United Way of
 Bemidji Area


 
  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 HEALTH
Improving people's health and social well-being, and providing emergency services by investing in local partner agencies and programs, partnering with community initiatives and providing Venture Grants to the development of one time projects and/or start-up funds that address unmet human service needs and/or are preventive in nature.
 		    
 

United Way strategically engages and builds relationships with the following diverse community stakeholders, contributors, and partners to implement health impact strategies that help us build a stronger community:

Beltrami County Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Board Member

To supplement and expand ongoing efforts to provide shelter, food and supportive services for "homeless and hungry individuals."
 Our Partner Agencies provide programs and 
 strategies to improve people's health and social
 well-being, increasing self sufficiency, and
 provide emergency services:
 



 


Adult Day Services

Provides socialization, assistance with personal care needs and therapeutic services for older adults.

 

620 Carr Lake Road SE

Bemidji, MN  56601

751-1324

Director: April Collman

acollman@paulbunyan.net

 

 

Bemidji Senior Citizen Center

The Bemidji Senior Center strives to fulfill the needs of area senior citizens by providing interesting activities, programs, and educational experiences so they may grow to their full potential in our community.  We work with area agencies and schools to offer seniors a variety of volunteer opportunities that suit their individual talents.  The Center houses such programs as the Volunteer Income Tax Preparation Program, 55 Alive Defensive Driving Course, and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), all of which give seniors volunteer opportunities as well as much needed services.  The Center also houses the LSS Nutrition Project, serving five nutritious meals each week, and the Meals On Wheels Program that reaches out to seniors unable to come to the Center.  Through the generosity of the United Way, the Bemidji Senior Center is able to keep its doors open to provide these much needed services to the community as well as provide a place for seniors to congregate and enjoy companionship.

 

216 3rd Street NW

Bemidji, M  56601

218-751-8836

Contact: Becky Parker

bccoa@paulbunyan.net

www.paulbunyan.net/users/bccoa

 

Bemidji Community Soup Kitchen

Provides free meals on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week to those in need with no questions asked.

 

PO Box 1584

Bemidji, MN 56619

751-2810

Contact: Gloria Joy

gjoy@paulbunyan.net


 

Community Resource Connections

Community Resource Connections (CRC) exists to assist, support, and promote area nonprofits and the clients they serve.  The services provided include: networking, coordination of multi-agency activities, information/advocacy & assistance for the general public, and advocacy for nonprofits.

 

 

616 America Avenue Suite 170

Bemidji, MN 56601

218-333-8265

Contact: Ruth Sherman

ruth.sherman@co.beltrami.mn.us

http://www.communityresourceconnections.org

 

Courage Center

Services, resources and programs for people with physical disabilities.

 

3915 Golden Valley Road

Golden Valley, MN  55422

Main Office: 763-588-0811

Regional Director: Jennifer Woodford: 763-520-0546

Local Volunteers: Tom & Mimi Fogarty, 218-266-3658, couragen@wcta.net
 

Evergreen House

United Way is a stable and strong supporter of area nonprofits, especially during difficult financial times such as the current state budget crisis.  United Way support helps Evergreen House provide emergency shelter to nearly 300 children ages 9 to 17 each year.  Children served are homeless, runaways, experiencing abuse or neglect, or experiencing personal or family crisis.  The Evergreen Shelter provides a safe, supportive environment in which children receive meals and lodging, counseling, structured discussion groups, participate in recreational activities, and participate in family counseling.  Thanks to high quality family counseling, more than 90% of the children who come to the shelter each year return home.  Parents are supported in managing the home situation and parenting appropriately, while also receiving help in holding their children accountable for their behavior.  In 2007 United Way has invested in the Evergreen Youth Recovery House in addition to Evergreen's shelter.  The Evergreen Youth Recovery House is a residential halfway house program for chemical dependent adolescent males 14 through 18 years of age. All of Evergreen's services are free to children and families.  For more information on Evergreen House and its three program sites, visit us at www.evergreenhouse.org.

