Great Lakes Wire

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is allocating over $8 million to 20 organizations aimed at creating Healthy Community Zones in Chippewa County, Saginaw County, and the City of Detroit. This initiative focuses on implementing community-driven and place-based strategies to mitigate racial disparities in chronic diseases.

"By investing in community-driven solutions, we are empowering local organizations to create environments that support healthier lives," stated Elizabeth Hertel, Director of MDHHS. "Healthy Community Zones will help ensure that all families – regardless of where they live – have greater access to resources that promote well-being and long-term health."

Among the 38 organizations that applied, requests surpassed $15 million. The initiative spans multiple years, with the first funding period lasting 18 months starting in April 2025. Organizations can apply for continued funding after this initial period.

The recipients of these grants include a diverse array of organizations such as A Girl Like Me, Inc., Birth Detroit, Chippewa County Health Department, Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District, Henry Ford Health System, and many others. Each recipient has proposed community-specific strategies to make nutrition, physical activity, and social inclusion more accessible. Examples of these strategies include educational gardening programs, improved childcare facilities that encourage active play, enhancements to the infrastructure of the 10 Cents a Meal program, and multimedia campaigns to support breastfeeding.

Funding for the Healthy Community Zones is provided by the Michigan Racial Disparities Task Force, established under Governor's Executive Order 2020-55.