By CHRISTIE MASTRIC

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — The Superior Health Foundation is focusing its GivingTuesday efforts this year on raising funds for the Michigan Veteran Homes D.J. Jacobetti in Marquette and the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain.

The Jacobetti facility has a Life Enrichment Fund, which is used to improve the quality of life for veteran residents through experiences, community outings, therapeutic programming, and purchase of tickets for outside events such as sporting events, movie tickets and other life-enriching activities.

The Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain offers an E-Range Program that provides specialized teams of social workers and trained staff who travel and connect to veterans across their service area to support individuals with severe mental health issues.

The team helps establish links to Veterans Affairs medical services, and coordinate VA and local community care for veterans while creating opportunities for veterans to connect with each other to support recovery and socialization. 

Funds raised will support outreach events and activities for these high-risk veterans, allowing them the opportunity to interact with other veterans and acclimate to social settings with staff coordination. 

“We have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for our esteemed veterans in the Upper Peninsula,” said Jim LaJoie, executive director of the Superior Health Foundation in Marquette, in a news release. “Our veterans fought bravely to defend our country, so this is our way of helping raise much-needed funds to replenish the Life Enrichment Fund and the E-Range Program.”

Funds raised by the SHF for GivingTuesday will be split equally between the two locations for the these funds.

To make a charitable gift, visit superiorhealthfoundation.org and click on the GivingTuesday tab.

“We are grateful for Superior Health Foundation’s Giving Tuesday efforts to raise money for our Life Enrichment Fund,” said Sarah Johnson, volunteer and donations coordinator for the Jacobetti facility, in an email.. “The fund directly supports our members’ quality of life through activities, events and programming designed to engage and enrich every veteran member at our home.”

GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a day that encourages people “to do good,” according to its website at www.givingtuesday.org.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.