 

PO 662

622 Mississippi Ave. - shelter

820 Beltrami Ave. NW - youth recovery house

Bemidji, MN 56619

Executive Director: Becky Schueller, 218-751-8223

Shelter Program Coordinator: Gary Russell, 218-751-4332

Youth Recovery House Program Coordinator: Randy McKain, 751-2466

 

Foster Grandparents/Senior Companions

Gives seniors volunteer opportunities as mentors, tutors and caregivers for youth with exceptional needs and provides service to older adults who need assistance with daily living tasks.

 

PO Box 1518

Walker, MN  56484

800-563-8150

Director: Mar Kuha

mkuha@lssmn.org

 

Hope House

Hope House serves people with serious and persistent mental illness by assisting them to learn skills to live independently and hospital-free within the community.  Hope House is available to individuals 18 or older who live in Beltrami County or surrounding counties, have difficulty functioning in the community, are at risk for hospitalization/ restricted living, and have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, major depression, borderline personality disorder, or bipolar disorder.  Individuals are not personally charged for the services.

 

Through United Way we have been able to train members of the program to work as mentors to other consumers, establish a supportive community with a local church, and work on a consumer employment project, to name a few.  With United Way we have been able to help people live healthier lives and have a meaningful part in the community.

 

2014 7th St SE

PO Box 1097

Bemidji, MN  56619

444-6748

Director: Robin Wold

hopehous@paulbunyan.net

 

Let's Go Fishing
Let's Go Fishing enriches the lives of senior citizens through fishing and boating activities that build relationships and create memories.  The organization provides opportunities to participate in stimulating and enriching social activities, promotes health and socialization, and increases independence and confidence.


PO Box 1041
Bemidji, MN  56619
Janee at 218-766-0881
Fundraising Committee Chair:  Charles Mann
www.lgfbemidji.org

Mississippi Headwaters Area Dental Health Center

A new community initiative that is working towards creating a public access dental clinic to serve low income and disadvantaged families throughout the Bemidji area who have little or no available dental health care.  Client services expected to begin Winter 2007.

 

Secretary/Treasurer: Mary Marchel

c/o: Beltrami County Public Health

616 America Avenue, Suite 340

Bemidji, MN 56601

218-333-8119

email: mary.marcel@co.beltrami.mn.us

 

North Country Food Bank

This organization was formed to reduce waste and help feed disadvantaged people by acting as a bridge between the food industry and agencies serving the needy.  The North Country Food Bank provides reduced cost food to many nonprofit agencies in our area as well as northern Minnesota.

 

424 North Broadway

Crookston, MN  56716

218-281-7356

Director: Susie Novak

ncfbanksn@rrv.net

 

North Country Home Care and Hospice

Hospice care is a compassionate, cost-effective program of care for the terminally ill.  It is a medically directed, interdisciplinary, case managed program of services that considers the patient and family as a unit of care.  Hospices provide palliative care, which emphasizes pain and symptom control, rather than curative care, during the last phases of a terminal illness.  A team approach offers patients a unique range of services that are unavailable through any other single health care provider.  The team is on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to make visits.  Bereavement care is available for at least 13 months to surviving family members.  Services are individually tailored to each situation through a Plan of Care designed to meet the physical, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual needs of both the patient and their family.  United Way has provided resources to support our volunteer program, family education materials, and bereavement support services.

 

3525 Pine Ridge Ave NW

Bemidji, MN  56601

218-333-5665

Director: Susan Erickson Dobbelstein

sdobbelstein@nchs.com

 

Northwoods Coalition for Family Safety
Northwoods Coalition for Family Safety provides a voice for battered women and member programs; challenge systems and institutions so they respond more effectively to the needs of battered women and their children; promote social change; and support, educate, and connect member programs.

