This article was first published by the Grand Traverse Community Foundation (GTCF). GTCF has funded JPAC’s Promotoras de Salud Program.
Creating meaningful change in a community takes more than good intentions—it requires collaboration, care, and flexible resources that meet people where they are. That’s exactly what our Community Funds make possible. One example is our grant partner, Justice Peace and Advocacy Center (JPAC), which—with support from Community Funds and donors like our Board Director Barbara Matthews—is improving quality of life for migrant, immigrant, and seasonal workers across our region.
For over 15 years, JPAC has assisted the migrant community, providing them and their families with understanding, access to resources, and support. Founded by Gladys Muñoz and Father Wayne Dziekan, JPAC offers culturally and linguistically responsive support and programs on citizenship, leadership, English as a Second Language, and more. The nonprofit also assists with immigration, transportation, and navigating healthcare, which is where JPAC applied its recent Community Funds grant.
A first-time grant recipient in 2024, JPAC received support from our Community Funds to help facilitate their Community Health Worker program, Promotoras de Salud (Promoters of Health), including providing trainings for Promotoras and the printing of educational photo novellas.
During the pandemic, a three-year, grant-funded survey project with Strangers No Longer of Detroit inspired JPAC to conduct surveys within the local Hispanic community to learn more about its needs, challenges, and health concerns. Out of this ongoing, in-person paper survey project, Gladys and her team recognized the need for Promotoras.
“Our Promoters of Health don’t need a specialized degree,” said Gladys. “They just need to be interested in learning and helping the community.”
Working in tandem with local communities, health departments, doctors’ offices, and hospitals, Promotoras hand out photo novellas that address parenting, domestic violence, health, and well-being; they connect people with resources, conduct home visits, facilitate surveys, and help new mothers navigate government assistance programs, like WIC.
“I’m really proud of our team, and we want to thank the Community Foundation for this grant because this is how we can pay the Promotoras for what they do,” said Gladys.
Such grant opportunities are supported by community members like Barbara Matthews, who has deep ties to the region and serves as one of our Board Directors, representing Antrim County. By investing in our flexible Community Funds, Barbara is helping provide the means to make a difference in the region she calls home.
“The grant to JPAC is a perfect example of how the flexibility of Community Funds can respond to emerging community needs,” shared Barbara. “JPAC provides critical support to migrant individuals and families.”
In recent years, we prioritized increasing support for underrepresented and underfunded communities in our region—communities that continue to see great need.
“Community Funds are especially important because they are flexible and unrestricted, allowing the Foundation to direct resources to the areas of greatest need as they arise,” said Barbara. “I’m glad my donation to the Community Foundation could be used to help meet such an important community need.”
This is what Community Funds are designed to do: respond to emerging needs, uplift local leadership, and build a more inclusive, resilient region for all. Through the generosity of donors like Barbara Matthews and the dedication of partners like JPAC, we’re not just meeting today’s challenges—we’re laying the foundation for a future where every person in our region has the opportunity to thrive.
(This article was copied from the Grand Traverse Community Foundation Website and written by Alex Dailey)
To check the original post, check out this link: https://www.gtrcf.org/news/championing-wellbeing-for-migrant-families.html
JPAC is grateful for all the support of the Grand Traverse Community Foundation in this program.