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The Wellmark Foundation awards 23 organizations grant funds Recipients' sustainable projects encourage healthier lifestyles in communities

May 29, 2015

DES MOINES, Iowa - The Wellmark Foundation, today, announced the 23 recipients of its 2015 Healthy Communities small grant program. The Healthy Communities small grant program supports projects of $25,000 or less with the goal of encouraging new collaborations that are focused on improving the health of a community. This includes ensuring all residents have access to nutritious food and safe places to be active where they live, work, play and learn.

“We are pleased to support these 23 community-focused projects in Iowa and South Dakota,” said Stephanie Perry, The Wellmark Foundation manager. “These grants provide communities support to increase physical activity, as well as enhance access to healthy, affordable foods.”

A total of 94 applications were received for this year’s Healthy Communities small grant program. The 15 selected to receive funding in Iowa include:

  • Catherine McAuley Center, $14,080
    • Project: Improving Access to Knowledge and Healthy Food for Transitional Housing Program Residents
  • Children & Families of Iowa, $24,000
    • Project: Table Talk with Teens-Nutrition Education for At-Risk Youth
  • ChildServe Foundation, $15,000
    • Project: ChildServe Healing Garden
  • City of Fairfield, $25,000
    • Project: Safe Paths to Recreation
  • Community Opportunities, Inc., $25,000
    • Project: Food, Resources & Education Serving Households (F.R.E.S.H.) Tour
  • Coralville Ecumenical Food Pantry, $23,500
    • Project: Grow: Johnson County
  • Courage League Sports, $8,295
    • Project: Team RunFree
  • Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center - EMBARC, $22,800
    • Project: Refugee Health Navigator Project
  • Goodwill of the Great Plains, $7,565.40
    • Project: Active Living, Healthy Eating for Adults with Disabilities
  • Habitat for Humanity of Marion County, Inc., $18,000
    • Project: Rehabilitation of Book Circle Park in Pella, Iowa
  • Healthiest Ames, $25,000
    • Project: Healthy Heroes/Heathiest Ames
  • Highland Park Presbyterian Church/Hearts & Hands: Women and Children’s Health Center, $25,000
    • Project: Step into Health Exercise and Fitness Center
  • Linn-Mar Community School District, $25,000
    • Project: Lifelong Health and Wellness through Fitness for All
  • Mercy Health Care Foundation, $7,530
    • Project: Grow, Eat, and Learn
  • Operation Threshold, Inc., $25,000
    • Project: Legacy Gardens Phase I Refugee Program

     

The eight selected to receive funding in South Dakota include:

  • Black Hills Special Services Cooperative, $25,000
    • Project: East Madison Street Community Garden
  • Boys and Girls Clubs of the Black Hills/Boys and Girls Club of Lead-Deadwood, $25,000
    • Project: Play, Learn, Grow
  • Boys and Girls Club of the Sioux Empire, $25,000
    • Project: Future Biz Kids
  • Cheyenne River Youth Program, $25,000
    • Project: Wiyan Toka Win (Leading Lady) Garden
  • De Smet Community Foundation, $24,400
    • Project: De Smet Area/Wellmark Keep-Moving-Thru-Winter Challenge
  • Ground Works-Midwest, $14,976.40
    • Project: YES! Summer School Day Camp
  • Plenty International, $21,000
    • Project: Slim Buttes Agricultural Development Program 2015
  • Rosebud Economic Development Corporation, $24,820
    • Project: Community Food Sovereignty Initiative: Healthy Food, Healthy Choice

     

The Wellmark Foundation is proud to award a cumulative total of over $475,000 to these 23 grant recipients.

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