Wasilla, Alaska — The Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) awarded 18 grants to local nonprofit organizations that support the multitude of factors that contribute to individual and community health. These organizations serve a variety of needs in our community, such as supporting Mat-Su youth, senior citizens and people with disabilities. These grants will support their work in creating a healthier Mat-Su.

In the month of June, grant awards totaled $865,208. This brings total grantmaking for this year to $6,214,400.28.

• Alaska Children’s Trust: $25,000 to fund Alaska Afterschool Network support for professional development and technical assistance for Mat-Su afterschool and summer youth programs.
• Alaska Family Services, Inc.: $18,950 to complete a facility needs assessment in the pre-development facility planning process to assess overall program needs with the intent of optimizing existing facilities to deliver its mission.
• Alaska Sports Hall of Fame, Inc.: $42,000 for the 2023 Game Changer Fund Support project, providing athletic shoes, gear, participation fees and transportation assistance for Mat-Su youth.
• Big Lake Elementary School and Meadow Lakes Elementary School: $32,700 each to contract with a professional and credentialed clinician to provide parent-directed therapeutic services as part of the Behavioral Health in Schools (BHIS) program toward an overarching program goal to deliver a standardized and effective program model for accessible, early intervention-focused onsite counseling services for students.
• Chickaloon Village Traditional Council: $12,358 for the 13th Annual Tribal Celebration & Health Fair, a free event that focuses on strengthening families and connecting people to services and to the tribes.
• The Children’s Place: $6,000 for grant writing services to apply for the RurAL Cap Thriving Communities Grants program to provide health- and wellness-related outreach and education, promoting healthy families through the prevention of child abuse.
• Compassionate Directions: $250,000 to cover payroll gaps over the next 12 months.
• Connect Palmer, Inc.: $112,500 to support three programs within the Sarah’s House program—workforce preparation, supporting living and outreach services supporting homeless women.
• The Foraker Group: $50,000 to fund the 2023 Leadership Transition project, a response to the accelerating turnover of nonprofit leaders that ensures each organization retains a clear focus on mission and relationships.
• Girl Scouts of Alaska: $10,000 to fund the construction of an accessible ramp at a new pavilion at Camp Togowoods in the Fairview area.
• Northgate Alaska: $50,000 for the iAMSOMEBODY project, funding a shoe giveaway and a carnival for Mat-Su youth.
• Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences: $15,000 to research options available in establishing a Teaching Health Center that offers graduate medical education in family medicine.
• Palmer Senior Citizens Center, Inc.: $120,000 to support the home-delivered meals nutrition program and operating costs for the essential agency.
• Peer Power: $10,000 to support organization operating costs. The organization aims to enable people with disabilities to live the life they choose and to engage more Mat-Su residents in this movement.
• PTA for Susitna Valley Jr./Sr. High School: $15,000 to provide fresh fruit and protein bars for students three to four days a week.
• United States Tennis Association, Pacific Northwest Section: $15,000 to expand RecTennis summer camps in the Mat-Su.
• Upper Susitna Seniors, Inc.: $48,000 to fund repairs to fix a 20-year-old roof in Sunshine Village housing.

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

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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.