Lee County Charitable Fund Announces 2021 Grant Recipients

For Immediate Release

2021 Lee County Charitable Fund Grant Recipients

Contact: Philip Ricketts, Grant Manager

Phone: 319.670.0207

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.leecountycharitablefund.org

2021 Lee County Charitable Fund Grant Recipients

About the Lee County Charitable Fund/ The County Endowment Fund

The Lee County Charitable Fund is a permanent endowment fund of the Keokuk Area Community Foundation. Every year, The County Endowment Fund contributes to the Lee County Charitable Fund to support charitable projects in Lee County.

The County Endowment Fund Program was established in 2004 by the Iowa State Legislature in HF 2302. Through the County Endowment Fund Program, a percentage of the state’s gaming tax revenue is distributed to community foundations in the 84 counties that do not hold a state-issued gaming license. The community foundation organizations then grant 75 percent of those funds to charitable projects within their counties and place the remaining 25 percent in a permanent endowment fund, which is intended to attract other donations and provide a source of permanent funding for charitable projects within the county.

2021 Lee County Charitable Fund Grants

The Board of Directors of The Lee County Charitable Fund met last week to award grants to 17 Lee County Iowa 501 C (3) exempt non-profit organizations and qualified government agencies. The Lee County Charitable Fund consists of board members from both the North Lee Community Foundation and the Keokuk Area Community Foundation. The directors of the Lee County Charitable Fund awarded 17 Lee County nonprofit organizations grant funding. Grants were awarded to nonprofit organizations that promoted the fields of arts and culture, community betterment, education, health, and human services in Lee County Iowa. $75,755.47 was distributed to 17 Lee County nonprofit organizations.

Organization – Project:

1. Donnellson Ball Association – The Westview Park Playground
2. Common Grounds – meals for youth
3. Denmark Firefighters Foundation Inc. – for the purchase of an emergency response trailer
4. Domestic Violence Intervention Program – The Lee County Transitional Housing Project
5. Emma Cornelis Hospitality House – food and supplies for the Emma Cornelis Homeless Shelter
6. Fort Madison High School –  Fort Madison High School Literacy Project
7. Friends of Shimek State Forest Equestrian Trails, Inc. – facility improvements for hiker and riders at Shimek State Forest
8. Grand Theatre Corporate Foundation – for heating system repairs
9. Hoerner YMCA of Keokuk – for renovations to Hoerner YMCA obby floor
10. Hope Haven Area Development Center – for the Keokuk Day Habilitation Program
11. Houghton Ball Association – for new bleachers
12. Keokuk Catholic Schools/St. Vincent’s Elementary – for Chromebooks
13. Keokuk Union Depot Foundation – for the trackside canopy restoration at the Keokuk Union Depot
14. KPLAY Playgrounds for All! – Bentley’s Playground Splash Pad
15. Lydia’s House –  for food and supplies at Lydia’s House
16. Montrose Riverfront, Inc. – for the Windows to the Past Project
17. The Salvation Army-Keokuk – for the Salvation Army soap pantry and youth education