Wisconsin Community Health Empowerment Fund, Inc.

Community Health Shark Tank Event 🦈 - 3/8/24 - March 8th was a great day for Community Health! Wisconsin’s first Community Health Shark Tank Event was a huge success. Congratulations to all of the participating United Way led teams from Fond du Lac, Green, La Crosse and Marshfield areas who presented project proposals connected to The White House Initiative on Hunger, Nutrition and Health.

We want to express our heartfelt thank you to our state and national partners including the United Way of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, healthTIDE, Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality, Wisconsin Hospital Association, Wisconsin Public Health Association, MetaStar, University of Wisconsin-Extension, CDC Foundation, The White House, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. A special thank you to our event sponsor SSM Health and to all of our sharky business sector Sharks including Pete Lukszys, Brett Davis, Andy Kitslaar, Melanie Drobac Gautreau, Arthur Valentine, and Cassie Vanderwall.

Project proposals spanned from farm to early childcare efforts, to support to school-age children, families, and adults. Every community could benefit from each of the leaders and projects advancing access to food and health! The Event is the start of a longer Learning Collaborative and Business Engagement Initiative focused on building community health opportunities, business and community health partnerships, and multi-sector community health resource teams.

WCHEF welcomes new partners, ideas, and support to this important work. Let's continue to focus on giving fish, teaching more people to fish, and keeping healthy communities growing!

Happy New Year from the Wisconsin Community Health Empowerment Fund! 🎉

We are excited to share our 2023 report summarizing the incredible work done throughout Green County, Wisconsin. The report highlights our contributions towards Covid-19 outreach, recovery, and the building of vital infrastructure for strengthened community health systems.

We are grateful for the various partners from multiple sectors who made this project possible, and we are proud of the new leaders in health who emerged during this time. We applaud the Green County Healthy Community Coalition's efforts in developing the new Moving Health Forward Fund with the United Way of Green County. This fund will help foster and grow new flexible resources for community health.

Looking forward to 2024, we are excited to expand our community health improvement efforts. We will be focusing on the White House Initiative on Hunger, Nutrition and Health and the continued building of vital partnerships and community health resource teams.

Cheers to a new year and new opportunities for strengthened community health! Check out our report to learn more.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/563a3934e4b0635b7d9f3ca7/t/6599a5e79ef3ca67b1ce7e20/1704568299127/Green+County+Community+Health+Report+2023+-+010624+-+V12+-+Final.pdf

Very proud of the Green County Healthy Community Coalition and their focus on improved housing opportunities throughout the County - Access to affordable and sound Housing = Health! 🏠

5 Best Foods for Your Heart Health Improve your heart health with your diet. Here are five foods groups you should consider.

February 1st and the start to American Heart Month! How will you go Red this year? I am striving for more movement and consumption of water throughout the day. During the month of February, we will work to share opportunities to create strong and healthy hearts. Let’s Go Red Wisconsin! ♥️

Healthy You Healthy New Year event this morning at the Woodford State Bank in Monroe - such a great way to start the day and year by integrating nutrition concepts, breathing and sleep as vital factors to strengthening health and shielding Covid-19. Thank you to Sean Casey at Hometown Pharmacy Monroe for the excellent presentation and to Val Johnson from Woodford State Bank and Teresa Keehn from United Way of Green County for your outstanding partnership support. Another great example of businesses serving as important leaders advancing community health!

During this holiday season we wanted to extend our gratitude and thanks to the many partners and organizations who have supported efforts to advance health improvement. This year has brought clarity to foundational concepts that fuel opportunities in health for all - focus on community and state health priorities, the engagement and usage of multi-sector partners, the development of community health resource vehicles and the deployment of community-clinical linkages or bridges to health like community health workers. May 2023 bring great health, happiness and joy your way!
https://mailchi.mp/3e9289959c05/wchef-holiday-reflection-2022-empowering-community-health?e=f077903947

