Voices from the Valley: A podcast of the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region

Memory Link: Navigating Memory Loss

In 2015, it was estimated that 115,000 people in Wisconsin had dementia. By 2040, that number is expected to increase to 242,000 people with dementia, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. 

Kaukauna native J.J. Smith met his wife Joyce in the Air Force nearly 60 years ago and were looking for resources to help with Joyce’s memory loss. “Sometimes it’s frustrating for me,” says J.J. The couple became involved with the Fox Valley Memory Project and are excited for its newest program, Memory Link, launched in April. . 

Thanks to a federal grant of nearly $1 million and generous support from the Community Foundation and other donors, the Fox Valley Memory Project’s Memory Link program received the initial funding to begin providing free personal support and resources to people living at home with memory loss and their caregivers in Calumet, Outagamie, Winnebago and Waupaca Counties.  

The organization hired two resource navigators to offer a compassionate ear for families to use as a sounding board and offers resources and easy solutions for them to try with their loved ones, so they don’t have to bear the weight of their dementia journey alone.  

 

More here at:  https://www.cffoxvalley.org/podcast/memory-link-navigating-memory-loss/

Care in Action: Community Crisis Response Part 2

In this episode, we continue our conversation about how a new two-year pilot program is embedding an Outagamie County clinical therapist within the Appleton Police Department to improve the way first responders handle crisis situations involving mental health. The idea is to have the therapist immediately available as a co-first responder to mental health crisis when law enforcement are called. How has the program made an impact in Appleton? Is it safe for the therapist? What have we learned so far?

We'll hear from the therapist and two members of the Appleton Police Department, as well as the Director of the Division of Suicide Prevention at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, who is one of the many experts our Community Crisis Response Team heard from as we put this pilot program together.

This program has been two years in the making, and the planning took the expertise, collaboration, and support from a lot of people convened around the table, now the Community Crisis Response Team. Their goal is to help community members access the appropriate level of care by providing on-site clinical evaluations and risk assessments for those experiencing a mental health crisis. The Community Crisis Response Team's primary mission is to help community members access the appropriate level of care by providing on-site clinical evaluations and risk assessments for those experiencing a mental health crisis. 

The pilot program received a $25,000 grant from the Bright Idea Fund within the Community Foundation. The clinical therapist is the first of its kind at the department and is improving the way responders can provide critical services to a person in crisis. 

Learn more and get the episode links here:  https://www.cffoxvalley.org/podcast/care-in-action-community-crisis-response-part-2/

Community Crisis Response

The challenge and complexity of mental health issues in our community is growing and – since the onset of the COVID pandemic – has now reached a critical stage. How do we as a community respond to and provide help to people in the middle of a crisis? 

The Appleton Police Department and Outagamie County Health and Human Services recently launched a new two-year pilot program that is taking a unique look at mental health situations and how to help respond when people are experiencing a mental health crisis. A few weeks ago the program embedded a clinical therapist into the police department to respond to calls.

This pilot program has been two years in the making, and the planning took the expertise, collaboration, and support from a lot of people convened around the table, now the Community Crisis Response Team. Their goal is to help community members access the appropriate level of care by providing on-site clinical evaluations and risk assessments for those experiencing a mental health crisis. We had a chance to gather some members of that team for a conversation about how this pilot came to be, what we’ve learned so far, and the difference it’s already making in just a few weeks.

Check out our resources at  https://www.cffoxvalley.org/loop/2022/05/11/a-new-approach-community-crisis-response-to-mental-health/

Strengthening Our Nonprofits

How do we make our local nonprofit organizations in the Fox Valley strong and equip their leaders with the knowledge and tools they need to serve our community? We take our leaders to school! The idea is to build better leaders so that together we can build a better community.

