American Midwest Ballet
Season 12 Education and Community Engagement | $1,000
American Midwest Ballet received a $1,000 Community Impact Grant from the Community Foundation to support access to the arts for residents of southwest Iowa. Funds provided free admission to public performances for people in need, and offset the cost of producing and presenting student matinees.
Avoca Main Street
Holidays on Main 2021 - Santa's Ho Ho Hoedown | $1,000
Avoca, Iowa Holidays On Main received a $1,000 Community Impact Grant from the Community Foundation for Western Iowa for their 2021 Holiday Ho Ho Hoedown on Saturday, November 27!
The Community Foundation grant funds were used to help with marketing and advertising needs, such as flyers, postcards, table tents, and newsletters.
Annually, this family-friendly event kicks-off the holiday season and attracts over 500 children and adults from all over southwest Iowa! Between the hours of 3pm to 7pm, everyone of all ages can enjoy the festivities -- crafts, shopping, entertainment and more -- on the 3-block span of Avoca Main Street!
Bethany Lutheran Health Services
Safe, Functional and Ergonomically Correct Furniture for Current and Future Residents | $1,000.00
Grant funds will be used to purchase updated, safe, easily disinfected, and ergonomically correct furniture for current and future residents in Council Bluffs.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands
MentorU in Council Bluffs | $1,000.00
Funds were used directly to recruit, screen, and train volunteer mentors in the Council Bluffs MentorU program and to support in‐person activities for mentor‐mentee matches.
Birthright of Council Bluffs
Formula Vouchers | $750
Grant funds will support monthly formula vouchers for parents/guardians in Pottawattamie County.
Book Trust
Book Trust in Council Bluffs: Providing Access to Books for Low-Income Students | $500.00
Grant funding from the Community Foundation will allow Book Trust to continue to support students’ engagement in reading and cultivate life‐long learning.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands
Summer Brain Gain for Iowa Youth | $1,500.00
Funding will support the purchase of supplies, books, games, school supplies and awards for the Summer Brain Gain program at the Council Bluffs and Carter Lake Clubs.
Carson Business Club and City of Carson, Iowa
Carson Community Christmas | $2,500.00
Grant funding from the Community Foundation will help support expenses, including: Santa Claus, advertising/flyers, gazebo decorations, firetruck lighting and display, and more.
Carter Lake City Hall
Carter Lake Village Winter Festival Lighting Ceremony | $600.00
The Community Foundation for Western Iowa supported Carter Lake City Hall's third annual "Winter Festival" with a $600 Community Impact Grant.
More than 175 children stopped to take photographs with Santa and the Grinch. Community Foundation funds helped Carter Lake City Hall to provide gifts for children, take home craft kits from the workshop, and hot chocolate.
"On behalf of our Winter Festival Committee, we would like to thank you for your very generous donation to our event. The smiles on the children's faces told it all, and we couldn't have done it all without your support!" - Winter Festival Committee Members, Dianna and Jackie
Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus
Back to School Extravaganza | $1,500
Funds will support the purchase of school supplies and backpacks for students in Pottawattamie County. Supplies will include: water bottles, ear buds, notebooks, folders, colored pencils, markers, pens, pencils, erasers, glue and highlighters. On average, it costs $10.50 per student to supply a new backpack and basic school supplies.
CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs
Basic Health Needs Assistance Program | $1,000
Funding will support the BHNAP program by providing items, services, and materials to meet the basic health needs of people who recieve care at CHI Mercy and who, upon discharge, have no resources to purchase or obtain items necessary to their recovery and well-being.
Children's Square U.S.A.
Aftercare Initiative for Young People ages 18-21 Who Have Aged Out of Foster Care | $2,500.00
Entering adulthood is a pivotal point in every young person's life. For children who are aging out of the foster care system, they are one situation away from not having a place to call home. They are at risk for dropping out of school, incarceration, addiction, and mental health issues, and are at significantly higher risk for human trafficking. Programs like Children's Square provide the guidance and support to help them with their education, employment, housing, life skills, and health, and can build lasting-relationships with adults who can be a lifelong support system.
"Children's Square is grateful to the Community Foundation for Western Iowa for recognizing these young adults have dreams and aspirations, and need caring connections who believe in them, challenge them to reach their potential, and encourage them to persevere," said Debbie Orduna, Children's Square President and CEO. "The young adults we are working with through Aftercare Services go on to be high school and college graduates, wonderful employees, caring neighbors, and an important part of our community. They know their past doesn't define their future when they build the vision, courage, and will to succeed."
City of Avoca
Entertainment, Education, and Customer Engagement on Avoca Main Street | $900
Funding will help support educational programming at Farmers Markets (Wednesdays) and entertainment at the Longest Table event in September.
