Midterm Training

Feb. 15-17, 2023

During February 15-17th, 2023, AmeriCorps members from Marshfield Clinic Health System’s Community Corps and Recovery Corps programs gathered at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells for their first in person, group gathering in nearly three years. This Midterm Training was intended to bring members together to promote networking, professional development, and to rejuvenate members as they continue towards completion of a successful term of service.

A variety of speakers were invited to share their expertise on topics such as non-apparent disability and identity, mental health, self-care, and trauma informed care. Members were also offered the opportunity to take a DiSC personal skills assessment and have a professional headshot photo taken. Additionally, four program alumni shared with current members their experience as a member and the transition into life after AmeriCorps. Lastly, attendees came together to complete several service projects which included painting kindness rocks, making cards for nursing homes, and writing letters to veterans. Overall, it was a successful event that resulted in members and program staff alike feeling more connected with each other, excited for the remainder of the term, and grateful for the time together in person.

2022 Outstanding Partner in Community Health Awards

Jan. 20, 2023

MARSHFIELD – Marshfield Clinic Health System announced the recipients of its 2022 Outstanding Partner in Community Health Awards. These organizations and individuals have a history of working closely with the System's Center for Community Health Advancement to address the most pressing community health needs throughout the System's service area.

​“Without the direct involvement from these key partners, our work would not be as effective," said Jay Shrader, vice president of community health for the Health System. “It is the nature of community health that work is done collaboratively with members of the community. We are so fortunate for the hundreds of community partners we work with on a regular basis and wish we could acknowledge each and every one of them. These awardees exemplify the highest level of partnership and achievement of the most significant outcomes, and this is one way we can acknowledge and thank them for their commitment to improving the health of our communities."

The Center for Community Health Advancement (CCHA) is a team of health educators, community health experts and volunteers at Marshfield Clinic Health System that works with community based organizations across Wisconsin to address specific health needs of the communities we serve. We do this by continuously assessing our communities' needs, identifying gaps, developing and implementing evidence based or promising practice programs, and evaluating the effectiveness of those interventions.

Because of these partners and partnerships, the Center has been able to increase the capacity of community based organizations, connect patients with needed community services, advance substance use prevention and recovery efforts, support youth mental health, train Community Health Workers, and much more.

2022 Outstanding Partners in Community Health:

• Serve Wisconsin
• University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health - Wisconsin Partnership Program
• Milwaukee Area Health Education Center
• Marshfield Medical Center-Ladysmith
• Eric P. Hartwig, Ph.D., b.e.s.t. ® (Behavioral Emotional Social Traits)
• Sarah Turner, Barron County Department of Health & Human Services
• Boys & Girls Club of Portage County

View the original article here.

Serve Wisconsin (left) and Milwaukee Area Health Education Center (right) are two partners of MCHS AmeriCorps that are crucial to our programs success. We couldn't do it without them and are grateful for their continued partnership and support of Community and Recovery Corps.

AmeriCorps Members Lead MLK Day Projects Across Wisconsin

Jan. 16, 2023

Since 1983, every third Monday in January is designated as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan, it honors the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. King, assassinated in 1968. AmeriCorps members nationwide take the lead on honoring the day through community-building projects, large and small. Here is a sampling of just three of many projects completed on or near January 16, 2023 by MCHS AmeriCorps members this year:

	Sarah Webb, serving at Volunteer Center of Racine County, held a Youth Mental Health Awareness Event for 11-18 year olds in Racine. Twenty participating youth learned from speakers about different mental illnesses, warning signs of suicide, the LBGTQIA+ community and how hiding the real you affects mental health, and ways to de-stress for less anxiety. Community support for this to be an annual event was outstanding.
	Jenifer McKenzie, serving at NAMI of Manitowoc County, organized a food drive targeting local businesses to benefit the Salvation Army of Manitowoc County. She chose this project because good nutrition is key to mental wellness. 700 pounds of food was donated which kept many tummies full and minds sharp this winter.
	Tim Hirsch, serving at Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire, spent the day transcribing hand-written documents from the short-lived Freedmen’s Bureau founded near the end of the Civil War by Abraham Lincoln. The Bureau supplied formerly enslaved and other impoverished individuals in southern states with food and clothing, hospital care, temporary living camps, and witnessed labor contracts between freedmen and plantation owners or other employers. With Tim’s help, many more records became part of our nation’s history through the Smithsonian’s Digital Volunteers Transcription Center.

Visit https://www.americorps.gov/newsroom/events/mlk-day to learn more about MLK Day. Then let these projects inspire you to get involved next year on Monday, January 15, 2024!