As part of Winona County Community Health Services, Environmental Health Specialists focus on protecting the public from harmful conditions in the environment through education, consultation, and regulation of food, beverage, and lodging establishments, assisted living facilities, school cafeterias, manufactured home parks, recreational camping areas, public swimming pools, fairs, festivals, large assemblies, and other special events.
Environmental Health provides information and consultation to the general public on food safety, hazardous substances, indoor air quality, healthy home principles, water safety and vector-borne diseases (tick, mosquito, and other pests).
Located at 151 E. 3rd St. Winona, MN
Hours of Operation
10am-6pm daily
Offering
- Access to the internet and technology for Telemedicine Appointments and CareerForce Programming and Appointments
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Food
- Showers
- Hygiene Items
- Access to Virtual Peer Support Network Groups facilitated by Mike Fahey, MS, LSW
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is sponsored by the IRS and the Minnesota Department of Revenue that provides free tax preparation services for people of all ages with low to moderate incomes.
Free tax preparation is available to qualified individuals at our Winona and St. Charles sites.
Winona Site
Corner of 2nd & Laird Street Next to Winona Volunteer Services
Phone: 507.474.7202
Calls for an appointment will be taken Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM beginning January 25th
Appointment Dates:
February 1st – April 14th
Hours:
Mondays 4:00 – 7:00 PM Tuesdays & Wednesdays 8:30 – 11:30 AM and 12:30 – 3:30 PM Saturdays 9:00 AM – Noon
By Appointment Only!
No walk-in appointments this season due to COVID-19 restrictions
Partners In Excellence is an autism therapy center that offers a set of effective treatment programs for children ages 1-10 years old diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Partners in Excellence is an outpatient mental health clinic providing simulated environments that reflect real-life situations, enabling the children to work on their skills one-on-one or in small groups with trained behavior therapists.
- Birth and death certificates
- Around-the-clock monitoring for infectious diseases
- Assurance that the water and food are safe to drink and eat
- A swift, effective response to disease outbreaks and public health emergencies
- Investigation into novel illnesses
- Planning with hospitals and health care systems to rapidly care for large numbers of injured or ill victims
- An immunization program for preventable diseases
- Data to identify economic trends such as health care costs
- Data to identify public health concerns, such as obesity
- Health reforms to improve population health and the medical system
- Quality measurement and public reporting of clinical care
- Statewide health improvements that focus on policy, environmental, and systems changes in communities
- Assurance that inappropriate care in nursing homes, hospitals and other care facilities is corrected
- Planning to help ensure rural Minnesotans have access to care
- Statewide food programs for women, infants and children
- Information about health behaviors and chronic disease prevention, such as which diseases are among the most prevalent, costly and preventable
- Information about effective approaches to improving health and reducing the state’s incidence of chronic diseases.
- Efforts to eliminate health disparities between Minnesota’s different ethnic populations
- Programs that encourage people to make healthy choices
- Advice about reducing environmental and pollution risks to health
- Assurance the dead are disposed of properly
The Winona Community Foundation is a catalyst for igniting generosity and building the vibrant and enduring place we call home. We do this by
- Offering a range of charitable options and funds for individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits.
- Educating the public about the practice of philanthropy and its benefits both to donors and to the community
- Connecting people with charitable intent and resources with organizations and causes that can advance the public good
- Gathering, preserving, and stewarding philanthropic resources
- Collaborating with other charitable organizations
- Serving as a catalyst for selected community initiatives
- Making grants to projects and causes that address both the needs and the opportunities present in the community
As a trusted partner, resource, and steward for community philanthropy, the Winona Community Foundation is committed to helping every individual give back in a way that is both meaningful to them and the causes they care about.
Mission
The Arc Southeastern Minnesota builds fully inclusive communities by protecting human rights through advocacy, support, and education for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their
families.
Vision
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families will have the hope, confidence and knowledge they need to live a life they choose, and equitable systems will support them where they live, learn, work and play.
Guiding Principles
- The Arc improves the quality of life for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and assists them in obtaining the full range of civil rights, including the right to equal education, housing, and employment.
- The Arc supports and advocates to secure and enhance opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to choose how they live, learn, work and play in their communities.
- The Arc addresses the needs of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in a holistic way by looking at the total person.
- The Arc is the gateway through which persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families pass as they search for support from others who have shared their same experience.
