The Grant W. Brissman and Virginia M. Brissman Foundation recently awarded more than $161,000 to three dozen nonprofits that supports the quality of life in the Village of Milan.
The Brissman Foundation, administered by the Quad Cities Community Foundation, announced that 36 organizations – including five addressing food insecurity – are the recipients of this year’s grants.
“This year’s grants reflect the breadth of community need and the generosity and vision of Grant and Virginia Brissman,” Cathy Edwards, a Brissman Foundation trustee, said in a news release announcing the 2025 grants. “Their legacy continues to strengthen Milan, the community they loved, by putting funds where they’re needed most. We’re honored to help maintain and grow that legacy and support the organizations that make Milan stronger and brighter for everyone.”
Among this year’s grantees are five organizations responding directly to the region’s growing challenge of hunger and food insecurity. They are: Two Rivers YMCA, River Bend Food Bank, Project NOW Inc., the Milan Christian Food Pantry, and Heart of Hope Ministries.
Together, the groups are expanding access to nutritious meals for children, families, and older adults across the Milan area.
Two Rivers YMCA, Moline, received a $2,500 grant to support a program that provides healthy meals to kids at school and community sites throughout Rock Island County.
“We want kids to truly thrive,” Rebecca Cantu, the YMCA’s community relations director, said. “Children need reliable access to healthy, balanced meals. Our food program ensures that, whether it’s before school, after school, or during summer programs, kids have what they need to learn, grow, and thrive.”
Its commitment has scaled rapidly. In 2024 alone, Two Rivers served more than 205,000 meals across 40 sites. It worked closely with schools, partner organizations, and community centers to distribute meals where they are needed most.
Brissman family legacy
The meals are planned and prepared in the YMCA’s commercial kitchen at its Rock Island branch and then delivered to sites serving Milan students, including Thomas Jefferson Elementary, Ridgewood Elementary, and Edison Junior High.
In the wake of rising food costs and insufficient federal reimbursements, nonprofits are grappling with funding gaps to meet the increased demand for such programs.
“Grants like those awarded by the Brissman Foundation are huge for us,” Ms. Cantu said in the release. “They expand our capacity and allow us to reach more kids with high-quality, nutritious food. That work helps the whole community grow stronger.”
Grant Brissman, a longtime Milan business owner and founding director of Blackhawk State Bank, and his wife Virginia, a 40-year employee of Illinois Bell, dedicated their lives and estates to supporting the community they called home. Today, their foundation continues that legacy by investing in the organizations building a stronger, healthier Milan for future generations.
The 2025 Brissman Foundation recipients and their grant amounts are:
- Alternatives for the Older Adult, $8,000.
- Augustana College – Advancement Office, $1,500.
- Ballet Quad Cities, $3,000.
- Bethany for Children & Families, $2,500.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley, $4,000.
- Children’s Therapy Center of the Quad Cities, $10,000.
- Christian Care, $5,000.
- Community Health Care, Inc., $2,500.
- EveryChild, $2,000.
- Family Resources, Inc., $5,000.
- Figge Art Museum, $5,000.
- Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois – Quad Cities, $2,000.
- Heart of Hope Ministries, $5,000.
- Humility Homes and Services, Inc., $2,000.
- Junior Achievement of the Heartland, $5,000.
- Marriage and Family Counseling Service, $2,500.
- Milan Chamber of Commerce, $10,000.
- Milan Christian Food Pantry, $10,000.
- Narratives QC, $3,000.
- New Kingdom Trailriders, $1,000.
- Prairie State Legal Service, Inc., $2,500.
- Pregnancy Resources, $2,500.
- Project NOW, Inc., $10,000.
- Quad City Arts, $2,500.
- Quad City Symphony Orchestra, $3,000.
- River Action Inc., $2,500.
- River Bend Food Bank, $2,500.
- Rock Island Milan Little League, $5,000.
- Royal Ball Run for Autism, Inc., $2,500.
- Safer Foundation – Quad Cities, $8,000.
- SAL Family and Community Services, $10,000.
- School Health LINK, Inc., $2,000.
- Scouting America – Illowa Council, $4,000.
- Spring Forward Learning Center, $7,500.
- Two Rivers YMCA, $2,500.
- Youth Service Bureau of Rock Island County, $5,000.
