Healthy Community Initiative

By Ashley Gardner as a Guest Columnist for the Faribault Daily News September is National Recovery Month, and at Healthy Community Initiative we are celebrating both the power of recovery and the harm reduction work that’s been accomplished through the efforts of the Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition (RCCMHC). Here are some highlights of […]

You’re Invited! Join us on Thursday, Sept. 11, for an evening of charity drag bingo benefiting HCI at Roxy’s Cabaret in downtown Minneapolis. Enjoy a lively night out and help us raise some money to support HCI’s programming! This is a perfect event for you to share your support of HCI with friends, family, and community members, […]

We are devastated and mourning following yet another horrific mass shooting in which two children were murdered and 18 other people were critically injured. Our hearts are with the Annunciation Church families and congregation as they grieve this incomprehensible tragedy.  Students may be feeling anxious and afraid, and parents may be wondering what to do […]

Officials from the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) visited multiple early childhood and family support sites in Rice County on Aug. 12 to hear directly from providers, district staff, and community partners – including Healthy Community Initiative – about the challenges and opportunities they are navigating. The tour included stops at a […]

By Emily Culver as a Guest Columnist for the Northfield News Writing this, I have had the pleasure of supporting the efforts of the Northfield Racial and Ethnic Equity Collaborative (NREEC) Housing Work Group for nearly one year. This group includes representatives from Habitat for Humanity, Three Rivers Community Action, Community Action Center, Northfield Union […]

The Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition presented a special Prevention Champion award on July 30 to Lynn James, who is retiring from the Northfield Police Department. James has been the point person for Northfield’s participation in the Take It To The Box program since it launched in 2009. The collaborative drug take-back effort […]

The Rice County Chemical and Mental Health Coalition (RCCMHC) is launching a new effort to crowdsource information about the use of Narcan during an overdose. The RCCMHC and the Mobile Opioid Support Team (MOST) have placed 71 Narcan boxes at locations throughout Rice County. Each box contains four free Narcan kits.  If you have used […]

By Chloe Kucera for the Faribault Daily News There’s no better way to get acquainted with a community than to take a tour of some of its unique businesses and organizations. The new President and CEO of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Benya Kraus, has been getting to know the communities she will be serving. […]

Night to Unite is August 5, 2025 Night to Unite (also referred to as National Night Out) is an annual tradition that helps neighbors get to know each other and fosters relationships between residents and first responders with the goal of promoting safer neighborhoods. Residents sign up to organize block parties throughout their cities, giving […]

By Tom Steinmetz as a Guest Columnist for the Northfield News My first six months as the Executive Director of Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) have been a patchwork of highs, lows, and everything in between. Saturday, June 14, was no different. My emotions ranged from heartbreak to heartwarming. As Minnesotans mourned the tragic murders of Representative […]