PO Box 563
Bemidji, MN  56619
218-444-1395
Executive Director: Sara Stodgell
ncbw@paulbunyan.net
http://www.mcbw.org/node/1


Northwoods Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers (NICE)

Northwoods Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers (NICE) is a volunteer-based organization that provides services for seniors and other special needs individuals and families.  Through many dedicated volunteers, NICE provides transportation to medical appointments, shopping assistance, friendly visiting, and respite care for seniors and children.  With the help of United Way and so many important caregivers, Northwoods Interfaith enables independent living and ensures to improve the quality of life for those with disabilities or special needs.  Northwoods Interfaith is “neighbors helping neighbors”--volunteers making a difference in our community!

                                        

616 America Ave, Ste. 170                                      

Bemidji, MN 56601                                                 

Director: Cindi Lee Jernigan, 218-333-8264 or 888-534-4432

Program Assistant: Melissa Thomas, 218-333-8266                           

E-mail: nice@paulbunyan.net

www.northwoodsnice.org

 

Paul Bunyan Amateur Radio Club

The Paul Bunyan Amateur Radio Club has been providing severe weather reporting (Skywarn), emergency communications support, and community service to Beltrami County for over 30 years.  Whenever severe weather threatens, club members are paged by the National Weather Service or the Beltrami County Emergency Operations Center.  Members immediately go to preplanned locations throughout the county where we communicate via radio directly with the National Weather Service radar operators in Grand Forks to provide advance warning of weather conditions that may threaten the citizens of the county.  The club also maintains and operates the Beltrami County Emergency Communications Trailer which is deployed as a mobile command and communications center for law enforcement, fire, ambulance, and other emergency and public service responders.

 

United Way has provided essential funding for the purchase and maintenance of the equipment required to operate the Skywarn system and the emergency communications/mobile command trailer.  Although the individual club members donate their time and the use of their own personal ham radio equipment for these public service activities, the support of United Way is vital to meet the high cost of the special equipment needed for the radio link to the National Weather Service and the emergency communications equipment used in the mobile command post. 

 

4545 Cartway Road NW

Bemidji, MN 56601

888-843-5126

Contact: Jon Crisman

jcrisman@paulbunyan.net

http://www.qsl.net/bemidji/

 

Salvation Army

Offers emergency help with basic needs such as food and shelter.

 

2445 Prior Avenue

Roseville, MN  55113

Service Extension Director: Joanne Johnson, 800-456-4483, Joanne.Johnson.lee@usc.slavationarmy.org

NMN Field Representative: Val Stevens, 218-326-4847

Local Contact: Carol Campbell, 218-444-8434, geno@paulbunyan.net

 

Sexual Assault Program

Sexual Violence is any unwanted un-agreed upon sexual conduct.  Sexual Violence takes place when a person does not or cannot give consent and a sexual behavior is imposed on them.  Consent is based on Choice.  Consent is active not passive.  Consent is only possible when there is equal power.  Giving in because of fear is not consent.  If you can’t say “no” comfortably, then “yes” has no meaning. This program provides free and confidential advocacy services for survivors of sexual violence, their family, friends, and communities.  Education and training programs are available to area community groups and professionals free of charge. This program is supported by volunteers, federal, state, United Way of Bemidji Area Fund, and donations.

 

24 Crisis number: 1-800-708-2727

 

1819 Bemidji Ave. Suite #3

PO Box 1472

Bemidji, MN  56619

444-9524

Director: Cassondra Johnson Blackbird, sapbchc@gmail.com

Volunteer Coordinator: Kim Zimmerman, sap_kimzim@hotmail.com
 

Upper Mississippi Mental Health Center

Upper Mississippi Mental Health Center, Inc. is a non-profit community mental health center serving as a resource to people who have a need to gain more control in one or more areas of their lives. Programs offered include adult mental health services, children and family services, chemical and gambling addictions recovery, sexual abuse counseling for victims, families and offenders and family based (or home based) services to families.

 

722 15th Street

PO Box 640

Bemidji, MN 56619

218-751-3280

Executive Director: Manfred Tatzmann

email: manfred_tatzmann@ummhcmn.org

www.ummhcmn.org


 

 

 

 

 

Drug Free Coalition
of North Central Minnesota

Steering Committee Member

Drug Free Workplace Committee Member
-providing training, support services and mentoring to Beltrami County businesses to help them create and implement a drug free workplace. 

