Extend the holiday spirit

During the holidays, people open their hearts and their homes to others. We give generously and help those in need. In Minnesota, the season of giving is extended as we help each other survive the harsh winters. We jumpstart strangers’ cars, we check on elderly neighbors and shovel other people’s driveways. We have a shared sense of community.

CentraCare Health’s role in our community extends far beyond health care. Each of you and all of us participate in many other activities and roles that support our patients, families, neighbors and communities. But as we look to the future, we can challenge ourselves to add more value to our communities and improve our communities’ health. That is why we launched Feeling Good MN to improve the health of our communities by changing policies, systems and environments with the help of partner organizations.

It’s estimated that over 70 percent of what drives health outcomes happens outside hospital and clinic walls, which is why we are focusing on practical and innovative ways to impact our communities. We look to build on the success of existing health improvement programs by bringing everyone together to collaborate in a way that will strengthen our communities and each us — Feeling Good MN.

The Feeling Good MN team will be connecting and collaborating with community leaders and businesses in the months ahead to share more information and design the road map for our work together. The first step will be enlisting community partners who are interested in being part of this health movement. To learn more, sign up to receive a quarterly e-newsletter at feelinggoodmn.org.

Through a partnership with KARE-11 TV, a Feeling Good MN segment will air each month on the KARE-11 Saturday program with experts sharing information about making healthy choices easier, every day. You can also view past Feeling Good MN segments at feelinggoodmn.org.

On behalf of CentraCare Health, we wish you a healthy and happy 2017!