Stillwater: The Stillwater Area Foundation has made three recent grants to local programs, ranging from strengthening chemical health programs to water quality.
Canvas Health, an Oakdale nonprofit that helps children, adolescents, adults and families who struggle with mental health, chemical health, and domestic and sexual abuse, received $2,100 to train staff in Enhanced Illness Management and Recovery, to build on their delivery of evidence based services to a dual disorders population, which is the integration of care for people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders. This new approach helps practitioners and the individuals they serve identify the interaction between substance abuse and mental illness.
The Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization, which protects and preserves groundwater storage and retention in middle Washington County, received a grant of $4,200 to launch an “adopt-a-rain-garden” program to assist in the maintenance of Stillwater’s 100-plus rain gardens.
Stillwater Area High School received a grant of $5,000 to purchase equipment for highachieving high school students to conduct water quality testing on Brown’s Creek as students learn about local water quality issues.
The Stillwater Area Foundation was established in 2010 by Stillwater area leaders to help improve the quality of life for all who live, work and play in the greater Stillwater area. It is an affiliated foundation of the St. Croix Valley Foundation.
The Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization received a grant for its “Adopt a Raingarden” program. Shown receiving the grant: Angie Hong, East Metro Water Resources Education Program; Mike Isensee, Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization; Doug Menikheim, City of Stillwater and MSCWMO Board Member; Del Peterson, Lily Lake Association and Louise Watson, Sustainable Stillwater, along with Stillwater Area Foundation board members Miriam Simmons, Mary Richie, Maria Reamer and Joni Polehna.
Stillwater Area High School received a grant to purchase equipment for its Brown’s Creek water quality testing program. Shown are SAHS student Max Vogel, teacher Andrew Weaver and Stillwater Area Foundation board member Kevin Bjork.
Canvas Health received a grant supporting its Enhanced Illness Management and Recovery program. Sheri Vrieze, Manager, Chemical Health Services (center), accepted the award from board members Bob Gray, Miriam Simmons, Shannon Enright and Maria Reamer.