Spectrum Health Foundation receives $30,000 anti-tobacco grant

Grand Rapids Community Foundation funds tobacco prevention program

Spectrum Health Foundation receives $30,000 anti-tobacco grant
Grand Rapids Community Foundation funds tobacco prevention program

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Aug. 22, 2016 – The Spectrum Health Foundation has received a $30,000 grant from Grand Rapids Community Foundation for continuation of the Spectrum Health Healthier Communities Youth Tobacco Prevention program. This grant continues the all-important work of equipping Grant Rapids’ youth with the knowledge and skills needed to avoid tobacco experimentation and addiction.

The Youth Tobacco Prevention program provides positive, school-based, anti-tobacco education in grades K-12 by teaching students in Grand Rapids Public Schools the vocabulary, health messaging and refusal skills needed to counter peer pressure.

“Grand Rapids Community Foundation has long recognized the unique approach and enduring impact school-based tobacco prevention programs have on the incidence of tobacco use. We have been proud to support these efforts for more than a decade,” said Kate Luckert Schmid, program director at the Community Foundation.

“Although the use of conventional tobacco products in youth has declined, the popularity and use of tobacco products such as electronic cigarettes and hookah have skyrocketed and necessitate continued prevention education in the schools,” said Libby Stern, Spectrum Health community health educator and tobacco treatment specialist.

New this year is an emerging products presentation for fifth graders, which includes a close-up study of electronic cigarettes, hookah and other smokeless products in the market. The program also uses stories, videos and puzzles to teach younger students about the perils of tobacco and nicotine and employs writing, researching and video production at the high school level, where older students teach younger students about the dangers of smoking.

“In addition, the program incorporates media into the prevention message as students create anti-tobacco public service announcements in collaboration with the Grand Rapids Community Media Center,” said Stern.

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The Spectrum Health Foundation endeavors to save lives and promote health through philanthropy. Since 1998, donors have contributed more than $400 million to bolster Spectrum Health, a not-for-profit health system comprised of 12 hospitals, including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Because of philanthropy, the foundation distributes approximately $15 million annually in support of research, innovation, clinical care and other services to patients and families.

Grand Rapids Community Foundation leads Kent County in making positive, sustainable change. With its endowment, the Community Foundation supports local nonprofits, leads significant social change and helps donors achieve their philanthropic goals. For more information, please visit www.grfoundation.org.

People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.

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