Saving the Esthers of the World

Esther died alone, in a motel room. It was a cold, murky morning. The hotel was small and cheap and located just off the freeway. It was only a few miles from home. Esther had a home, you see. The same home she grew up in with both of her parents and her brothers and sisters and always, the family

Cannabis and the Effects on Teens

Cannabis has been legalized in 18 states. Another 13 have decriminalized it. In Minnesota, it is illegal for recreational use, but decriminalized for possession of 42.5 grams or less. We’ll talk more about what that amount may mean. In Wisconsin, cannabis is also illegal for recreational use, but there’s a strong push to legalize it. “prohibition has not worked when

Pay It Forward

Thanks to Bell Bank and Bent Paddle for coming together to raise awareness and financial support for Amberwing! Bell Bank has a Pay It Forward program, where they choose a nonprofit in the region to benefit from their philanthropic culture. Bent Paddle Brewery has a Paddle It Forward program where the proceeds from a specific beer will benefit a nonprofit.

Meet Gabriela, Amberwing’s new Fellow

Having grown up in the Northland, I’ve always valued time spent in nature and found it important for one’s well-being. Working in the mental health field, I was also aware of Amberwing’s – Center for Youth & Family Well-Being work. In Fall of 2020, I began my final Master of Social Work (MSW) clinical internship at Amberwing. During my first

Abby: Learning to Cope Ahead


Watch the video to see Abby’s transformation! How do people manage the emotional turmoil caused by a traumatic life event? The kind of pain that surfaces at unexpected moments, splashing into life and relationships without warning. For the Fermenich family, their saying is: “Take a deep breath and just keep swimming.” Tune into humor and hold onto faith. Use the

ARTcetera meets CYBERcetera: A Historical Look Back

Pat Burns remembers the nervous excitement of launching ARTcetera with her team at the Miller-Dwan Foundation. It was 1999 and the Foundation, with its history of high impact medical philanthropy, needed a boost for its efforts to support life-saving treatments and therapies in the region. “What if no one comes?” says Pat, who served as president of the Foundation from

Stepping up to construct hope for the region’s health

Solvay Hospice House has a special place in the heart of Shane Johnson. His company, Johnson Wilson Constructors, constructed the Duluth healthcare facility in 2007 following a Miller-Dwan Foundation campaign to create the region’s first residential hospice house. That’s when the Foundation, which owns and maintains Solvay, got on Shane’s radar as a charity worth paying closer attention to. “Working

Miller-Dwan Foundation: Year in Review

2019 was an extraordinary year! Each year brings new projects, new challenges and new people to our lives, while each day brings new stories of hope, strength and love. We wanted to recap some of the things that topped this year that will make a difference in the health of people throughout our region in 2020 and beyond: Lou Ann!

Amberwing: Flyability

Chances are you know the story about Amberwing. How it got its name from a dragonfly that shares our air space, right here in the Northland. You may also know that the Amberwing dragonfly, like all dragonflies, has two sets of wings. If one of them breaks, it can usually still fly. That ability to carry on no matter the

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