The study's results will provide direction on how to spend the $4.8 million to best address community needs. The Grief Services Research Project marks a significant step for our community as we examine the current state of grief support and related holistic healing services with a focus on identifying needs or gaps in service. In the wake of HSHS hospitals' closure in Western Wisconsin, HSHS is initiating a thoughtful, community-driven process to assess the current delivery of grief support services and identify potential gaps in those services. Approximately $4.8 million from the Monsignor Klimek Healing Presence Endowment, The Healing Place Endowment, and Healing Place Funds will be transferred to the Eau Claire Community Foundation. HSHS is looking for information on the delivery of grief support services in our region to determine any future designations or restrictions on the spending of these funds. AMK Nonprofit Coaching LLC, led by Ann Kaiser, will conduct a comprehensive 1-2 year study to evaluate the current needs of our community regarding grief and related holistic healing services and present these findings to HSHS. This process will include feasibility and financial analyses, offering multiple opportunities for community input through 1:1 meetings, focus groups, and a large-scale study. The results of this research project will be presented to HSHS to help them determine the best use of these funds. We assure you that no funds will be distributed during this research phase, and no fundraising will take place. We aim to gather insights from diverse voices across our community to inform how funds will be distributed in a way that truly reflects our collective needs and seeks to honor the intentions of generous donors.
