Blog | Miller Dwan Foundation » General

Year-end giving makes a difference

jcarlson — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:05:10 +0000

While the end of 2011 is drawing near, it is not too late to include the Miller-Dwan Foundation in your year-end gift planning. The healthcare needs of children and families throughout our region continue to grow, and your gift will help to meet those needs. Your 100% tax-deductible gift designated to Amberwing – Center for Youth and Family Well-Being, Solvay Hospice House or one of the Foundation’s other designated funds will make a world of difference to your friends, families and neighbors who are striving for better health. Visit the Ways to Give page on our website today.

Giving makes the holidays brighter

jcarlson — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:20:55 +0000

As the holidays draw near, many people take the time to reflect on what is important in their lives. Family and good health are often on the top of the list. The holidays also bring many opportunities for people to share and support the causes that matter to them. This year, consider making a charitable gift to Miller-Dwan Foundation. Your gift will be put to good work, improving healthcare for patients and families throughout our region. No matter what healthcare area you choose to support, your gift will make a difference.

Looking for a great gift idea? You can also make your gift in honor or memory of a loved one. Click here to learn more.

Happy holidays from your friends at the Miller-Dwan Foundation!

2010 grant support

jcarlson — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The Miller-Dwan Foundation supports the historical specialty areas of the Miller-Dwan Medical Center and Polinsky Medical Rehabilitation Center both internally and in the community. Our areas of interest are:

Cancer Treatment/Radiation Oncology Services
Burn Care
Mental Health Services
Adolescent Chemical Dependency Services
Physical Rehabilitation and the Needs of People with Disabilities
Specialty Surgical Services

The following grants were awarded in 2010:

Miller-Dwan Foundation Unrestricted Fund

$20,000 to the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project to fund an initiative to strengthen and build the resilience of mothers and children harmed by domestic violence.

$ 3,250 to the Erick Peter Person Children’s Cancer Center to fund a remembrance gathering and bereavement workshop for families who have lost a child to cancer.

$ 3,590 to the Lake Superior Medical Society Alliance for the 2011 Health Fair. This annual fair helps establish values that will influence the future lifestyle choices of elementary students throughout Duluth and the surrounding area.

$21,000 to Life House to provide immediate and comprehensive mental health services to at-risk, homeless youth.

$20,000 to fund an ongoing series to educate community members about the mental health issues facing children and families.

$15,000 to the Minnesota Crisis Intervention Team Officer’s Association to provide training that gives police officers the tools necessary to interact with people in mental health crisis.

$ 15,000 to the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA) to continue and expand a therapeutic program for adolescent survivors of sexual violence.

$ 5,000 to the Union Gospel Mission to support efforts to provide basic needs to those suffering from mental illness.

$ 3,800 to the University of Minnesota Duluth Health Services Department to host internationally renowned author and speaker, Jenni Schaefer, who spoke on eating disorders to a group of 350 students and community members in January 2011.

$13,796 to the University of Minnesota Duluth Psychology Department to fund a research study in coordination with Essentia Behavioral Health to identify the best strategies for parent involvement in the mental health treatment of children.

Van Gorden Fund of the Miller-Dwan Foundation focusing on physical rehabilitation

$ 15,000 to Arc Northland to provide fetal alcohol prevention and intervention training to students, as well as social workers, teachers, residential providers, parents, law enforcement and health care professionals in Northwestern Wisconsin.

$ 8,000 to Courage Duluth to provide instructional mono-skiing opportunities for people with spinal cord injuries and other lower extremity disabilities.

$ 8,445 to Essentia Health Therapy Services to purchase biofeeback equipment and train staff to help patients learn mind/body self-regulation as a component of their healing.

$ 3,000 to Essentia Health Therapy Services to train staff in the Mulligan Concept, a technique that utilizes pain-free manual joint reposition to restore function and eliminate pain.

$ 14,505 to Essentia Health Therapy Services for the purchase of six sets of specialty tools to expand rehabilitation services by helping treat soft tissue fibrosis and chronic inflammation.

$ 2,652 to Essentia Health – St. Mary’s Superior to provide a one-day workshop for therapy and behavioral health staff that will expand the knowledge of emotion and behavior following acquired brain injuries.

$ 3,000 to the Minnesota Ballet to fund the “Creative Dance” program for children with physical challenges.

$ 9,500 to Essentia Health Polinsky Rehabilitation Center to purchase the Experia System used to treat patients who have difficulty or are unable to swallow.

$ 3,000 to the Think First Collaborative to provide outreach education to students of all ages that will help prevent brain and spinal cord injuries.

