Foundation announces grant awards since May 2014

Foundation announces grant awards since May 2014

The McPherson County Community Foundation announced $42,730 in grants have been awarded to programs and projects benefitting McPherson County residents from May 1, 2014 to June 15, 2014. Funding was made possible by field of interest funds focused on children, health and the community. Each year a percentage of the earnings are distributed to applicants matching the grant guidelines. Funds and recipient organizations are:

Community Fund

McPherson Opera House – Paint’s the Answer’ – to supply paint, supplies and a technical painter for touching-up the aging paint of the McPherson Opera House. $1,300

Health Fund

McPherson Dog Park Association – McPherson Dog Park’ – to build an off-leash dog park. $1,000

Kansas Health Foundation Children’s Fund

McPherson Museum –‘Model Railroad Layout’ – to provide a special computerized system for the Museum’s model train display so the trains can run automatically. $670

McPherson Scottish Society –‘McPherson Scottish Festival’ – for Friday performances of a selected Festival musician at local elementary schools. $500

McPherson Family Life Center –Parent Link’ – to provide a program of home visits and education for first-time parents. $8,000

United Way of McPherson County –Volunteer Reading Initiative’ – to promote early childhood literacy throughout the county while focusing on volunteerism and community involvement. $3,160

Larry Wedel Health Fund

Circles of McPherson County – Circles Operations’ – to provide operational funding to work with local families who want to escape generational poverty. $10,000 over a two-year period

Circles of McPherson County – McPherson County Community Health Assessment’ – to conduct an in-depth and required health assessment of county residents for establishing a safety-net clinic in McPherson. $2,500

Eisenhower Elementary School – Dollars for Disabilities by Wonderbolts’ – funds to help replace the safety mats at the Kids for Dreams playground in Lakeside Park. $5,000

K-State Research & Extension – Powerful Tools for Caregivers’ – to provide a program that enhances caregiver self-care. $750

Norene Ketcherside Endowment for the Arts Fund

McPherson Arts Alliance, Inc. –Summer Art Classes’ – to offer summer art classes for children in grades 4 to 10. $2,000

Additional Grants

Canton Senior Citizens Inc- Covering Leaking Roof’ – to replace the leaky roof of the 30-year old building. $17,602 from the Baldwin Family Fund, the Larry Wedel Health Fund, the Kansas Health Foundation Public Health Fund and the McPherson County Community Foundation Health Fund

Lincoln Elementary School – ‘After School Connectedness’ – to provide afterschool programming for students with poor attendance as a means of increasing attendance rates and student success. $5,350 from the Lisa Waldhauer Educational Fund and the Kansas Health Foundation Children’s Fund.

McPherson Middle School – ‘MMS Weight Room’ – to provide equipment for a new weightlifting program at the Middle School. $2,500 from the Kansas Health Foundation Children’s Fund and the Youth Fitness for Life Fund