shores moved forward with something that ties all of our communities together. With three great organizations coming together, Copper Shores is better equipped to serve Copper Country residents by cleaning up and expanding upon already established services. The foundation is uniquely equipped to both provide funding to other organizations, as well as provide services directly to community members. “About 2.5 to 3% of foundations in the country will function as what is referred to as an operating foundation, as opposed to a non operating funding foundation,” said Store. “We have become a bit of a hybrid.” After lengthy discussion with Rebecca Crane, former Executive Director of Dial Help and current Senior Director of Programming, Store and others felt that they could do more for the community together by creating some efficiencies in scale, lowering some administrative costs, and amplifying some of the services that are offered. “We may not know that they're in our circle,” said VanDyke, “Many of us would be surprised to find out what goes on with some of our friends and neighbors.” There are many people in the community who are in need of a variety of mental health and well-being resources, and Copper Shores aims to be the organization that the community can trust and fall back on in hard times. In order to better provide the community with these essential services, Copper Shores is moving forward with their Wellness Campus.  “How do we make sure that if somebody  shows up at the door, we can walk hand in hand with them on that path of whatever healing that they need,” said Store, “And either find the resources for them, help them connect with other agencies, and/or provide that service directly.” The feedback from community members has been overwhelmingly positive. Though it took some time to comb through the data, Copper Shores is excited to begin the planning stages of the Wellness Campus. 

Nonprofit organizations in the U.P. now have another opportunity for funding with the Michigan Nonprofit Relief Fund. Amy Quinn joined us to talk about the opportunity, which ranges from $5,000 to $25,000 to nonprofit organizations in Michigan. Quinn is a member of the statewide committee directing the fund, and the CEO of Grow and Lead, an Upper Peninsula-based organization that works to support nonprofits. “When the pandemic hit, nonprofits really stepped up in a big way,” said Amy Quinn, CEO of Grow and Lead. “They took a large hit… and MI Nonprofit Association (MNA) recognized that, and they started meeting with our legislators over two years ago to say we need a relief fund, specifically for nonprofits.” Quinn has been serving on the statewide committee since November and serves as a voice for people from the Upper Peninsula, where she works to make sure that money is “coming up above the bridge.” Michigan passed a state budget with $50 million towards a nonprofit relief fund, jointly administered through the department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) and MNA. Organizations that have an annual budget of less than $1 million, and/or are serving Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed (ALICE) populations will be given priority. “We want to try to build up nonprofits and especially buildup the working middle class,” said Quinn. Nonprofit organizations that sign up for relief funds may receive a minimum of $5,000 and maximum of $25,000. MNA is asking nonprofits to fill out the Intent to Apply form available on their website. It takes approximately 20 minutes to fill out the form, which is not required but highly encouraged. Doing so helps the state committee know how to better serve the organizations. “What do small profits need, and how on a statewide scale might we help them," Quinn said.  Nonprofits are eligible even if they have received ARPA funding before, but it must be used for a different purpose than the previously received funds. Organizations do not need to be a part of MNA to benefit from the funding. Quinn believes that there is a critical link between the benefits of community nonprofits and creating a great environment for U.P. youth. “There’s money available, let’s bring it up here to the U.P.,” Quinn encouraged. She said the money is “accessible to as many nonprofits that are interested in receiving the money. We want to make sure that we can reach all nonprofits, and particularly it was designed for those smaller nonprofits.” The application for the fund will come out at the end of March. The deadline for the application will be in early May, and the funding decisions will be made in June. Learn more and fill out the Intent to Apply at minonprofitrelief.org.

Portage Health Foundation is considering the construction of a multi-use community wellness campus and is seeking public input from community members in Michigan’s Copper Country. In this podcast Executive Director Kevin Store discusses the project, which is years in the making.  Initial concept is a large-scale multimillion-dollar wellness facility that would be purpose built to provide community programming, human services outreach and recreational services. Community input is currently being accepted via an online survey that’s available at phfgive.org/wellnesscampus. While there, subscribe for email updates about the project. The survey will remain open through January 31, 2023.

In the third and final PHF Podcast episode previewing #GivingTuesday 2022 we welcome Carol Korpela and Cathy Kass-Aten from Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly to the podcast. Kass-Aten is stepping down as the executive director of the Hancock-based nonprofit opening the door for the longtime employee Carol Korpela to take the reigns. In the podcast they talk about the lengthy history of the organization, reminisce about some of the good times in the old Ripley House, discuss the move to their Hancock office and Korpela talks about her vision for the future of the organization.  Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly is one of 26 nonprofit organization participating in #GivingTuesday this year with Portage Health Foundation. We're still a few days away from the day itself, but already more than $170,000 has been donated to the organizations. PHF is matching up to $200,000 in donations this year with the money being spread to the organizations based on how much money is donated to them. You can learn more about #GivingTuesday at PHF and make a donation now at phfgive.org/givingtuesday! 

