Community collaborators have come together to address Green County’s housing challenges as one of the identified health priorities from the Community Health Needs Assessment. SSM Health Monroe Hospital is contributing with three different housing initiatives with various community partners in 2023:
SSM Health Monroe Hospital donated $10,000 to Men’s Resource Center of Green County who operate the men’s homeless shelter in Monroe. The donation is helping support the center’s current 5 bed facility with the funds to make updates and add more bedrooms and bathrooms. In 2022, the Men’s Resource Center turned away around 50 men due to being at capacity.
 
Currently, SSM Health Monroe Hospital owns various properties in the neighborhood surrounding the hospital, one of which has been donated to the Green County Development Corporation (GCDC). GCDC has now taken the house and is utilizing trades programs at Monroe High School and Blackhawk Technical College to rehab the house before it is sold to fund the purchase of the next home. This project not only provides a renovated home in a tight market but also offers a learning opportunity for students.
 
A plot of bare land has also been donated to Habitat for Humanity of Green County for the purpose of building a home on it. The proximity of this lot to the hospital will allow the occupants to have close access to healthcare and starts the project off with a blank slate. This donation will also present opportunities for further community collaboration through the building process.
 
This work being done in Green County to impact the housing need is just the beginning. Together, SSM Health Monroe Hospital and community partners are continuing to have meaningful conversations about what the community needs and taking actionable steps to move these efforts forward.