$ 4,760 to the Wheels on Trails Organization for the Expanding Outdoor Horizons for People with Disabilities program, which enables people with disabilities to enjoy quality outdoor experiences.

Women Leading Change – Strong Foundations: Promoting Early Childhood Mental Health

jcarlson — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:05:59 +0000

The Miller-Dwan Foundation and Lake Superior Medical Society Alliance present Casey Ladd, who will speak to parents, professionals and the community on the subject of early childhood mental health.

Early relationships and experiences have a permanent effect on brain development, health and mental health. The nurturing and interaction infants, toddlers and young children experience organize the brain and provide the foundation for all future learning and relationships. This presentation will provide an understanding of what infant/toddler mental well-being is and give information about early intervention services that may be beneficial to families.

Casey Ladd, MSW, LICSW, LMFT, is a family therapist with 35 years of experience working with chronically stressed families. She also has 25 years experience of teaching and training. In 2005 Casey was invited to participate in a DHS sponsored initiative to grow a statewide community of mental health professionals skilled and trained to work with infants/toddlers/preschoolers and their families. In 2008 she brought her passion for early intervention to the Human Development Center. She is dedicated to training professionals and developing programs in the Twin Ports to increase quality mental health services to some of our community’s most vulnerable families.

This event will be held on Thursday, March 24 at the Radisson Hotel’s Great Hall. $18 includes a light dinner. Pre-payment is required by March 21. Click here to register or call 218-786-5829. Space is limited.

We hope you’ll join us!

Majority of youth with mental disorders may not be receiving sufficient services

jcarlson — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:38:51 +0000

An article on the National Institute of Mental Health’s website discusses how a substantial proportion of youth with severe mental disorders do not receive mental health care, according to data from an NIMH-funded survey published in the January 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The national survey talked face-to-face with over 10,000 teens ages 13-18.

The results of the study found that of the 20 percent of youth affected with a severe mental disorder, about 36 percent received services, and only half of these youth received professional mental health treatment.

Service use was highest among those with ADHD (60 percent), and behavior disorders like conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder (45 percent). Among those with mood disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder, 38 percent received services, and 18 percent of those with an anxiety disorder received services. In addition, 15 percent of those with a substance use disorder received services, and 13 percent of those with an eating disorder received services.

The researchers concluded that more efforts are needed to increase access to services. Despite recent programs designed to improve mental health services for youth, many children in need of mental health care still do not receive it.

To read the full article, go to: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2011/majority-of-youth-with-mental-disorders-may-not-be-receiving-sufficient-services.shtml

Women Leading Change – Goodbye Ed, Hello Me: Recover from Your Eating Disorder and Fall in Love with Life

jcarlson — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 17:09:37 +0000

The Miller-Dwan Foundation, UMD Health Services, and The Emily Program are presenting internationally renowned author and speaker, Jenni Schaefer, who will speak on eating disorders, body image issues and her personal story of hope and recovery.

Almost everyone worries about their weight occasionally. People with eating disorders take such concerns to extremes. Internationally renowned author and speaker, Jenni Schaefer, will speak on eating disorders, body image issues and her personal story of hope and recovery.

This presentation will offer inspiration and proof that those who are struggling with eating disorders – and their families – can recover and move on to live life to the fullest. “It is possible to move from being in recovery to being fully recovered,” says Schaefer. “I want people struggling to get into life and follow their dreams, not be stuck in or defined by an eating disorder.”

Schaefer is an internationally known author and speaker whose work has helped change the face of recovery from eating disorders. Her appearances on shows like Dr. Phil and Entertainment Tonight, in publications ranging from Cosmopolitan to The New York Times, and before live audiences have brought a world of hope to men and women seeking real solutions.

Admission is FREE and open to the public. Event will be held at the UMD Chemistry Building, room 200 (1039 University Drive). Meet and mingle at 6:30 p.m.; Schaefer will speak at 7:00 pm. For more information, call Dori at 726-7046 or email ddecker@d.umn.edu.

We hope you’ll join us. See you there!

Estate planning is a women’s issue

jcarlson — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:24:30 +0000

Forbes.com recently published an article that discusses the importance of estate planning for women. The website reports that, while important to both sexes, estate planning often affects women more profoundly. Women live longer on average and tend to marry older spouses, making them three times as likely as men to be widowed at 65. So for women, estate planning is a crucial part of retirement planning. And since they usually survive their spouses, women more often have the last word about how much wealth goes to family, charity or the taxman.

