Below is a summary of the Grant Report from the Lutheran Mission Society Compassion Center located in Hyattsville, MD. LIMM provided a $1000 grant to help fund the needs of the center.
LIMM 2015 Grant Report
The receipt of this LIMM $1,000 grant was indeed a blessing to the Community Health Education efforts of Faith Community Nurse Jeanine McGrath as she worked through the Lutheran Mission Society Compassion Center located in Hyattsville, MD identifying and addressing the needs of the community.
Hyattsville is extremely diverse, with people from many countries and cultures all living within a close community. The Compassion Center is physically located within two classrooms on the campus of Redeemer Lutheran Church. Its ministry is a partnership between Redeemer and Trinity Lutheran (Mt. Rainier) and the Lutheran Mission Society.
To date, grant funds have been used for three purchases, each addressing a different educational need.
1. Many clients and visitors to the Center bring along their children. In mid-November 50 nutrition-themed activity books aimed at 7-11 year old children were purchased. The books include games, puzzles and other activities and cover a variety of topics with catchy titles including – “Vita-veggies”, “Protein Punch”, “Nuts about Nutrition”, “Snack Attacks”, “Mighty My Plate”, “Grain Power”, “Dairy Dynamo”, “Nutri-licious”, “Fruit-Frenzy”, and “Good Times with Good Foods”. Jeanine uses these books to start conversations with the children, offering them an educational past time as mom/dad find the things they need at the Center.
2. Clients can receive free food at the Center once a month. Jeanine and I have talked several times about how we can use this opportunity to also educate clients on their food choices. In late November, 200 re-usable grocery bags (totes) were purchased with “Tips for Healthy Eating” printed on each bag. Clients are encouraged to bring their tote with them each time the visit the Center, allowing for conversation between Jeanine and the clients. Each bag is printed with the following healthy hints:
- Avoid oversized portions
- Make half your plate vegetables and fruit
- Make half you grains whole grains
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks
- Reduce foods that are high in added sugar, salt and fats.
3. To provide opportunity for conversation with the many adults visiting the Center (not necessarily clients, who receive the things they need for free), Jeanine was looking for some general health information that addressed common health issues across cultural boundaries. In mid-December, four different tri-fold brochures were purchased (50 each) as well as an attractive brochure display to use on the front counter of the Center. The brochures are titled:
- Sugar Shockers – eat and drink less sugar
- Managing Diabetes and My Plate
- Food Safety – Tips to handle and prepare food with care (for older adults)
- Physical Activity – Discover activities that you enjoy and get moving
Jeanine is in conversation with Pastor Eric Linthicum (Redeemer Lutheran) and Pastor Peter Schiebel (Trinity, Mt Rainier) as well as the faith community nurse organization through Holy Cross Hospital (Silver Spring) to offer an “Aging in Place” workshop for the Hyattsville community to be held at Redeemer in 2016. It is anticipated that the remainder of the grant will be used to help fund this event.
Below are two photos of Jeanine at the center
