2015 CF Annual Report

COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS
COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN
Ensuring our community’s health
It is projected that Wisconsin will experience a shortage of 2,000 physicians by the year 2030, with
the greatest need to be in central and northern Wisconsin. To generate a greater pool of doctors for
our area, the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is establishing a central Wisconsin campus in Wausau.
The inaugural class will begin courses in July of 2016.
The college is a prime example of a community in action, involving key collaborations with academic and
clinical partners throughout the region, including Aspirus, Ministry Health Care, Northcentral Technical
College, UW-Marathon County, UW-Marshfield/Wood County, and UW-Stevens Point.
A $50,000 Community Enhancement Grant from the Community Foundation’s Wausau•Marathon County
Fund is being used to hire faculty, establish curriculum, and acquire the necessary technology. “Continued
access to high-quality, local healthcare is paramount to the vibrancy and livability of the communities we
serve,” stated Mary Nell Reif, chair of the Foundation’s Distributions Committee. “This grant will positively
impact the lives of all who live here, today and for generations to come.”
Study here, stay here
Dr. Lisa Dodson, Dean of MCW-Central Wisconsin, said college administrators are being intentional about
providing an education that forms a bond between students and the community. “I am very excited about
the ‘scholarly pathway’ component of our curriculum, which involves local nonprofit leaders educating
students about community engagement. That is very unique for a medical college, and should positively
impact retention,” she explained. Also unique is a three-year curriculum, which will get potential physicians
ready for their residencies and out in the community establishing their practices one year earlier than a
four-year program.
COMMUNITY CORNER CLUBHOUSE
Empowering members to reach their full potential
Community Corner Clubhouse is a nonprofit program of North
Central Health Care that helps adults with chronic mental illness
and substance abuse. Based on an international model, it strives to
provide vocational, educational, employment, and housing assistance
in a welcoming atmosphere that fosters relationships and personal
growth. “In addition to our services, we’re very much about offering
hope,” stated Clubhouse Director Michelle Hazuka. “The first time
people come here, they usually have nowhere else to turn. Being
here, having a cup of coffee and talking with another member
normalizes their situation and prepares them to tackle whatever
issues they are dealing with. We’re a real community here.”
A space for every function
Since 1996, the program had operated from a split-level home near
downtown Wausau. Stairs, a lack of space and parking, and an increased need for program services
left the Clubhouse in need of a larger, more suitable site. In May of 2015, the Clubhouse relocated to
a former bookstore at 811 N Third Avenue. The organization utilized Community Enhancement Grants
totaling $21,400 to renovate the 7,000-square-foot space to meet the needs of its 500 members. The
new facility has ample parking, is wheelchair accessible, and includes dedicated areas where members
can use computers, search for a job, and meet with staff to collaborate on the day-to-day operations
of the Clubhouse. It also includes a commercial kitchen where 30 lunches a day are served, a café for
socializing, and a wellness center.
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Other strategies for retention include recruiting Wisconsin students, providing the entire course of study—
undergraduate, medical school and residency—in the greater Wausau area, and hiring local physicians as
faculty who will host students at their practices. The result will be graduates who are deeply committed
to the health and welfare of the community, more healthcare options for area residents, and better
patient outcomes.
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Community Corner
Clubhouse Director
Michelle Hazuka, pictured
center in the photo above,
was excited to open the
doors to their newly
renovated facility in May
of 2015.
“The Community Foundation has been essential to our program,” Michelle stressed. “It not only
provided funding for the renovation, but Community Foundation staff continues to provide guidance and
encouragement for our continued growth. Another great benefit is that the Foundation’s involvement
lends credibility to our program, which helps donors feel comfortable supporting us.”
Students will receive a community-based medical education
and residency training right here in central Wisconsin beginning
in July of 2016 through the newly opened Medical College of
Wisconsin Central Wisconsin campus.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN
cfoncw.org