It looks like another exciting year for the Mat-Su Health Foundation. The board and staff will continue to have strategic discussions about how to make Mat-Su healthier — how to raise the health status of our community. We are asking overall questions like...
How healthy are Mat-Su residents?
What Mat-Su population groups should we be paying attention to right now?
Are the Mat-Su nonprofits that provide health, wellness and safety net programs thriving?
Do Mat-Su nonprofits have the physical infrastructure to meet our booming population demands?
Do Mat-Su communities have the outdoor infrastructure to encourage and support healthy choices?
How is the healthcare delivery system changing in America? How can MSHF participate in the conversations about healthcare to positively impact the health of Mat-Su residents?
So far, these questions have led us to a variety of projects that center on convening community partners and engaging stakeholders and funders. MSHF has commissioned and is conducting a fair amount of research to understand the health of our community. Research initiated to date includes:
Determining what available data is accurate and useful for measuring the health of Mat-Su
A nonprofit sector sustainability assessment of local nonprofits addressing health and wellness
A Healthy Schools Program Inventory at every Mat-Su school
A Mat-Su Regional Plan for the Delivery of Senior Services
A Mat-Su Borough Trails Management Plan
These data sets and planning efforts are giving us a framework for more judicial investment of MSHF resources — from staff time to grant awards like our Healthy Impact and Target Wellness Grant Programs.
We are grateful for our partners in this work. The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Denali Commission, The Foraker Group, Rasmuson Foundation and United Way continue to be key funding partners and mentors on multiple efforts and projects. It's an honor to partner with them.
We are thankful for our local nonprofit boards and staff who serve our communities everyday—making their mission a reality on the ground. We are inspired by their leadership, devotion and how much they do with so little. We look forward to working with them for years to come.