The article goes on to share nine things women should know about estate planning. They are:
1) Caring for yourself is No. 1
2) Everyone has an estate
3) A will and living trust aren’t the same
4) Trusts aren’t only for the rich
5) Spouses get special tax breaks
6) Tax planning for widows is harder
7) Don’t own your insurance
8) Beneficiary forms are key
9) Cash is crucial

To read the full article, go to http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/22/estate-planning-retirement-tax-personal-finance-what-women-should-know_slide.html

Women Leading Change – Bullying: Starting the Conversation

jcarlson — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:37:13 +0000

The Miller-Dwan Foundation, Men as Peacemakers, and Spirit Valley Media are presenting the first Women Leading Change event of 2011. Professor and author, Dr. Walter Roberts, will speak on bullying prevention, school safety and mental health; and Bullying: Starting the Conversation, a film by Spirit Valley Media, will be presented.

This event will be held on Thursday, January 20 at the Radisson Hotel’s Great Hall. $18 includes dinner. Registration is required by January 17. Click here to register or call 218-786-5829. Space is limited.

About the speaker: Dr. Walter B. Roberts Jr., is a professor of counselor education at Minnesota State University, Mankato and author of Bullying from Both Sides and Working with Parents of Bullies and Victims. He is a national speaker and trusted media source on the subject and has spent more than 25 years working with those who bully, their victims, the parents of both, school personnel and concerned communities. Books will be available for purchase at the event.

About the video: “Bullying: Starting the Conversation” is an emotionally-charged documentary that clearly demonstrates the scope and consequences of bullying in schools. Presented from the kids’ point of view, it is used as a tool to help adults more easily see bullying in all its forms. The faces and stories presented are real, the experiences genuine and the pain profound.

We hope you’ll join us. Register now!

3rd grant round awards $61,507 to local organizations

jcarlson — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:06:01 +0000

The Miller-Dwan Foundation approved $61,507 in grants at its November 2010 Board of Directors meeting. Grants were given to the following organizations:

$21,000 to Life House to provide immediate and comprehensive mental health services to at-risk, homeless youth.

$3,590 to Lake Superior Medical Society Alliance for the 2011 Health Fair. This annual fair helps establish values that will influence the future lifestyle choices of elementary students throughout Duluth and the surrounding area.

$4,760 to the Wheels on Trails Organization for the Expanding Outdoor Horizons for People with Disabilities program. Funds will allow Wheels on Trails to organize four events that will enable people with disabilities to enjoy quality outdoor experiences: National Trail Day, Great American Backyard Campout, the Mesabi wheeled vehicles long-distance Tour Ride on the Iron Range, and a Munger Trail Ride.

$15,000 to Arc Northland to provide fetal alcohol prevention and intervention training to middle/high school and college students, as well as to social workers, teachers, residential providers, parents, law enforcement and health care professionals from Douglas, Burnett, Washburn, Bayfield and Ashland Counties in Northwestern Wisconsin.

$14,505 to Essentia Health Therapy Services for the purchase of six sets of specialty tools to expand rehabilitation services by helping treat soft tissue fibrosis and chronic inflammation.

$2,652 to Essentia Health – St. Mary’s Superior to provide a one-day workshop for 60 physical, occupational and recreational therapists, speech/language pathologists, and psychologists that will expand knowledge of emotion and behavior following acquired brain injuries.

Calling all grocery shoppers

jcarlson — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:52:07 +0000

To celebrate National Hospice Month this November, Super One Foods and the Miller-Dwan Foundation are launching the third annual “Cup of Care” campaign. From November 12 through December 15, many Super One stores in our region (see list below) will be selling $1 paper house ornaments for customers to purchase and bring home with their groceries. Over the past two years, the Cup of Care campaign has raised more than $17,500. All proceeds benefit the Solvay Hospice House, which has been in full operation now for three years. Since its opening, more than 500 local patients have experienced dignity, comfort and peace provided by compassionate caregivers at Solvay.

“I cannot express how thoroughly grateful I was to have my mother [at Solvay],” said Duluth resident Jane Stauber earlier this month. “Not once did my entire family feel like we were anything other than the staff’s primary concern. We felt honored to be part of this facility. [Solvay] allowed us to grieve in peace and let my mother pass with dignity, warmth and compassionate care.”

This holiday season, visit Super One and purchase one or more paper house ornaments, and make a difference in the lives of local hospice patients that will call Solvay Hospice House home. Look for our display near the check-out area!

List of participating Super One Foods locations:
Duluth: Kenwood, Lakeside, Miller Hill Mall, Plaza, West Duluth
Superior: Belknap, East 5th, Oakes
Cloquet
Two Harbors
Hibbing