Heart Health Equity Learning Series – Fourth and Final Session – Thank you to state health department staff Michelle Robinson, Jonette N. Arms, Margarita Northrop MIPA, MPH and Anne Gargano Ahmed for sharing your vision and opportunities to advance health equity throughout Wisconsin! Through the education series we learned that community design matters and that true health equity cannot be achieved without equitable access to the things that make health happen. Continued efforts to expand Medicaid and the integration of supports like community health workers are great avenues to assist with advancing access and connections to health services. Care team composition is important to review to see if it mirrors the population in which they serve. Lastly, promising new practice supports include text messaging campaigns, group learning classes and the expansion of care team roles like pharmacists serving as leaders in heart health. Together - Heart Health Improvement AND Equity are possible! https://lnkd.in/eJghnJZK

Going Green this top of the mornin’ with the lovely Green County United Way Director! Excited for the many opportunities to Boost Health with continued COVID-19 vaccination outreach, assistance to local community health improvement teams covering housing, mental health, youth trauma and the building of vital infrastructure for community health resource growth. The first Green County Boost focuses on a gas card incentive for completed vaccinations and in future months will offer additional community health education and support opportunities. The Green County Boost – making health and life a priority throughout 2022!
https://wchef.org/green-county-boost

Wisconsin Heart Health Equity Learning Series – Thank you to Ms. Tammy Garris and Dr. Behling from HopeHealth Clinic in South Carolina for an excellent presentation on Improving Hypertension in a Stroke Belt. Throughout their presentation we learned about innovative outreach strategies working with community partners and volunteers, the creation of provider hypertension control dashboards to drive improvement and lastly the integration of a HeartWise class as part of their heart health treatment protocol. Please join us for our fourth and final session April 11th from Noon – 1:30pm central time where we will come back to Wisconsin with a discussion with state leaders on “Working Together to Improve Heart Health Equity” at the registration link below. Heart Health Improvement AND Equity are possible! https://lnkd.in/eXZ8sUME

Wisconsin Heart Health Equity Learning Series – Thank you to Ms. Sonia Ayala, MA, LCSW from Esperanza Health Centers in Chicago for an excellent presentation on the usage of Self-Measured Blood Pressure (SMBP) to enhance both heart health and equity. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Esperanza found that the usage of SMBP helped to add value to their telehealth visits and improve heart health outcomes. Esperanza’s success with SMBP is attributed to two factors: 1) The usage of Care Coordinators including local Hispanic community members for certain patient communication, clinical support and education 2) The usage of a telephone App and texting campaigns to especially help patients who may be “hiding in plain sight” and are without an appointment for heart health review. Please join us for our third session tomorrow from Noon – 1pm central time where we will hear from Ms. Tammy Garris and Dr. Behling from HopeHealth Clinic in South Carolina on Improving Hypertension in the Stroke Belt. Please register and join us at the link below. Heart Health Improvement AND Equity are possible!
https://lnkd.in/dYJpiHTB

Green County Residents - Join the Green County Boost and boost or elevate health as your top priority for 2022! The first Boost is a gas card incentive for people who receive their Covid-19 booster vaccine or completion of their primary vaccine series by Monday, March 19th. Vaccines are free and often no appointments are necessary - See the attached fliers for details of participating partners. No excuses, the time is now to boost health throughout Green County!

First session of the Wisconsin Heart Health Equity Learning Series today with a presentation from Dr. Alanna Morris, Cardiologist and Associate Professor with Emory University. Today Dr. Morris encouraged Wisconsin to focus on 3 things: 1) Continued Medicaid Expansion - and support for access to care 2) Diversity within Health Care Teams - who is on the team matters 3) More Affordable Prescription Drugs all within the context of the role and importance of the social determinants of health - or basic needs that keep health going like access to medical care, groceries, affordable housing and physical activity. We look forward to our next learning session on February 28 with leaders from the Esperanza Community Health Center System in Chicago - please register and join us at the link below. Heart Health Improvement AND Equity are possible! https://lnkd.in/eJghnJZK

Throughout American Heart Month and beyond, the Wisconsin Chronic Disease Prevention Program and the Wisconsin Community Health Empowerment Fund are pleased to launch a Heart Health Equity Learning Series with heart disease experts and Million Hearts Award winners across the country. Please join us by registering at the link below and hear about stories of science, innovation, and grit - connecting best practices and hope for healthy hearts for all! ❤️ https://lnkd.in/eJghnJZK

Closing the Gap - Grateful for the opportunity to work with a variety of wonderful partners across Green County and the DHS Covid-19 Response and Recovery Team on a Covid-19 Outreach Grant that assisted in closing the vaccination gap between Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Residents from 10+% to .6%. Check out the attached report to learn more about the project's experiences and opportunities for continued success. We look forward to continued work with this team - Health CAN win and prevail ❤ https://static1.squarespace.com/.../Green+County...

