NEW ULM – South Country Health Alliance (SCHA) will be distributing $2.16 million in grants to organizations in participating counties, including Brown County.

It was announced New Ulm Ministerial Association Haus (NUMAS) will be receiving $250,000 and Heart of New Ulm will receive $4,500.

South Country Health Alliance is a county-based purchasing health plan owned by eight Minnesota counties — Brown, Dodge, Goodhue, Kanabec, Sibley, Steele, Wabasha and Waseca — in a joint effort to support accessible, quality health care through partnerships with community services and local health care providers for Minnesota Health Care Program enrollees.

“We give out grants when we are able to out of revenue left over at the end of the year,” South Country communication manager Chris Gartner said. “We had a surplus this year.”

The grants are for initiatives that will benefit South Country members and other community members and help address the challenges and health disparities of living in rural Minnesota.

Of the 15 health organizations receiving grants, the largest grants of $250,000 were given to NUMAS Haus, Sibley County Food Share and Hope and Harbor of Goodhue County.

Gartner said when South Country’s were reviewing how to distribute the $2.16 million the committee gave special attention to organization working with the homeless.

NUMAS Haus has operated as homeless shelter since 2016. NUMAS runs a 90-day program, which connects families to education, resources, employment, mental health services and housing within the community. After a 90-day stay, NUMAS Haus remains in contact with guests for two years to offer additional support if needed. NUMAS Haus has managed a 70% success rate, with most guests able to complete the program and live on their own.

Gartner said the work NUMAS has done with assisting the homeless made it a top priority for receiving grants this cycle.

Heart of New Ulm (HONU) also received a $4,500 grant from South Country. HONU is a volunteer organization that works to develop programs and long-term policies to create a culture of wellness in New Ulm and Brown County. The program initial began in 2009 by the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation and New Ulm Medical Center as a 10-year project to reduce heart attacks. In 2020, the project continued as a community-owned health initiative focusing on healthy lifestyles, mental health and addiction.

South Country grant funds will be provided to the recipients the beginning of 2025. These grants will bring South Country’s community reinvestment funding to over $24 million since its inception.

“Reinvesting in the communities in our service area has been hallmark and a goal since we started,”

South Country’s CEO Leota Lind said. “We are proud to support these organizations, which help so many people.”

The full list of grant recipients includes:

NUMAS Haus of Brown County, $250,000

Sibley County FoodShare of Sibley County,$250,000

Hope and Harbor of Goodhue County, $250,000

Hispanic Outreach of Goodhue and Wabasha counties $208,021

CARE Clinic of Goodhue and Wabasha Counties, $200,000

HealthFinders Collaborative for Dodge, Steele and Waseca Counties, $174,000

Elder Network of Dodge County, $165,000

Rachel’s Light for Dodge, Steele and Waseca Counties, $160,000

Let’s Smile for Steele and Waseca Counties, $130,000

National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Minnesota for all counties, $129,771

Community Pathways of Steel, Dodge, Steele and Waseca Counties, $75,000

Oak Hill Community Connections of Dodge, Steele and Waseca Counties, $75,000

Blooming Prairie Parks of Steele County, $50,000

Wabasha Area Food Share of Wabasha County, $38,708

Heart of New Ulm of Brown County $4,500