Munson Healthcare (MHC) announced today it has made a commitment to donate $100,000 over the next two years to Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse as part of a broad effort to support the needs of those in our community experiencing homelessness.
“As a non-profit funded entirely by donations and grants, the generous support of our community and contributions like this from Munson are vital to our mission,” said Wayne Sterenberg, Safe Harbor Treasurer. "We are grateful for Munson Healthcare’s commitment and partnership to build upon the resources available to those experiencing homelessness in our region.”
Safe Harbor currently provides food and shelter from October 14 to April 14, serving nearly 300 people which results in 15,000 overnight stays. This past fall, Traverse City Commissioners gave the emergency shelter unanimous support to pursue year-round operations during a 2-year pilot. The funds being donated by Munson over the next two years, $50,000 in 2025 and $50,000 in 2026, are intended to help in the efforts to meet that goal.
“One of the priorities identified in our most recent Community Health Needs Assessment is the availability of safe and affordable housing,” said Ed Ness, Munson Healthcare President and CEO. “Secure housing is a significant social determinant of health and as the largest health system in Northern Michigan, we feel strongly about supporting overall public health and Safe Harbor in this important work.”
Between this year and last, Munson Healthcare has committed $400,000 to organizations and programs that support the unhoused such as the Street Medicine partnership with Traverse Health Clinic and Goodwill Northern Michigan. On Tuesdays and Fridays, the program’s mobile unit provides hundreds of people experiencing homelessness access to healthcare services and other resources wherever they are in the community.
Each is one piece of a broad strategy to ensure those experiencing homelessness have access to resources, including:
- A far-reaching community collaboration to establish the Grand Traverse Mental Health Crisis and Access Center which opened January 5, 2025, and is available to patients of any age, regardless of their ability to pay.
- Collaborating with Traverse City’s Quick Response Team (QRT) to provide wraparound services to those who are experiencing homelessness or who are in crisis within our communities.
- Emergency Department coordination with the QRT to make referrals, provide support to secure housing and connect with a primary care provider, if they do not have one. Munson Medical Center also provides more than $1.2 million in free services a year to those experiencing chronic homelessness.
- At discharge, Munson implements a Critical Pathway Program to identify patients who have either a medical or non-medical need for support to find placement in a skilled nursing facility or utilize the patient needs fund to pay for a hotel.
“Organizations like Safe Harbor play a vital role in reducing stigma and providing resources to help both the temporarily and chronically unhoused, Munson Healthcare is pleased to collaborate with valued community partners like these to support public health,” added Ness.
About Munson Healthcare:
Rated by Fortune Magazine as one of the Top 15 Health Systems in the nation, Munson Healthcare is non-profit health system serving over 500,000 residents across Northern Michigan. As the largest healthcare organization in the region, MHC serves its communities through primary care and specialty clinics, urgent cares, outpatient imaging, lab, and surgical facilities, five community hospitals, and three regional hospitals including Munson Medical Center that is home to Cowell Family Cancer Center, Munson Orthopedic Institute, Traverse Heart and Vascular, and The Witham Family Comprehensive Stroke Center. Learn more at munsonhealthcare.org.
About Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse:
Dedicated to the preservation of the physical health and spiritual welfare of adults experiencing homelessness, Safe Harbor offers food, shelter, and hope for our guests. As a non-profit, volunteer-run Seasonal Emergency Shelter and a year-round Housing and Human Services Resource Center, we focus on community partnerships in order to better collaborate on long-term solutions to ending homelessness in our region.