Wasilla, Alaska — The Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) awarded 31 Healthy Impact, Target Wellness, Strategic, and Coronavirus Prevention Response (CPR) grants totaling more than $1.8 million in January and February 2023. The grants support nonprofit organizations providing services to improve the health and wellness of Alaskans living in the Mat-Su.

Healthy Impact grants are for projects more than $15,000 and four grants totaling $423,734 were awarded:

• Compassionate Directions: $50,000 for short-term operational funds to support potential shortfalls in payroll caused by delayed reimbursements.
• Girl Scouts of Alaska: $85,000 to construct an open-air pavilion with an accessible ramp at Camp Togowoods for increased programming and dining space.
• Lake Louise Snowmachine Club Inc.: $200,000 for Project Wolf Tracks to purchase equipment to set and maintain the multi-use trail system in the eastern Mat-Su Borough areas of Lake Louise, Tolsona, Eureka and Tyone Lake.
• Radio Free Palmer: $88,734 to fund Voices of the Mat-Su, a two-year project to support the development and broadcasting of radio stories allowing diverse Mat-Su residents to share their perspectives about living in Mat-Su.

Target Wellness grants are for projects up to $15,000 and 20 grants totaling $223,918 were awarded:

• Academy Charter School: $10,010 for after-school swim lessons.
• Wasilla Middle School: $11,384 for the Outdoor Recreation Club offering cross-country skiing and ice skating.
• Northwest Resource Associates: $10,350 for its Foster and Kinship Home Safety Support Project.
• Alaska Sports Hall of Fame Inc.: $15,000 to support the Healthy Futures Program designed to empower youth to build the habit of daily physical activity.
• Project Linus: $400 for Make a Blanket Day. Project Linus provides handmade blankets to children ages 0 to 18 who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need.
• American National Red Cross: $15,000 for disaster response.
• Palmer Fellowship United Methodist Church: $15,000 for weekend school lunch packs for food-insecure schoolchildren.
• Philanthropy Northwest: $19,500 for Mat-Su Health Foundation’s Philanthropy Northwest membership.
• Valley Residential Services: $2,000 for a community health fair.
• Chickaloon Village Traditional Council: $15,000 for the Chickaloon Native Youth Olympics.
• American Cancer Society: $15,000 for Mat-Su cancer patient services.
• Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America, Alaska Chapter: $5,000 for the Puffers Asthma Camp.
• Special Olympics Alaska: $15,000 for 2023 Special Olympics Alaska Mat-Su program support.
• The Foraker Group: $15,000 to support the 2023 Foraker Leadership Summit.
• Wasilla Waves Swim Club: $1,499 for computer equipment.
• CCS Early Learning: $10,500 for the CCS Community Grant Writing Project.
• Access Alaska, Inc.: $14,000 for the Transition to Independence/Youth with Disabilities Project.
• Gamers Sports Travel: $15,000 for subsidized winter baseball and softball instruction.
• Sunshine Station Child Care Center: $16,275 for a capital project needs assessment.
• Willow Elementary: $3,000 for water safety in Willow.

CPR grants up to $50,000 support local nonprofits as they address unplanned expenses and/or lost revenue relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three grants totaling $89,704 were awarded:

• Santa Cop & Heroes Program: $6,500 for supporting isolated Mat-Su seniors in need, including snow plowing and other supports.
• Alaska Farmers Market Association: $33,520 for the Matanuska Community Farmers’ Market.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska: $49,684 to expand mentoring services for Mat-Su youth.

Strategic Grants are used to fund proactive systems improvements often resulting from local or statewide coalition work involving MSHF staff and community partners. Strategic Grants are intended to build the community health capacity of coalitions and collaboratives or launch program/organizational efforts that fill gaps in the Mat-Su system of care. Four grants totaling $1,084,830 were awarded:

• Alaska Warrior Partnership: $5,000 for CPR training for veterans’ organizations, veterans and families.
• Blood-N-Fire Ministry of Alaska: $176,500 for Knik House operational funding for 2023.
• LINKS Mat-Su Parent Resource Center: $703,330 for operational funding for the High Utilizer Mat-Su (HUMS) program.
• Sultana New Ventures, LLC: $200,000 to support 2023 Recover Alaska operations.

Information about all Mat-Su Health Foundation grant programs is available at healthymatsu.org. Applications for all grants are available online and open year-round.

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About Mat-Su Health Foundation: Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) is the official business name of Valley Hospital Association, Inc., which shares ownership in Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. In this capacity, MSHF board members and representatives actively participate in the governance of Mat-Su’s community hospital to protect the community’s interest in this important healthcare institution. The MSHF mission is to improve the health and wellness of Alaskans living in the Mat-Su and the tools it uses include grantmaking, convening of local partners, and policy change. The foundation’s work has resulted in significant improvements in systems that support the health of Mat-Su residents in areas such as behavioral health, child welfare, crisis response, community connections, workforce development, transportation, housing, and senior services. More information is available at healthymatsu.org.