News

Any form of post-secondary education can be challenging, and it can be extra challenging to return to school as a non-traditional student where, sometimes, the stakes are higher, available free time is less, and the cost of that education can be a barrier.  Because of generous donors, Forward Health Foundation is able to offer healthcare career scholarships to employees of Essentia Health - Deer River & Grand Rapids, looking to advance their skills, enhance their knowledge and further their career.  We are thankful for the opportunity to give back to our community by helping ease the financial burden of returning

What an unprecedented couple of years this has been!  The only constant we have been able to count on - is change.  That change has been rapid, on-going, and it sometimes seems out of our control.  Many of us are just trying to catch our tails in our day-to-day lives all the while working to endure this pandemic.  There have been many individuals, businesses and industries that have had to alter their delivery of resources, goods and/or services to meet the ever-changing needs of their communities - often based upon declared instruction, and with little notice.  One of those industries

After a couple of postponements due to COVID, September finally brought “Cracked, Not Broken, The Kevin Hines Story” to Itasca County.  In collaboration with NAMI and partnering agencies, the Forward Health Foundation aided in sponsoring this event to bring awareness of suicide prevention to over 1600 of our youth and community members.  Kevin shared his incredible and miraculous story of survival following a suicide attempt from the Golden Gate Bridge with 9-12 grade students at Deer River High School.  With resounding effects, Deer River youth Jacelyn Carstensen offers this feedback, “I struggle with depression. Kevin’s deep words made me break

Kaija Helmbrecht with ISD #317 recently submitted a grant request for the purchase of an adapted tricycle for use in the King Elementary DCD class.  Now students of all physical abilities can ride the tricycle to more actively engage in physical activity with their peers!  For some of them, this is the first experience they’ve been able to have with riding a bicycle/tricycle and their smiles speak for themselves.  Kaija offers, “This tricycle offers our differently abled students the opportunity to engage in a childhood activity and the joy it brings is beyond measure.  Not to mention, that they/we are

Cornerstone Employee Giving Fund Updates ED Waiting Room Thanks to the generosity of employees at Essentia Health, plans are underway to update the Emergency Department (ED) waiting room. The Cornerstone Fund is supported solely by donations of Essentia Health Employees. Its mission is to enhance patient and resident care and support providers and staff in their work. The waiting room update will be complete just as Essentia begins to welcome visitors to the facility again with loosening Covid restrictions. Foundation Director Leah Oslin shares, "The updated waiting room will provide a comfortable and welcoming space for patient's families, which is