Leadership Institute is an innovative programs offered through our Nonprofit Leadership Initiative, and last week 15 local leaders already working in their professional capacity at their nonprofit organizations graduated from the year-long program. We couldn't be more excited for them. Listen now to hear from the students, and the people who make the Leadership Institute run:

More show notes on our website at  https://www.cffoxvalley.org/podcast/strengthening-our-nonprofits/ 

Historical Gem

One of the oldest nonprofits in our area, Appleton's History Museum at the Castle, is turning 150 years old. Imagine what it was like living in the Fox Valley in 1872! This community gem has a unique way of bringing our history and its bygone eras back to life. We can learn about our rich past through the many opportunities we have at the Castle, from cemetery tours, to learning tricks from our famous Fox Cities resident and escape artist Harry Houdini, to programs for young people.  Listen in as we look back, and forward.

Program links on our website: https://www.cffoxvalley.org/podcast/historical-gem/

COVID-19: Reflection and Response

When the pandemic hit in March of 2020, everything changed. Our communities were in a crisis. Many vital services which so many people rely upon were suspended. The Community Foundation and United Way Fox Cities immediately put together the Covid 19 Community Response Fund.

This fund has granted $1,776,497 to 118 local nonprofits, thanks to the enormously generous people, business and other organizations who gave to the fund to help our most vulnerable and underserved community members during this medical and economic crisis.

We invited Tammy Geenen, our Vice President of Community Engagement, and Tony Gonzalez, Vice President Community Development at United Way Fox Cities, refelct about the incredible impact this fund has had in the past two years, and what’s next.

Be sure and check out today's episode notes, at https://www.cffoxvalley.org/podcast/covid-19-reflection-and-response/

The Changing Face of the Fox Valley: Part 2

One of the largest shifts in the Census data is in the Hispanic population. In fact Hispanics make up the largest minority group in northeast Wisconsin.  Hispanic and Latino residents of communities along the Interstate 41 corridor between Oshkosh and Green Bay increased by 46% between 2010 and 2020. 

 The growing number of Hispanic and Latino people in northeast Wisconsin outpaced Hispanic growth nationwide in the last 10 years, but lags the multigenerational growth that has built large Hispanic communities in other parts of the country, we’re going to link up all the Census numbers in our program notes today which you can find on our website.  

We hear from Lissette Cruz-Jimenez, a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion coordinator for Latinx middle school students for the Appleton Area School district. Lissette’s is one of five DEI positions in the district, all working to help students feel a little more included in the fabric of the community.   

More resources and links can be found in our program notes here:

https://www.cffoxvalley.org/podcast/the-changing-face-of-the-fox-valley-part-2/

 

The Changing Face of the Fox Valley

The most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows us what we all can see: Racial and ethnic diversity in northeast Wisconsin is increasing. The number of Black, Asian, Native American, multiracial and Hispanic people increased 57% over the past decade. And it is wonderful to see!

But much more important than the numbers are the people behind them and their stories. We hear from Timber Smith, the City of Appleton's diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator. We also sit down with Natalie Eilbert from the Green Bay Press-Gazette, and Duke Behnke from The Post-Crescent in Appleton about their series of reports, Home is Here: Stories Behind the Census. The series is part of a Journalism initiative called the New News Lab, a group of news organizations dedicated to preserving in-depth local reporting.

More resources and links can be found in our program notes here:
https://www.cffoxvalley.org/podcast/the-changing-face-of-the-fox-valley/

Rent: Finding Home

There's a shortage of more than 119,000 rental housing units in Wisconsin, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. It says that a typical Wisconsin household needs to make a combined annual income of almost $36 thousand dollars to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

The Appleton Housing Authority’s programs are making a positive impact in our communities, through its Section 8 voucher program as well as other programs assisting the elderly and veterans. We spoke with renters, landlords, and the Housing Authority to learn how these programs are inspiring and supporting participants to become financially independent.

Resources and links in our episode notes: https://www.cffoxvalley.org/podcast/rent-finding-home/

Domestic Abuse: Help and Hope

Domestic abuse and domestic violence cases have exploded in the Fox Valley. It's happening to people in all races, ages, religions, economic status, and it's happening to people you and I might know – to people in our neighborhoods, in our schools and churches,  in our workplaces, perhaps even in your home.

This episode may be difficult to hear. Our hope is that we can have a conversation about domestic violence and abuse.
Get the links and resources for this episode on our website: https://www.cffoxvalley.org/podcast/domestic-abuse-help-and-hope/