Fierce Healthcare's Fierce 15 of 2024

Munson Healthcare Pledges $100K To Safe Harbor For Homeless Community Aid

TRAVERSE CITY — Munson Healthcare has pledged $100,000 over the next two years to Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse to aid those experiencing homelessness and support year-round emergency shelter operations.

Safe Harbor provides food and shelter from Oct. 14 to April 14, serving nearly 300 people, resulting in 15,000 overnight stays.

This past fall, Traverse City Commissioners gave the emergency shelter unanimous support to pursue year-round operations during a two-year pilot. The funds being donated by Munson over the next two years, $50,000 in 2025 and $50,000 in 2026, are intended to help in the efforts to meet that goal.

"As a non-profit funded entirely by donations and grants, the generous support of our community and contributions like this from Munson are vital to our mission," Safe Harbor Treasurer Wayne Sterenberg said. "We are grateful for Munson Healthcare's commitment and partnership to build upon the resources available to those experiencing homelessness in our region."

Between this year and last, Munson Healthcare has committed $400,000 to organizations and programs that support the unhoused such as the Street Medicine partnership with Traverse Health Clinic and Goodwill Northern Michigan. On Tuesdays and Fridays, the program's mobile unit provides hundreds of people experiencing homelessness access to healthcare services and other resources wherever they are in the community.

"One of the priorities identified in our most recent Community Health Needs Assessment is the availability of safe and affordable housing," said Ed Ness, Munson Healthcare President and CEO. "Secure housing is a significant social determinant of health and as the largest health system in Northern Michigan, we feel strongly about supporting overall public health and Safe Harbor in this important work."

"This is a community issue, but we think we have an important part of helping the community solve this issue... We're really pleased to be able to make this donation to improve the availability of housing within the Safe Harbor program, to help reduce the burden of the unhoused in our community," Ness told 9&10 News.

Each is one piece of a broad strategy to ensure those experiencing homelessness have access to resources, including:

A far-reaching community collaboration to establish the Grand Traverse Mental Health Crisis and Access Center which opened Jan. 5 and is available to patients of any age, regardless of their ability to pay.

Collaborating with Traverse City's Quick Response Team to provide wraparound services to those experiencing homelessness or in crisis within the community.

Emergency Department coordination with the QRT to make referrals, provide support to secure housing and connect with a primary care provider, if they do not have one. Munson Medical Center also provides more than $1.2 million in free services a year to those experiencing chronic homelessness.

At discharge, Munson implements a Critical Pathway Program to identify patients who have either a medical or non-medical need for support to find placement in a skilled nursing facility or utilize the patient needs fund to pay for a hotel.

"Organizations like Safe Harbor play a vital role in reducing stigma and providing resources to help both the temporarily and chronically unhoused, Munson Healthcare is pleased to collaborate with valued community partners like these to support public health," Ness said.

Safe Harbor Gets $100K From Munson Healthcare For Year-round Shift

TRAVERSE CITY — Safe Harbor, Traverse City's emergency homeless shelter, will get $100,000 from Munson Healthcare to move from seasonal to year-round operation.

The donation, announced Tuesday, is a part of the health system's effort to support the needs of the region's unhoused, according to a press statement.

"One of the priorities identified in our most recent Community Health Needs Assessment is the availability of safe and affordable housing," Ed Ness, Munson Healthcare president and CEO, said. "Secure housing is a significant social determinant of health and as the largest health system in northern Michigan, we feel strongly about supporting overall public health and Safe Harbor in this important work."

Safe Harbor, currently a seasonal shelter open through April 14, serves 300 people and provides 15,000 overnight stays.

Growth in the region's homeless population, as well as safety and sanitation in the Pines encampment, spurred several recent efforts.

In December, Traverse City Commissioners voted to give Safe Harbor $250,000 over two years to extend the season, contributing to an estimated $600,000 need — primarily to increase staffing in the volunteer-run shelter.

Munson's donation — $50,000 in 2025 and $50,000 in 2026 — builds on the resources available to those experiencing homelessness in the region, Safe Harbor Treasurer Wayne Sterenberg said.

"As a nonprofit funded entirely by donations and grants, the generous support of our community and contributions like this from Munson are vital to our mission," Sterenberg said in the release.

Community agencies, including Munson Healthcare, are also collaborating on homelessness diversion, street outreach programs and mental health initiatives.

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