Age-Friendly grants recently announced by the state of Minnesota will benefit residents of the rural Northland.
Age-Friendly Minnesota is a statewide initiative aimed at making communities more supportive, inclusive and liveable for people of all ages.
The state Department of Human Services announced $1.3 million in grants in late May that will be spread across 35 cities, nonprofits and businesses. Eleven grant projects ranging from senior center repairs to housing plans to community events will be organized by Northern Minnesota organizations, totaling $374,000.
“These grants are a concrete example of supporting Age Friendly Minnesota priorities,” said Age-Friendly Council Chair Sherrie Pugh in a news release. “These projects will help support aging in place, improve community design and foster health, well-being and other ways to improve aging.”
The largest grantees are the Hallock Area Senior Center, Headwaters Regional Development Commission and Central Lakes College.
Northern Minnesota grantees are:
- Central Lakes College, Brainerd, $52,000, 55+ listening sessions for prospective and current students and chatty hour
- ElderCircle, Grand Rapids, $29,000, planning a medical and essential ride transportation program for rural Itasca County
- Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Cloquet, $12,000, high tunnel and accessible raised garden beds for the Brookston community
- Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, St. Paul, $41,000, events for rural LGBTQ+ older adults in Beltrami, Itasca and St. Louis counties
- St. Louis County, Duluth, $13,000, emergency preparedness and response for aging populations
- Advance Thief River, Thief River Falls, $28,000, creating a housing plan (informed by focus groups and community forums) for 55+ residents, addressing health, accessibility and social needs
- Bemidji Senior Center, Bemidji, $22,000, building and program improvements, including replacing the multipurpose room floor and member surveys
- Brink Senior Center, Baudette, $25,000, updating the intergenerational space, including a new dishwasher, digital sign and public-access computer
- City of Roseau, $18,000, purchasing equipment to maintain snowshoe and cross-country ski trails
- Hallock Area Senior Center, Hallock, $75,000, obtaining an accessible vehicle, improving the current transportation system and stregthening the community volunteer driver program
- Headwaters Regional Development Commission, Bemidji, $59,000, creating a regional housing plan with extensive community involvement