Wisconsin Healthy Hearts Survey Results - Increased inventory of short digital education offerings, expanded education in multiple community settings like faith based organizations, enhanced access to self-measured blood pressure education and tools and more connections to non-medication interventions for heart disease were a few of the survey highlights. Thank you to the Wisconsin Chronic Disease Prevention Program, EQT by Design and the Wisconsin Women's Council for their support with this important project. WCHEF looks forward to working with health systems across the state to enhance both heart health and healthy equity! ❤

Inspiring community health learning day in Milwaukee! This summer a group of Wisconsin Community Health Fund students are working as consultants observing and evaluating Wisconsin’s Pathways Community HUB programs and Community Health Worker systems. In Milwaukee we learned that community centers, community health workers and neighborhood leaders - who all work in community - have a tremendous opportunity to impact health. While urban population health issues can be complex and the impact of Covid-19 on communities has been challenging, community health infrastructure attention at the neighborhood level is achievable and required for enduring community health impact. We celebrate the efforts of UniteWI, We Got This! and WestCare Wisconsin for their courage, passion and dedication to communities. Neighborhoods can = health!
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Please join us THIS SATURDAY from 11am - 1pm for the final summer Covid-19 education and vaccination clinic at the Badger State Trailhead Pavilion near the Veracruz Mexican Market in Monroe. Both English and Spanish speaking staff members will be available to answer questions. Free tacos, great music and a gas card raffle will be available too. No registration required - Ages 12 and up welcome!

This Friday - COVID-19 education and vaccine clinic at the pavilion along the Badger State Trail in Monroe! Free tacos, music, and a gas card raffle! 🌮🎶💉

Anyone 12 years of age an older is eligible to get vaccinated! Please come learn, get vaccinated and celebrate health! 💚

Calling All Wisconsin - Come on down to Monroe this Friday for our 2nd Covid-19 Education and Vaccination Clinic - grab a taco, get a vaccine and learn more about opportunities for health! 4 - 6pm at the Park Shelter Across from Veracruz Mexican Market. Help protect the Green County and Wisconsin Herd today! 🐄

MOO! MUU! Calling the Green County Wisconsin Herd to come on down to Monroe at the Veracruz Mexican Market tomorrow evening from 4 - 6pm for education and vaccinations for COVID-19. Additional Pop-Up clinics will be held throughout June and July. Music and free tacos will be available too to the first 100 guests! The Wisconsin Community Health Fund is pleased to support this important community health opportunity in partnership with SWCAP and other health and community organizations. Come learn, get vaccinated and celebrate health! 🐄 🌮 💉

There are many health care team members who can assist with heart health including Pharmacists - Consider developing a Heart Health Plan with your medical provider today! ❤
Poster by John De V. - Student Edgewood High School

Throughout American Heart Month and beyond visit your medical provider annually to review and develop a Heart Health Plan! ❤
Poster by Henry A. - Student Edgewood High School

Take Action To Improve Heart Health Today - so many easy opportunities for healthy hearts through diet, exercise and visits to your medical provider. Take action and make a heart health plan today! American Heart Month ❤
Poster by student Michael B. Edgewood High School

Successful heart health activities are usually driven from a team - including a skilled pharmacist on the care team. Know Your Heart and care for your heart each day. American Heart Month ❤
Poster by Ryan D. - Student Edgewood High School

Self-Measured Blood Pressure - Take and Monitor Your Blood Pressure At Home - so many ways to care for our hearts, even in the midst of a pandemic. American Heart Month ❤
Poster by Addison S. - Student Edgewood High School

Throughout American Heart Month and beyond - we are grateful for all public health and health care workers! ❤
Poster by Jack H. - Student Edgewood High School

Monitor Your Blood Pressure from the Comfort of Your Home - so many opportunities for care for your heart each day! American Heart Month ❤
Poster by Jacob S. - Student Edgewood High School

American Heart Month - Visit your medical provider and make a Heart Health Plan today! ❤
Poster by Sydney P. and Julia Z. - Students Edgewood High School