Susanne Wilczek (right) of The Sharing Center receives one of their three grants. /Submitted photo
The Kenosha Community Foundation honored one of its own – Howard J. Brown – at its annual Grants Distribution Reception held at Kenosha’s Civil War Museum. Foundation Executive Director Robert Schneider, remembered Brown’s generosity and caring, and noted that contributions to Mr. Brown’s Endowment Fund at the Foundation continue.
At the reception, five of the funds managed by Kenosha Community Foundation awarded grants for 2011. In all, 24 grants, totaling $73,000, were awarded to 14 different not-for-profit organizations.
Three grants went to The Sharing Center, Western Kenosha County’s emergency relief agency based in Paddock Lake.
From the Foundation’s Unrestricted Endowments, awards went to:
- The Sharing Center in Salem to support the center’s resource center which serves low-income residents of Western Kenosha County.
- Kenosha Literacy Council for its “Family Recovery†Project that helps to improve literacy skills within the family.
- Shalom Center for its emergency family shelter operations.
- Kenosha Area Family & Aging Services, Inc. to provide 300 hours of respite for low-income caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients.
- Women & Children’s Horizon for its public outreach efforts.
- Youth Employment in the Arts (YEA!) overseen by Kenosha Public Museum for materials, supplies and installation costs for the public artwork created by the program.
- Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha to expand its summer youth employment program.
From the Susann LaFave Family Fund, awards were given to:
- Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast to deliver its Words Can Hurt program to area girls.
- Peace Learning Circles of Kenosha & Racine’s program that teaches non-violent, conflict resolution & pro-social relationship skills for school-aged children.
- St. Joseph Catholic Academy of Kenosha to send teachers to a conference on expanding the use of laptop/tablet technologies in the classroom.
- The Fifth House Ensemble’s “One Shot!†series of arts-integrated programs at Kenosha Unified’s K-5 classes, done in collaboration with Carthage College students.
From the Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) Legacy Endowment, awards went to:
- The Sharing Center to support the food donation program for low-income residents.
- Kenosha Area Family & Aging Services for the “RSVP†program that places 55 years & older volunteers to mentor at-risk K-8 students in the Kenosha Unified School District.
- Women & Children’s Horizon for presentations for women and children at the shelter.Lemon Street Gallery & Artspace’s project for Washington Middle School students to learn mosaic art and create a permanent public artwork in Union Park.
- The Foundation’s Women’s Fund awarded grants to:
- The Sharing Center for its Personal Hygiene program (includes hygiene kits and grooming) for low income residents of Western Kenosha County.
- Women & Children’s Horizon for language interpreter services (including Spanish, Russian, and American Sign) for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
- Kenosha Literacy Council for its “Mother’s Words†program for women participants to improve literacy by writing a book that they can read to their children.
- Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast to a fund that helps Kenosha area girls attend camp.
- Lemon Street Gallery & Artspace to fund ceramic studio sessions for participants from Women’s and Children’s Horizon and Urban Outreach. Some of these ceramics will be sold at Harbor Market with proceeds going to other charities.
- Kenosha Area Family & Aging Services’ Teen Parent Support Program that provides homebased parenting skills training to teen parent (18 & under).
- The Foundation’s Arts Fund awarded grants to:
- Kenosha Symphony Foundation towards the Orchestra’s free youth concerts in collaboration with the Kenosha Unified School District.
- Lakeside Players of Kenosha’s Children’s Series for the 2011-2012 season.
- Lemon Street Gallery’s program for Union Park teens to create plein aire paintings.
Ken Fellman, president of the Kenosha Community Foundation Board of Directors, thanked the members of the Foundation Grants Committees for its work in selecting the grantees from among the more than 60 applications the foundation received. The Foundation’s Grants Committees are made up of Foundation Board members and other representatives of the Kenosha area.
The Kenosha Community Foundation, organized in 1926 as a tax-exempt public charity, actively manages permanent endowments established by individuals, families and business organizations. The Foundation manages over $5 million in endowment funds and each year awards around $200,000 in grants and scholarships to Kenosha area non-profit organizations and students.
