CMREN strives to support the communities where we live, work, and play, through projects related to Substance Use Disorder. To that end, we listen to our partners and seek ways to provide support.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
PROJECTS
BOMBAS SOCK PROJECT
Jonah Foundation, a faith-based non-profit serving in the CMREN counties, provides support to persons recently released from incarceration. One of their needs in Fall 2022, was for socks to provide to the persons they serve.
MiKayla Althoff, BSW Intern, working within CMREN, connected Jonah Foundation with Angels of Action, a non-profit providing services for children and families within Mecosta and Osceola counties. Angels of Action is an authorized Bombas Sock donation site.
MiKayla was able to provide Jonah Foundation with 100 pairs of Bombas Socks, through the generosity of Angels of Action.
ANGELS OF ACTION VOLUNTEER WORK
CMREN STUDENT WORKER COMMUNITY SERVICE
Fall 2022, Dr. Bullard took CMREN students on a site visit to Angels of Action, a non-profit organization in Mecosta County. A CMREN partner, Angels of Action serves children and families in both Mecosta and Osceola Counties. Home to nine programs that work to assist our community in several ways, Angels of Action addresses physical, emotional, and educational needs. The CMREN students decided to support Angels of Action, through volunteering on a regular basis. Currently, Dr. Bullard and one CMREN student, spend one morning each month, serving the community through this volunteer work. It is one way for CMREN to help children and families in need.
BACKPACK DRIVE
CMREN Student Workers heard the need from both Angels of Action and Jonah Foundation for backpacks, used to serve those with whom they work. February 15 - March 2, 2023 students had collection boxes placed in various locations through Mecosta County and on the Ferris State University campus for donations of new and/or gently used backpacks.
This initiative has been supported by others, such as the donation of notepads for Jonah Foundation by the Ferris Print Service Center, and the donation of pens, wristbands, and stress balls by Families Against Narcotics.
In conjunction with education and stigma training, CMREN distributes Deterra and Narcan across the three-county area.
In addition, eleven open access Narcan boxes were donated across the three county area, and 53 emergency access narcan boxes donated to be placed across the Ferris State Campus.
This chart demonstrates work accomplished in the HRSA RCORP-I funding.
Through the current HRSA FORHP funding, we continue to distribute Narcan, and Narcan education across the region, to future healthcare workforce students at FSU, FSU faculty and staff, and in the community upon request. In addition we supply Narcan to Big Rapids Public Library and the Michigan College of Optometry to replenish their open access boxes.