- The Arc identifies gaps in the service system and leads collaborative efforts with other agencies and elected officials to find ways to close these gaps.
- The Arc promotes the development of or provides new services so that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live full and productive lives in their communities.
Restored Blessings is a restore started by faithful volunteers in their quest to help families in need who desire a Christian education. Donations are accepted during open hours. They accept all furniture, household items, books, and gently used clothing.
Volunteer:
Stop by Restored Blessings to fill out an application and discuss schedule. Looking for whatever time a person can volunteer. 16 years or older is the age requirement. Some lifting is sometimes involved. Bending, walking and standing are also part of the requirements.
Winona Adult Literacy, a WAPS Community Education program, offers educational opportunities to adults in our area. Services include English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, GED preparation classes, basic skills preparation, reading, math, college prep, career training, computers, and citizenship.
Volunteers: Working with a teacher in a class, or working with students individually or in small groups, volunteers assist adult learners to achieve their educational goals. There are opportunities with GED classes/students and ESL classes/students. Criminal background check is required and is provided free of charge to the volunteer.
Requirements: Patience. Basic academic knowledge in one or more of the following areas: English, math, science, and social studies (no expertise is needed). Flexibility.
Winona Volunteer Services is an organization that provides a variety of services including securing and distributing food, clothing, information and referrals, and emergency assistance in a respectful and dignified manner to those in need. The agency’s programs include a food shelf, clothing thrift store, home delivered meals, health and nutrition education, information and referrals, and coordinated assistance.
Volunteer Opportunities
Winona Volunteer Services needs help year-round in their Clothes Shop.
Cashier: ring up customer sales and assist with maintaining a neat and organized store. This position requires a background check. One four-hour shift per week for at least one year is the time commitment. Requires standing for long periods of time.
Sorter: sort through donations and hang the best clothing donations for re-sale. One four-hour shift per week is the time commitment. Requires standing and lifting.
Donations Specialist: assist donors with their clothing and maintain a clean and organized donation area. One four-hour shift per week is the time commitment. Requires standing for long periods of time.
Other volunteer opportunities are listed on the website, click here to obtain a pre-screening volunteer interest form, or stop by Winona Volunteer Services, 402 East 2nd Street, Winona, MN 55987.
Mission – to support Quality of Life for older adults in the Winona area.
Offerings include:
- education and cultural classes
- physical activities
- computer room and classes
- organized trips
- choir
- senior advocates available to help with referrals
- Active Wellness Center
- kitchen/reading room
- gift shop
- health fairs
- Medicare classes
- periodic massages
- social activities such as poker, card games and billiards
Volunteer
The Winona Friendship Center has a variety of volunteer opportunities. The Center is selected as a Retired Senior Volunteer Station and many volunteers are needed to perform light clerical duties, assist in collaborative programs, work in subcommittees, help with special events and recreational programs. If you would like to help out with any of these opportunities, please email the Friendship Center at FriendshipCenter@ci.winona.mn.us
Friendships Forever is a current volunteer need. Volunteers will go into the homes of older adults who can not physically make it to the Friendship Center. The volunteer will then Skype with the Center, using one of the Center’s iPads, so the older adult is able to participate in Friendship Center programs from the comfort of their own home. Looking for approximately one hour per week. Call 507-454-5212 for more information.
Free online calorie counter and diet plan. Manage your weight by tracking your caloric intake quickly and easily through a food journal. Find nutrition facts for over 5 million foods.
· Catalog available each season with classes for all interest areas for kids and adults.
· After School Activities program offers intramural sports, recreation, arts programs.
· Project COMPASS classes specialize in slower paced classes for all, customized classes for people with disabilities, parent and professional development workshops and support groups.
· Key Kids/Summer Key Kids is a child care program held after school, on non-school days and snow days for children enrolled in Kindergarten through Fourth grade. Summer Key Kids offers child care for children who have finished Kindergarten – Fifth Grade.
· Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) welcomes all families with children age birth to kindergarten. They offer information about child development and parenting techniques and give children opportunities to discover and learn.
· Community Preschools is located at Goodview Elementary.
· Early Childhood Screening is a FREE screening for all 3 – 5 year olds, available by appointment. This is a quick and simple check of how your child is growing and developing.
· Baby Connections is a great place to call if you are expecting or parenting a baby. Schedule an appointment for a baby visit.
Grocery store with recipes, free dietitian consultations, and a pharmacy.
