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Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Grant Recipients Announced

Feb 13, 2025

Eight organizations across North Dakota have received grants from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) Caring Foundation Building Healthier Rural Community (BUILD) Grants Program. This program aims to transform the health and well-being of rural North Dakotans and address the social determinants of health affecting its communities.

Recipients

The eight grant recipients are:

  • Altru Health Foundation – Devils Lake, $6,500, to integrate the advanced Crit-Line monitoring system, enabling precise fluid management and real-time adjustments for improved safety and outcomes for patients.
  • CHI St. Alexius Health – Dickinson, $7,500, to implement Care Kits to decrease barriers to care for patients, in turn focusing on the health of the patient population and community.
  • West River Health Services Foundation – Hettinger, $5,000, to renovate the obstetrics wing of WRHS.
  • Jamestown Regional Medical Center – Jamestown, $7,500, to add a lactation pod at Two Rivers Activity Center.
  • Emmons County Public Health – Linton, $2,000, to provide Emmons County's rural schools with healthcare education, screenings, safety education, and support services, as well as establish a supply of hygiene products for students to discreetly obtain if they are unable to afford them.
  • Peer Vision for Mental Health – Minot, $7,495, to develop veteran peer support for rural veteran mental health, with a goal to reduce rural veteran suicide rates in the north central region of North Dakota.
  • Heart of America Medical Center – Rugby, $4,600, to increase community engagement in physical activity, improve health outcomes, and reduce the effects of sedentary lifestyles.
  • Northland Health Centers – Turtle Lake, $4,000, to provide essential resources – such as food, clothing, hygiene supplies, and school supplies – to students and their families facing hardships.

The BCBSND Caring Foundation BUILD grants are housed within the Center for Rural Health (CRH), at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences. This is the 20th year these grants have been given to rural communities through CRH.

Holly Long

"We are honored to be able to award these organizations with BUILD grants," said Holly Long, project coordinator at CRH. "These awards will help provide resources for patients, education and screenings, behavioral health assistance, along with other needed areas, that can support healthcare in rural communities across the state. These organizations are on the front lines of providing care in rural North Dakota, and we are proud to partner with them to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and families."

About the BCBSND Caring Foundation

The BCBSND Caring Foundation aims to support projects that reflect the foundation's mission by identifying statewide needs and providing funding through grants and initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles for North Dakota residents. The BUILD grant targets the following primary focus areas:

  • Economic stability
  • Education access and quality
  • Healthcare access and quality
  • Neighborhood and built environment
  • Social and community context