The Rock Island Community Foundation has announced its 2023 grant awards totaling $99,530 for 50 nonprofit organizations.
“Grants must be consistent with our mission, which is ‘To enhance the lives of the citizens of Rock Island,’” said Gary Rowe, the organization’s executive director.
Grant recipients included programs that serve children, teens, families and the elderly; education and mentoring programs; healthcare and the arts. The foundation’s nine-member board of directors reviewed and approved the latest grant applications.
The Rock Island Community Foundation was founded in 1967 by eight community leaders who each contributed $20 to start an organization that would benefit Rock Island.
The foundation made its first and only grant in 1968, for $125. Today, with assets of more than $4 million, the Rock Island Community Foundation has made grants totaling more than $24 million to 217 organizations.
“We are grateful to the many generous individuals and organizations who have contributed to programs that serve so many in Rock Island,” Mr. Rowe said.
Applications for this round of grants opened in March. For more information, visit the Foundation’s website.
The 2023 grant recipients and the dollar amounts (when available) were:
- Augustana College, The Penguin Project: theater for disabled children, $1,500.
- Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley, “Kids Cook” series, $2,300.
- Christian Care, playground equipment at Martha’s House, $1,000.
- Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois, financial assistance to girls in Rock Island schools, $2,500.
- Hand-in-Hand, Sensory walk, $1,000.
- Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, basic needs for children in care, $2,000.
- Rock Island County Children’s Advocacy Center, “Carpet for healing,” $1,500.
- Alleman High School Library, resources, $2,000.
- Bethany for Children & Families, Rock Island County Teen Pregnancy Initiative, $2,500.
- Every Child, teen parent group at Rock Island High School, $2,500.
- Fresh Films, workforce development for Rock Island youth, $1,880.
- NAMI, mental health outreach for youth, $2,000.
- Narratives, commercial refrigerator for program center, $2,000.
- Rocky Resource Room, clothing, personal care items for students, $1,000.
- Two Rivers YMCA, teen mentoring programs, $2,000.
- Youth Hope, to sponsor 20 Rock Island teens for summer camp, $3,000.
- Youth Service Bureau of Rock Island County, counseling for low-income children & families, $3,750.
- Children’s Therapy Center of the Quad Cities, uncompensated care for low-income Rock Island children, $3,000.
- School Health Link, medical equipment for new clinic at Rock Island High School, $3,850.
- Children’s Therapy Center of the Quad Cities, uncompensated care for low-income Rock Island children, $3,000.
- School Health Link, medical equipment for new clinic at RIHS, $3,850.
- Dress for Success Quad Cities, Smart Money Management, $1,500.
- Jordan Catholic Schools, Literacy Program, $2,000.
- Rock Island County Extension & 4-H Education Foundation, civic engagement club at Edison Junior High School, $1,000.
- Safer Foundation, employment services for adult ex-offenders, $2,500.
- Spring Forward Learning Center, after-school programming at the Rock Island Academy, $4,000.
- STEAM on Wheels, two family STEAM nights at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, $750.
- WQPT First Book Club, books for children, $1,000.
- Youth Build Quad Cities, Job skills in construction trades for Rock Island students, $2,500.
- Heart of Hope Ministries, recreation programs for neighborhood youth, $2,000.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, Rock Island Boxing Club, $1,500.
- Rock Island Girls Softball League, upgrade the field and facilities,$1,500.
- Ballet Quad Cities, social-emotional learning in Rock Island schools, $2,000.
- Figge Art Museum, “Big Picture” art education for Rock Island schools, $2,000.
- Putnam Museum & Science Center, Community access fund, $2,000.
- Quad City Arts, Visiting Artist programs in Rock Island schools, $2,000.
- Quad City Symphony Orchestra Association, presentations in Rock Island schools, $2,000.
- SBC Music Academy, student outreach for arts program, $2,000.
- Church of Peace Food Pantry, food for Rock Island residents, $2,500.
- NEST Café, food and material costs, $2,000.
- Humility Homes & Services, help with stable housing for Rock Island citizens, $1,500.
- Pregnancy Resources, Infant & Health Safety for Dads, $1,750.
- QCAir, ensuring positive interaction with police through Language Resource Cards, $1,500.
- Tapestry Farms, nine food deliveries to families at $150 each, $1,350.
- World Relief, family literacy program materials, $2,000.
- Friendship Manor, “Re-establishing a sustainable friendship,” $3,000.
- River Bend Foodbank, senior food pantry at Spencer Tower, $3,000.
- Common Chord, music programs for special needs youth & adults, $1,500.
- Genesius Guild, costumes for 2024 season, $1,500.
- Clock, Inc., commercial refrigerator, $1,900.
- Community Caring Conference, expanding our resources, $1,000.
- Underwear Because We Care, providing underwear to the needy and homeless, $1,500.