Social Marketing Campaign for
Underage Drinking Committee Member
-a comprehensive campaign to offer p

 

Beltrami Area Services Collaborative
Board Member
 

  • Promote healthy development of children, pre-conceptual to age seven.  Support pre-conceptual and prenatal education, parenting skills, prevention and early detection of child abuse and neglect. 
  • Support healthy development of school-aged youth through social and educational achievement and asset building activities. 
  • Support families, schools, and communities in effectively serving youth that are exhibiting emotional, behavioral, and delinquency problems. 

Beltrami Wellness Education for Long Life - Community Wellness Campaign
Committee Member

 
 

Venture Grant Program

The Board of Directors of the United Way of Bemidji Area recently awarded $8,491 to four organizations seeking funding through its United Way Venture Grant program.  The programs/projects selected represent a broad spectrum of community needs in the areas of sexual assault, youth and families.

The Venture Grant program was created to help area nonprofit health and human service organizations develop new and/or expand programs that address unmet needs in our community.  Grants are awarded as one-time projects or new programs within existing agencies or for start-up funds within a new agency.  Venture Grant applications are accepted and reviewed annually.

The following programs and projects will receive United Way Venture Grant funding in 2008:

Arc Headwaters $1000 -
Recreation and Gift Fund
 Arc Headwaters recognizes that many adults with developmental disabilities have extremely limited personal funds and may have no involvement with family members.  The Recreational and Gift Fund project seeks to provide just a small part of what a family would typically provide these individuals.  The project will provide funding for clients to participate in community activities, such as going to the movies, attending plays or concerts, paying for registration fees for special events and camps.  Additionally, with little or no family involvement these individuals receive few gifts, if any, for birthdays and holidays. 
The project will fill the gap.  Volunteers will be utilized to shop for gifts and to deliver them to individuals.

Boys & Girls Club of the Bemidji Area $2491 -
Equipment for Teen Nights at the Club
 In addressing the need to provide Bemidji area teens with a safe, cool, chemical-free place to hang out, the Boys & Girls Club of the Bemidji Area will purchase sound equipment and gaming systems which will be used to attract teens to the Club’s daily activities, teen nights which are held twice a month, as well as large-scale teen events.   The large-scale teen events held throughout the year feature bands, gaming systems and physical fitness activities such as volleyball or dodge ball in the Club’s gymnasium. 

Evergreen House - $2,500 – Bemidji Rock Sober Community Youth Events
Evergreen House is expanding Rock Sober to include community-wide alcohol and drug-free youth events.  The goal is to have safe, sober community events for youth the on the Fourth of July, Halloween and New Year’s Eve, as well as an additional summer youth concert.   These are occasions when youth are especially attempted to celebrate using alcohol and/or drugs.  Rock Sober is a youth-focused sober support and activity group for teens who are dealing with chemical dependency with the goal of being drug free.  The group, facilitated by an adult, will meet twice each week, once for sober support and once for sober activities. 

Sexual Assault Program $2500 - Teens Engaged in Ending Violence Overall (TEEVO)
 The Sexual Assault Program finds that, while most youth are receptive to their message, they are more receptive when
the messages are presented by their peers.  The TEEVO project will help organize and coordinate a group of active teens to create an effective peer education program that the teen group will then present in the schools and local groups with the Bemidji School District.  Some of the TEEVO youth will attend this year’s Teen Leadership Summit and Girls Rock! The Capitol, held in St. Paul.  At this summit, the youth will learn how to organize other youth in their communities, hear about activities and events that youth in other areas of the state have organized, and will spend half of one day meeting their state senators and representatives. 

Venture Grant applications are available throughout the year and are due December 31st of each year, with funding available the following March.   For more information about the Venture Grant process or for an application, please call the United Way office at 444-8929.
 
   
   
   
 
 
©2008 United Way of Bemidji Area