The Alexandria Area Community Foundation has awarded $47,200 to local programs through the Ruth McDonald Fund and "Difference Maker" grant rounds.
The grant round supports health and wellness programming in the Alexandria area, especially for the health needs of people in poverty. Recipients of the Ruth McDonald grants were as follows:
- $5,000 to the Central Minnesota Elder Network to support their work of providing companionship and friendship to elders in the community.
- $3,600 to the Village Family Service Center for the Girls 360 Degrees Group, which educates girls on topics relevant to a female adolescent's life to promote healthy living, positive mental health and responsible lifestyles.
- $3,600 to Safe Families for Children to keep children safe and families intact.
The "Difference Maker" grant round supports community initiatives that will bring about positive change to the community and supports programming in the focus areas of education, social services, health, arts and culture, and civics. Recipients of the "Difference Maker" grants were as follows:
- $16,000 to the Village Family Service Center for its Love and Logic Parenting program that helps parents develop healthy, respectful and loving relationships with their children.
- $15,820 to the Kalon Prep Academy to assist with renovations to provide enhanced learning opportunities for area students.
- $3,180 to the BIO Girls program that provides a 12-week program that combines life-skills curriculum, mentoring, community service and physical activity for adolescent girls (ages 7-12).
Holly Witt, executive director of the Alexandria Area Community Foundation, said, "The overall health and wellness of our community is more important than ever as COVID has affected our lives in many different ways over the last year and a half. The legacy of Ruth McDonald, a local public health nurse, lives on in these programs and participants as we strive for a healthier tomorrow."
The Alexandria Area Community Foundation attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the local Alexandria area. Since 1992, AACF has grown to over $7.6 million in assets and awarded over $6.6 million in grants to nonprofits.
The AACF is governed by a local board of directors and is a partner of CommunityGiving, which is a collaborative of many community foundations united under a single framework to create efficiencies that maximize the impact of donors. Collectively, CommunityGiving administers over 900 funds totaling nearly $201 million. Learn more at CommunityGiving.org/Alexandria.