In this episode of the PHF Podcast we continue previewing #GivingTuesday by interviewing two of the 26 amazing nonprofit organizations who are seeking donations this year. Portage Health Foundation is matching $200,000 once again this year and donations are being accepted now at phfgive.org/givingtuesday.  Copper Harbor Trails Club's Mighty Match We start by talking with Nathan Miller from the Copper Harbor Trails Club about a new match they have. Their friends at SRAM are matching up to $500,000 in donations they receive. The bike corporation will be matching whatever cash the Trails Club receives from #GiveCopperCountry! In addition to the match and discussing trail upgrades they have planned, Miller talked in detail about the huge land acquisition made by The Nature Conservancy. This should lead to greater opportunities in the long run for Keweenaw County and Copper Harbor Trails Club. You can learn more about that acquisition in a Copper Country Today podcast that aired November 6.  Copper Country Angel Mission's New Location Sherry Middlemis-Brown and Copper Country Angel Mission made one really big move following their inaugural participation in #GivingTuesday with Portage Health Foundation. They were able to leverage the $24,000+ they received in donations last year into a down payment and crowdfunding effort to land them a location of their own for the first time. Middlemis-Brown discusses the new location in depth and highlights what they have going on next. To make a donation to support Copper Harbor Trails Club, Copper Country Angel Mission or any of the other 24 organizations participating in PHF's #GivingTuesday, visit phfgive.org/givingtuesday. 

We’re three weeks away from #GivingTuesday and what better way to prepare than a podcast featuring a couple of the incredible nonprofits focused on making our community a healthier place - unitē Mental Health and Wellness and 31 Backpacks! This year Portage Health Foundation is matching donations up to $200,000 and this episode starts out by taking you through what that means and how it works. Then Laurel and Melissa Maki from 31 Backpacks talk about what’s new with that organization and showcase the immense need for their services. We finish up by talking with Angela Price and Beth Shannon – the founders of unitē Mental Health and Wellness. This new nonprofit was created to unite individuals in rural communities with quality mental health care while also supporting the professionals who provide it. Follow along with what 31 Backpacks is up to by following them on Facebook, learn all about unitē by visiting unitewellness.org and make your donation to support our local nonprofit organizations today at phfgive.org/givingtuesday.

This summer Portage Health Foundation staff was joined by Community Health Interns Ally Ronis and Lucy Campbell. The two helped with a number of projects, shadowed PHF staff through many of their daily duties, helped with logistics involved with the Collective CSA Program and write a guest blog post for the PHF website.  In this podcast we discuss their experience and each of them discuss in detail their choice for a topic for their guest blog post. Links to those posts are below. Thanks for joining us Lucy and Ally and good luck this school year! WATCH: Learn about the Collective CSA Program at PHF "Utilizing Emotional Intelligence: Building Better Health Through Self-Cultivation of 5 Components" by Lucy Campbell "How to implement healthful savvy cooking tips on a budget" by Ally Ronis

It's been nearly a year since Project Lifesaver launched in Michigan's Copper Country, and with that Portage Health Foundation thought it would be a great opportunity to catch up with the project's lead, Detective Lieutenant Charlie Klein from the Houghton County Sheriff's Office. Detective Lieutenant Klein is the featured guest on the 63rd episode of the PHF Podcast. He mentioned that more than 20 families are participating in the program, with overwhelmingly positive comments coming from the families. So far the program has only been activated once, and it ended with the child being found moments before Project Lifesaver's technology was fully activated. Project Lifesaver is free to the first 50 families in Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw or Ontonagon counties. This is possible thanks to a Portage Health Foundation grant. Learn more about Project Lifesaver, make a donation to financially support the project and find out how you can sign up someone in your life by visiting phfgive.org/projectlifesaver.

Welcome to the final episode of our four-part series highlighting the amazing work done at Copper Country Senior Meals! In this episode we visit the congregate meal site in Calumet to meet the staff that makes it happen and a couple of the regulars who find these regular events to be incredibly important to their day-to-day life.  As part of Older Americans Month, CCSM is partnering with the Portage Health Foundation for a special series of podcast episodes highlighting what makes Senior Meals such a special organization in Michigan's Copper Country.  Donate to support their fundraising effort here, https://www.gofundme.com/f/senior-meals-delivery-equipment!