Midlands Community Foundation Awards Grants Totaling $108,457

Midlands Community Foundation (www.midlandscommunity.org) has awarded grants totaling $108,457 to 22 non-profit organizations serving Sarpy and Cass counties including: American Lung Association – $7,500; American Lutheran Church, The Kids’ Cupboard – $2,500; Bellevue Housing Authority Foundation – $4,000; Bellevue Public Library – $4,600 (challenge); CHI Health Midlands Hospital – $7,000; Common Fund of the Heartland – $5,000; Daniel J. Gross Catholic High School – $5,000; Foundation for Providing Opportunities for Plattsmouth Schools – $8,500; Heartland Family Service – $1,900; HELP Adult Services – $2,000; Joslyn Art Museum – $5,000; Keipos, Inc. – $3,825; Literacy Center of the Midlands – $5,000; Louisville Public School Foundation – $5,000 (challenge); Merrymakers Association – $5,500; Moving Veterans Forward – $8,372; Muscular Dystrophy Association – $2,940; Papillion-LaVista Community Theatre – $2,000; Patriotic Productions – $10,000; TeamMates Mentoring Program of Bellevue – $2,820; YMCA of Greater Omaha – $5,000; Youth Emergency Services – $5,000 (challenge).

Representatives of the non-profit organizations receiving grants are as pictured:

Front Row (L to R): Ron Hernandez (Moving Veterans Forward); Karla Rupiper (MCF Board President); Patti Craig (Merrymakers Association); Julie Bear (MCF Grants Committee Chair); Penny Koenig (HELP Adult Services); Mary Fraser Meints (Youth Emergency Services); Ryan Schmidt (American Lung Association); Danielle Jelensperger (Muscular Dystrophy Association); Evonne Williams (Patriotic Productions); Tera Thomas (YMCA); Dr. Dorothy Ostrowski (Gross Catholic).

Back Row (L to R): Dr. Richard Hasty (Plattsmouth Public Schools); Emily Tonniges (Papillion-La Vista Community Theatre); Kirsten Case (Literacy Center of the Midlands); Valerie Downs (Louisville Public Schools Foundation); Maureen McNamara (Bellevue Public Schools); Dawn Conley (Heartland Family Service); Adam Thompson (Bellevue Housing Authority); Bette McCoy (American Lutheran Church, The Kids’ Cupboard); Amanda Smith (CHI Health Midlands Hospital); Frankie Hannan (Bellevue Public Library); Judi Martin (Common Fund of the Heartland); Jonathan Dodd (Keipos, Inc.); Agne Dizona (Joslyn Art Museum).

This is the second of two grant distributions for Midlands Community Foundation’s fiscal year. The next grant deadline will be August 1, 2016, with funds distributed in October. Through its grants program, Midlands Community Foundation places an emphasis on prevention and education. For more information on the Midlands Community Foundation, contact Diane Knicky at (402) 991-8027 or visit www.midlandscommunity.org.