City of Minden
Playground/Park Revitalization | $2,500.00
Funds will support the purchase of 34,000 lbs of rubber mulch for the City of Minden's downtown playground.
City of Treynor
Keeping Treynor Active | $1,000.00
Community Foundation grant funding will be used to directly purchase equipment needed to support the disc golf course in Treynor, Iowa.
Family Crisis Centers
Family Crisis Centers' Awareness Project | $1,000.00
Grant funding from the Community Foundation will be used to educate Pottawattamie County residents on the services that are available to them if they are a victim or survivor of a violent crime. Family Crisis Centers will advertise on two public transportation displays for a five-month time period.
First Responders Foundation
First Responders Support Team - Behavioral Health Training and Crisis Support for Pottawattamie County | $2,000
This grant will provide advanced peer support training for the Council Bluffs Police and Fire Departments, with an attendance opportunity to surrounding county departments. Funding will also support follow-up crisis support for Team Leaders after critical incidents.
Golden Hills RC&D
8th Annual Southwest Iowa Art Tour | $1,000
Grant funds will help in the promotion of the 2021 Southwest Iowa Art Tour in order to make it the best event possible -- not only for artists and gathering places -- but also for those visiting and traveling for the Art Tour. Funds will also be used in the printing of brochures for the event.
Golden Hills RC&D
Promoting Pottawattamie County’s Museums Through Videos | $2,500.00
Community Impact grant funding from the Community Foundation for Western Iowa will support the creation of videos for 10 Pottawattamie County museums. Videos will entice a greater audience to patronize these museums by publicizing through websites and social media. This will inspire more local residents and visitors to see museums and will result in higher income through more admission fees and/or increased merchandise sales.
Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs
Homeownership Program Build | $1,000.00
Grant funds will be used to cover the construction, materials, and contracting costs of a four-bedroom, two-bathroom, slab home in Council Bluffs for a mother and her three sons.
Heartland Family Service
InSHAPE® Program | $1,000.00
Funding will help with program and transportation costs of the HFS InSHAPE project -- a health initiative developedby Dartmouth College for adults experiencing serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI). Programming will enrich the quality of life and improve life expectancy for individuals living with SPMI in Pottawattamie County.
Historic General Dodge House
July 4th Community Celebration | $1,000
Funding will help support a fun, family-oriented, outdoor event at the Historic General Dodge House celebrating July 4th. The event is expected to attract nearly 1,000 attendees that will feature free tours, free food, ice cream, entertainment and learning.
Inter-Faith Response
Emergency Assistance Fund | $2,000
Inter-Faith Response, Inc., with the generous assistance of the Community Foundation of Western Iowa, pays rents and utilities for the materially poor citizens of Council Bluffs. We do this by paying landlords and utilities directly.
Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital Foundation
Caring for Our Communities Program| $1,000
Vouchers are an integral part of the Caring For Our Communities (CFOC) initiative and provide additional agency and support to local at-risk, un-, and underinsured community members. These vouchers work in conjunction with CFOC team members to provide community members with personalized care and access to necessities like food, housing, medication, and durable medical equipment as well as one-on-one consultation.
Justice For Our Neighbors-Nebraska DBA Immigrant
Legal Center
Pottawattamie County Immigration Legal Services | $1,000
As a nonprofit law firm, Justice for Our Neighbors' primary focus is providing free civil immigration legal services to low-income immigrants. Acting as a safety net for low-income immigrants, they serve clients that other legal service providers are unable to serve, either due to funding restrictions, staff composition and location, or lack of capacity. Immigration Legal Counsel provides free immigration legal services to Pottawattamie County residents earning less than 150% of the federal poverty level ($45,000 for a family of four).
League of Human Dignity
Medical Equipment Loan and Rental Program | $1,500
Grant funding from the Community Foundation will help to purchase additional needed equipment, such as: shower benches, shower chairs with backs, walkers, commodes with drop arm, transport chairs, wheelchairs, and bed assist rails.
Minden Little League
Minden Little League Field Pitching Mound | $3,790
Grant funding will support the purchase a mobile pitching mound for the little league field.
New Visions Homeless Services
MOHMS Place Community Meal Site | $1,000
Grant funding from the Community Foundation for Western Iowa will support the MOHMs Place Meal Site -- a location open to the community and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner to those needing food security. The goal of the program is to combat hunger but also work closely with the homeless and near homeless community to remove barriers to stability.
Omaha/Council Bluffs Bridges Out of Poverty
Southwest Iowa Poverty Alleviation Initiative | $2,000
Community Foundation grant funds will be used in Council Bluffs and SW Iowa to provide ten (10) week Getting Ahead classes to cohorts of 12 to 14 under-resourced individuals with multiple cohorts throughout the year. The curriculum is used in more than 200 U.S. communities and is 75% successful in helping under-resourced individuals lift themselves out of poverty. Our long-term goal is to reduce poverty in Pottawattamie County by 50% in the next 10 years.
