Mid-Iowa Health Foundation announced that it has launched a Youth Health Philanthropy Initiative to reach out to community organizations to improve the health and well-being of children and youths in Greater Des Moines. The foundation will partner with Community Youth Concepts, a Des Moines nonprofit organization, to support the work of youth health projects through competitive grants, beginning this fall. The initiative’s board will be composed of 15 high school students from across the metro area. Community Youth Concepts will provide oversight and direction to the initiative and the youth board, and Mid-Iowa Health Foundation serves as the initiative’s sponsor. “We believe it is essential that we learn directly from the youth of our community about health needs that they see, and engage them in crafting the responses they believe will be most effective addressing those needs,” said Suzanne Mineck, the foundation’s president.