NACCHO announced on Jan. 16 that 29 Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units received $20,000 MRC Challenge Awards. The MRC Challenge Award supports MRC units to develop new projects and programs that can be replicated on a national level. Nearly 200 MRC units from across the United States applied for the award and the top 29 most promising applicants were selected to receive the award. Local media outlets across the U.S. have featured stories about Challenge Awardees and how they plan to improve the health and safety of their communities. View the news stories below to learn more about the Challenge Award projects:

• County to use grant to fight childhood obesity and chronic diseases and Burlington County Medical Reserve Corps awarded $20,000 (Burlington County MRC, Westampton, NJ)
• Iglesia de chicago recibió premio de 20 mil dólares (Chicago Familia Latina Unida MRC, Chicago, IL)
• Grant awarded to keep veterans healthy (Central Georgia MRC; Macon, GA)
• Ashland City-County Medical Reserve Corps receives $20,000 award and Reserve Corps receives $20,000 award (Ashland City-County MRC, Ashland, OH)
• Medical Reserve aims at resiliency and Campbell County Medical Reserve Corps receives a $20,000 award (Campbell County MRC, Gillette, WY)
• Animal response team receives grant (Kansas State Animal Response Team, Wichita, KS)
• Effort aims to educate public about mental health and Grant provides mental health first aid training (Northwest Missouri MRC, St. Joseph, MO)
• Niagara County Department of Health receives a $20,000 MRC Challenge Award for public health initiatives (Niagara County MRC, Niagara Falls, NY)
• Challenge Award benefits Needham salon workers and Communities push for nail salon employee safety measures (Norfolk County 7 MRC; Needham, MA)
• Colorado Muslim Society medical volunteers awarded grant for public health initiative (Colorado Muslim Society MRC, Denver, CO)