BRECKENRIDGE — BIO Girls has been awarded a $10,000 Community Health Improvement Grant from CHI St. Francis Health to support programs focused on improving the mental health and well-being of adolescent girls in Richland and Wilkin counties.
The grant is part of the CommonSpirit Health Community Health Improvement Grants program, an annual initiative that provides funding to nonprofit organizations addressing significant health needs identified through community health assessments. This year, CommonSpirit Health awarded grants to 329 organizations nationwide.
According to Joni Frolek, foundation coordinator for community health at CHI St. Francis Health, BIO Girls was selected because its mission closely aligns with needs identified in the organization’s most recent Community Health Needs Assessment.
“BIO Girls stood out due to its strong alignment with the areas of improvement identified in our community health needs assessment,” Frolek said. “Specifically, BIO Girls’ mission to protect and improve the mental health of adolescent girls through empowerment of self and connection with others directly addresses the pressing concern of youth mental health.”
Mental health has consistently emerged as one of the community’s most significant health concerns, Frolek said. Youth today face increasing pressures from academics, social media, family dynamics and societal expectations, all of which can affect emotional and psychological well-being.
“Untreated mental health conditions in youth can lead to long-term negative consequences, affecting academic performance, social relationships, physical health and overall quality of life well into adulthood,” Frolek said.
Anna Marohl, director of program operations for BIO Girls, said the organization is grateful for the support.
“We just really appreciate the support from the community,” Marohl said. “We have free programs in Richland-Wilkin County, and we each have to do our share of fundraising for each program. The support of the CHI grant is just super helpful.”
The funding will help cover annual program expenses, including curriculum materials, supplies and resources used throughout BIO Girls’ 12-week sessions. The grant will also support training materials and curriculum provided to volunteer mentors.
BIO Girls currently serves up to 100 girls through programs in Wahpeton-Breckenridge, Abercrombie-Colfax and Campbell-Tintah. The Wahpeton-Breckenridge and Abercrombie-Colfax programs can each serve 40 participants, while Campbell-Tintah has capacity for 20 girls.
The organization also relies heavily on community volunteers. Approximately 30 volunteers serve the Wahpeton-Breckenridge and Abercrombie-Colfax programs, while Campbell-Tintah has eight volunteers.
Participants in BIO Girls attend weekly sessions that combine large-group lessons, small-group discussions and mentorship opportunities. The program focuses on developing protective factors such as emotional coping skills, confidence, kindness, assertiveness and community service.
“We really work hard to ensure that girls understand that they’re beautiful inside and out just the way that they are,” Marohl said. “They don’t need to be something different for the people around them to love them.”
One of the most significant challenges facing adolescent girls today is comparison with others, Marohl said.
“I would say a strong one would be comparison with others, thinking that they need to be a certain way or look a certain way or be achieving at a certain level,” she said. “Comparison is a large one, which affects their confidence in who they are.”
To address those challenges, BIO Girls includes lessons on media literacy, self-image and healthy relationships. For example one lesson demonstrates how images seen online and in magazines are often edited, helping girls better understand unrealistic beauty standards.
The organization also emphasizes the importance of mentorship and positive adult relationships.
Participants and volunteers celebrate a BIO Girls season-ending event. The program focuses on building confidence, resilience and positive peer connections.
Contributed / Anna Marohl
“We’re really focused on building a community for them and those connections with their mentors so that they know that they have another adult in their community that really cares about them,” Marohl said.
Frolek said CHI St. Francis Health hopes the grant will help expand BIO Girls’ reach, increase participation and strengthen volunteer involvement.
“Our success measures for this grant are focused on expanding BIO Girls’ reach and strengthening its support structure within the community,” Frolek said. “We will specifically look for increased community awareness, expanded program participation and growth in volunteer involvement.”
She added that partnerships with organizations like BIO Girls are essential to improving community health.
“Community partnerships are absolutely crucial for community health, allowing us to address challenges more comprehensively and effectively than any single organization could alone,” Frolek said.
Marohl said BIO Girls serves as a preventative mental health program, helping girls develop confidence and healthy coping skills before more serious challenges arise.
“We hope that they learn that you can connect with others and that people truly do care about you,” she said.
Frolek said investing in youth mental health benefits the entire community.
“When young people are mentally healthy, they are better equipped to engage in their education, contribute to their families and communities, and become resilient, productive adults,” she said.
Marohl encouraged families to consider BIO Girls as another support system for their children.
“Being a part of BIO Girls is another opportunity for kids to learn more about who they are and really embrace the beauty that they have,” she said. “Sometimes knowing that somebody else outside their family also cares about them is just as important.”