Community health improvement initiatives
Personal health and community health can mean different things to different people.We're finding out from residents in the communities we serve how we can help make better health a reality for everyone. As a result, we're working with our communities to:
Neighborhood Health ConnectionResearch shows that people with strong community connections and positive social support are healthier and happier. Neighborhood Health Connection aims to help neighbors make new personal connections and strengthen existing ones through healthy activities. Learn more at neighborhoodhealthconnection.org. Ellie Zuehlke, director of community benefit and engagement, explains why Allina Health decided to round up, repair and give bikes - and bike helmets - to 5,000 children.  Volunteers at Allina Medical Clinic - St. Michael load donated bikes onto a truck rented for the occasion. See more bikes and great volunteers in our photo album on facebook. Free Bikes 4 KidzAllina Health is partnering with Free Bikes 4 Kidz, a non-profit organization geared toward helping all kids ride into a happier, healthier childhood by providing bikes to those most in need. Twelve hundred bikes were given away in 2010. Nearly 5,000 were given away in 2011. "Biking can be a life-long pastime. Many of our employees are avid cyclists, and we want to help make it possible for every child to participate in this healthy, fun and environmentally-friendly activity," says Kenneth H. Paulus, president and CEO of Allina Health. December 10, 2011: Bike giveawayAllina Health worked with community partners to identify kids in need. Twenty Allina Health sites hosted this special giveaway event. During the statewide giveaway, Allina Health provided free helmets and concussion information to all who receive bikes. The concussion information included copies of "Always Wear Your Helmet," a bike helmet safety video featuring Ben Utecht, former Minnesota Gopher and Super Bowl champion.
November 2011: Bike cleanup and repairAllina Health employees, physicians and local partners volunteered time and expertise to refurbish bikes for their new owners. Volunteers included novices who cleaned bicycles and filled tires and mechanics who repaired bikes and did safety checks. Free Bikes for Kidz accepted bikes at more than 20 locations throughout the Twin Cities metro area. To find the bike collection location nearest you, go to fb4k.com/donate. October 2011: Bike collection day successOn Saturday, October 22, Allina Health made more than 50 hospital and clinic locations drop-off sites for donated bicycles. The collection garnered between 3,500 and 4,000 bikes according to Free Bikes for Kidz Executive Director Terry Esau. "We were up until 2 a.m. getting bikes into our Hopkins warehouse," Esau said. "We estimate we have over 3,000 bikes here and another 700 to 800 bikes in our east side warehouse." "More than 400 volunteers helped make this day a huge success," said Aimee Pappenfuss, volunteerism program manager, Allina Health. A big thank you goes to everyone who stopped by with a bike or two at collection locations in these regions of Minnesota and western Wisconsin: 
This 36-page report captures the conversation and feedback from 260 participants who attended one of nine regional community health dialogues in cities where Allina Health provides health care services. Findings include a summary of the process, commonly cited assets across the region, barriers to community health, and impacts to health by population. Community health assessmentsOur approach began with conducting community health dialogues with leaders and residents in nine regions of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. During the dialogues in late 2010, participants shared how Allina Health could work collaboratively to improve healthful eating, active living and life balance in their communities. We compiled what we learned from community leaders and residents about what's working in their region, what's not and how Allina Health can play a role in promoting community health in the nine reports below. Greater Minnesota Twin Cities metro Western Wisconsin What's next?Each region has a dedicated lead who is working with community partners to develop specific, local plans based on the assessment findings. Allina Health is not alone in realizing that these are complex problems that will require long-term planning, collaboration and a different way of working together to make appreciable changes. What we do know is that by listening to our communities we can develop local, specific initiatives that will make a difference in the long term. Working together with our communities, we will build community health initiatives that take a prevention-driven approach to health and focus on healthy eating, physical activity and a balanced life. These efforts will take us beyond the bricks and mortar of our hospitals and clinics and into our schools, work places, senior centers and more. Community health contactsAllina Health is involved in communities in nine regions of Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
For more about health improvement where you live, contact your region's Allina Health community engagement lead. Greater Minnesota
Twin Cities metro
Western Wisconsin
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East metro / St. Paul