Omaha Conservatory of Music
Pottawattamie County String Sprouts | $1,000
Grant funding will support Pottawattamie County String Sprouts students and their families in the String Sprouts early education program. Funding will support underserved children ages three to nine and their families.
Omaha Symphony
2021-22 Mission Imagination at Iowa Western | $1,000
Each year, the Omaha Symphony’s Mission Imagination travels to Iowa Western Community College to provide a unique educational opportunity for Southwest Iowa students. Mission Imagination is an interactive music program that teaches students age‐appropriate music concepts for a foundation in music education. In 2022, the Omaha Symphony will perform “A Zookeeper’s Melody” at the Arts Center on the IWCC campus. These four performances will be open to any pre‐K through 3rd grade students.
Grant funds from the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation will be used to support the Mission Imagination educational programming presented at the Arts Center at IWCC for students in and around Pottawattamie County.
Phoenix House Family Services
Completely Kids | $1,000
Completely KIDS’ Family Services at Catholic Charities Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program shelter supports survivors of domestic violence and their children to overcome the stressors and upheaval of violence and homelessness. This year, with Community Foundation for Western Iowa support, the program will serve 20 parents and 15 kids with intensive engagement activities.
Pottawattamie Arts Culture & Entertainment (PACE)
PACE Music in the Park | $1,500
Music in the Park is a series of free concerts held in Bayliss Park on Wednesday evenings in June and July. The concerts feature a variety of performances including country, jazz, rock and roll, and more. Music in the Park has become a regional event with patrons coming from greater Pottawattamie County and surrounding areas.
Southwest Iowa Fish Team Inc
Fish Habitat Conservation Project | $1,500
Grant funding will help with Southwest Iowa Fish Team's "Conservation Project."
Preserving habitats is essential to preserving biodiversity. Like all animals, fish need a healthy living space or habitat, to survive, grow, and reproduce. The quality and quantity of fish habitat in a water body directly affects fish populations. SWIFT will build several types of fish structures to address the needs of aquatic life in the lakes and ponds. Spawning bed structures provide a solid bottom for females to lay their eggs and males to protect them during the spawn. Lake bottom structures such as the logs and brush piles help younger fish to survive post spawn. Suspended structures are called vertical trees that provide cover and shade for fish 5 to 8 feet off the bottom of the lake. Based on the condition of the aquatic life and the assistance from Bryan Hayes and Adam Gacke at the Iowa DNR, the artificial fish habitats structures will be placed in one or several of the following locations in Pottawattamie County; Carter Lake, Lake Manawa, Farm Creek Lake, Arrowhead Pond, Saganaush Pond, Big Lake (Including Gilbert's Pond) and Riepe Pond.
Underwood Optimist Club
Underwood Optimist Ballfield Improvements | $2,000
Funding will support new roofs for shade on boys field dugouts, a new scoreboard for boys field, updated coolers and other miscellaneous equipment for concession stand, picnic tables and field repairs.
Vision Treynor Group
The Treynor Family Recreation Complex: Phase Two | $4,000
Funding will support phase II of "The T" which includes completing one youth soccer and baseball/softball field and concessions in anticipation of youth sports beginning spring 2021.
Visiting Nurse Association Pottawattamie County
VNA Bridging Healthcare for the Vulnerable (BHV) Program | $1,000
Funding from the Community Foundation will ensure that those who are most vulnerable in Pottawattamie County and do not have the ability to pay for medical care will have access to VNA services. An impact grant will not only support VNA’s sustainability in providing home care services in a rapidly changing healthcare climate that threatens traditional funding streams and leaves a large segment of the population in‐need without resources for care, but also ensure even the most complex and vulnerable individuals have access to the resources they need to be healthy and independent. Funds will assist with medications, transportation, safety and durable medical equipment, utility and rent/mortgage bills, and assistance with minor modifications to homes.
Vocational Development Center, Inc. (VODEC)
Equipment to Enhance the Health and Safety of Developmentally and Intellectually Disabled Youth and Adults | $1,000
This project will provide a much needed AED for our 7 disabled residents and the staff who work with them at our 4rth street duplex. The project will also provide a TV and soundbar for our Council Bluffs Training Facility to engage consumers who are at home and unable to attend our onsite day habilitation services due to the pandemic or for any other health reason. This equipment will go a long way to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable in our community and those who care for them.
Walnut Community Center Foundation, Inc.
Walnut Community Center - ADA Accessibility | $5,000
Funds will support a handicap auto door opener and the cost for installation to make the facility easier to access for all people.