BATTLE CREEK — Seeds of funding planted during the global pandemic yielded a harvest of accessible health care for nonprofit workers within the city limits.
In partnership with the City of Battle Creek, UWSCMI administered $500,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) COVID-19 relief funding from 2022- 2024. Known as Seeding Health grants, the federal funds went to 12 organizations to make sure their employees had access to health care.
“The community depended heavily on local nonprofits to weather the storm of the pandemic,” said Andrea Meinema-Macklin, UWSCMI Director of Community Impact—Investments and Community Partnerships. “Those same nonprofits faced storms of their own, including drops in funding and greater health risks for their staffs who were serving without the opportunity to work remotely. These federal dollars helped them with health care options that, in some cases, they’d never had before.”
Meinema-Macklin said local nonprofit partners were invited to submit 3-year funding requests to support efforts to address the negative impacts of COVID-19 by creating or increasing equitable access to health care. Recipients included the Burma Center; Gracious Homes, Inc.; Greater Kingdom International/Kingdom Builders; Milk Like Mine; New Level Sports Ministries; RISE Organization; Southwestern Michigan Urban League; Sprout Urban Farms; Substance Abuse Council, Calhoun County; Voces; Washington Heights United Methodist Church; and Battle Creek Shelter, which later closed and returned its grant to the program for redistribution to the other recipients.
The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, Meinema-Macklin said.
“All grantees reported improved employee retention and morale,” she said. “Many organizations used these one-time funds as a pilot program to increase board support for adding healthcare benefits to organizational budget.”
One of the agencies reporting positive results was the county’s Substance Abuse Council. In a semi-annual survey, the Council said grant dollars helped them offer health benefits. All five full-time employees gained access to health, dental and eyecare insurance.
Another recipient, Gracious Homes, Inc., said its Seeding Health grant provided financial support for staff to use at their discretion to assist towards medical expenses, health insurance or out-of-pocket costs such as unexpected medical bills or illness.
“The Seeding Health program is a powerful example how collaboration makes a meaningful difference,” said Meinema-Macklin. “We’re grateful for the partnership and support of the City of Battle Creek and our federal lawmakers who made it possible.”
