EAGAN, Minn. — The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation recently awarded $400,000 in grant funding for nonprofit organizations to support birth equity including the Northwest Indian Community Development Center of Bemidji.
NWICDC's $100,000 grant will support Indigenous families in northwest and north-central Minnesota who participate in its Maskawizi Wayeshkad program.
"Maskawizi Wayeshkad is designed for, by, and with American Indian families, and emphasizes early prenatal care, cultural teachings, normalization of breastfeeding, data collection and finding opportunities to build a better support network of ongoing care for families with infants," a release said.
Program staff and participants co-create individualized health plans that include home visits and education about pregnancy, effective parenting strategies, and overcoming individual and environmental stressors, the release added.
The grants are part of the Foundation's Equitable Care and Coverage program which seeks to increase healthcare coverage across Minnesota, support community solutions to accessing equitable care and increase awareness about communities most impacted by a lack of healthcare access.
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The full list of grant recipients can be found at bluecrossmnfoundation.org.
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