Mercy Foundation’s Healthy Kids Outreach Program Receives Cow Creek Foundation Grant

The Healthy Kids Outreach Program (HKOP) of CHI Mercy Medical Center, Roseburg, OR, received a grant of $5,000 from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation. The grant will be used to support HKOP staff, who provide health assessments, care coordination and health education – including dental care, nutrition and violence prevention education – to students throughout the county.

“Nutrition education is a key component of the HKOP program,” said Trina Gwaltney, HKOP program manager. “This funding will allow our team to continue delivering best-practice curriculum and hands-on lessons on nutrition and physical activity.”

Last year, more than 2,200 students in 100 classrooms received nutrition education from HKOP. Health education classes are conducted in 10-week block lessons. Depending on the grade level, there are one or two 10 week blocks.

Gwaltney said the grant will also help support HKOP’s dental programs. “Dental care assessment clinics are offered twice a year to K-12 students,” she said. “Students with urgent dental needs are offered assistance so they can receive immediate care from a dental provider. Our interactive Dental Learning Labs provide hands-on oral health education. Evidence shows that good nutrition and good dental hygiene early on reinforces healthier lifestyles among adults.”