Making lives easier, healthier, and happier.
Hy-Vee is a touchstone for Midwest consumers’ desire for information on diet, nutrition and wellness topics. HealthMarket department featuring natural and organic products; the consulting services of in-store dietitian; the NuVal Nutritional Scoring System; consumer and employee wellness programs; and the Hy-Vee Triathlon underscore the company’s commitment to healthy lifestyles.
Don’t forget to try the Aisles Online program (shop online and have it ready for you to pick up at the store, or have it delivered!) and encourage your kids to take the free five week Hy-Vee KIDSFIT challenge.
Bluff Country Co-op is Winona’s community-owned, cooperatively run grocery store and kitchen. For more than 40 years they have served as leaders in sustainable food, supporting local and organic farmers and producers. Today their store continues to represent and promote food and environmental integrity, fair economic practices, and commitment to community. Stop in whenever you’re in the neighborhood!
Bluff Country Co-op also offers:
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Food & Nutrition Information
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Vitamins & Herbs
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Homeopathic Remedies
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Cooking Classes & Demonstrations
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Natural Personal Care Products
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Fair Trade Products
- Essential Oils
Volunteer Needs
Help Make the Mississippi River Cleaner – “Adopt a Spot” of the Rain Garden at Bluff Country Co-op.
Rain gardens can have a big impact on the health of our rivers. Help make the Mississippi River cleaner by taking care of the rain garden behind Bluff Country Co-op that was created in partnership with Bluff Country Co-op, the City of Winona and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency!
The rain garden is divided into small, manageable plots. Volunteers can adopt a section and keep it free of weeds and trash. Everyone can help no matter your gardening knowledge! You will be introduced to the plants growing in your section and be taught to identify common weeds.
The requirements for this opportunity are a 1 hour/month time commitment and the ability to be outside bending and kneeling. You choose the time and day that you volunteer.
To “Adopt a Spot,” or if you have questions, please contact Cea Louis at cea@bluff.coop
About the rain garden:
In the summer of 2016 the City of Winona and Bluff Country Co-op partnered with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to create a rain garden in parking lot #12 to minimize harmful runoff flowing into our river and add green space to our downtown. As the rain garden continues to grow and mature, it needs a little care to help it flourish.
Winona Farmers Market is a local organization that invites home grown producers of fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, eggs, honey, syrups, baked goods, meats, flowers, bedding, and house plants to come together with local residents to share in the bounty of our beautiful region.
Their goal is to provide fresh, quality local produce and meat products for customers; to provide a local site for producers to sell their products; to educate customers on healthy eating; and to provide freshly harvested produce at prices everyone can afford.
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. They campaign for prevention, improved access to quality treatment, and increased research funding to better understand and treat eating disorders. They work with partners and volunteers to develop programs and tools to help everyone who seeks assistance.
Weight Watchers is simple, satisfying and smart. The PointsPlus program is based on the latest nutritional science, and factors in the way your body actually processes food.
A healthy – and holistic – way to lose weight Weight Watchers developed the “four pillars of healthy weight loss” based on years of scientific research and analysis.
What to expect
Motivation and Togetherness
Lean on fellow members for the tips and advice you need to stick with it.
Guidance from a leader who’s been there
All leaders lost weight on Weight Watchers, so they know the secrets to success.
The anytime, anywhere access of OnlinePlus
Our digital tools will keep you motivated, and our online community is unmatched.
Hey first timers! If you can, try and arrive 30 minutes early so we can get to know you better. (And you’ll beat the line!)
The choices we make every day affect our chances of getting cancer. For years, people believed that cancer was something that struck without reason or warning, claiming victims who were powerless in the face of the disease.
Over the last 30 years, scientists have found convincing evidence that what you eat, how you move and how much you weigh can lower your risk for many cancers.
By funding research, interpreting evidence, and educating the public about the results, AICR is helping Americans realize that it’s never too early and never too late to make choices that protect against cancer.
A team of holistic wellness professionals optimizing your wellness through the use of natural remedies and state-of-the-art wellness technology including PEMF, Cold Laser Therapy, Thermography, Inhaled Hydrogen, Ozone Therapy, LED Light Therapy, EVOX, Diet Terminator and ZYTO Scans. Founded by Patti Bartsch, PhD, Naturally Unbridled Wellness has been naturally supporting the Coulee Region since 2011.