Vital North Foundation was established in 1993 by a group of committed residents dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the Cook County community, and was formerly known as the North Shore Health Care Foundation. The concept for Vital North Foundation grew out of the clinic development committee. The original six-member Foundation Board assumed a leadership role in supporting projects that have had a significant impact on the health of our rural community. The commitment to provide leadership in sustaining and improving the health of individuals and communities continues today as a core value.

Since 2004, Vital North Foundation and co-beneficiary North House Folk School have been the recipients of the Walter N & Phyllis A Anderson Charitable Trust. Two amazing and passionate individuals, Walt and Phyllis, worked with the Foundation to establish a charitable trust, which allowed them to extend their giving legacy beyond their lifetimes in support of their favorite causes in a place that was near and dear to their hearts. The annual funding from the Anderson Trust helps Vital North to collaborate on innovative programs, and grant awards to individuals and organizations acting as changemakers for the wellbeing of our community.

In 2017, Vital North Foundation began a comprehensive strategic planning process which included gathering information and extensive community input, reflection and planning. New trends in health care and how we think about health and healthy communities had changed significantly over time, and Vital North Foundation was changing to reflect that. Known mostly as a grant making organization since its inception, the Foundation has evolved to create a more integrated, holistic program model to have a greater impact on equitable health outcomes and fostering community wellbeing.

In 2025, the North Shore Health Care Foundation updated its name to Vital North Foundation to better reflect our values and mission to create a vital and healthy community in Cook County, MN. Growth and development from our strategic plan has led to exciting developments in the model of how we accomplish our mission. Building upon our legacy of proactive and collaborative programming, Vital North has established a new research and solution-development program, entitled the Rural Lab. Our focus is on understanding and tackling the toughest challenges our community faces, and continuing to act as a consistent local collaborative partner building the next generation of critical solutions for health and community wellbeing.