Hutchinson Community Foundation Awards Announced Thursday

The Hutchinson Community Foundation announced the 2012 Fund for Hutchinson grant awards on Thursday at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. First awarded in 1990, more than $2.3 million has been awarded to 169 area organizations and agencies from this Fund. This year, 25 organizations providing a myriad of services and programs in Reno County are collectively receiving $144,955.

Grant recipient organizations are –

ARTS & CULTURE –

Reno County Historical Society – Restoration of the courtyard fountain and sprinkler system – $3,850

HCC Fine Arts Department – Support for guest artists appearing in Nathan Jackson’s play “When I Come to Die” and public forums to discuss race relations – $4,600

CAPACITY BUILDING/EQUIPMENT –

Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Center – Security equipment in the Center’s Children’s Visitation and Exchange Center – $3,500

Meals on Wheels – Operational support for program to serve additional low income persons – $2,000

Visions of Hope – Support for Court Appointed Special Advocates program – $2,000

Prairie Independent Living Resource – Replacement computer server to maintain client and organizational records – $3,500

Reno County Area Transportation – Construction of a bus shelter on an RCAT designated route – $4,575

Arlington Community Center – Construction of a picnic shelter near the Arlington Community Center – $4,625

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION –

Kansas Children’s Service League – Healthy Families Reno County – Support for home visitation program for overburdened parents and their very young children – $12,000

Kansas Public Television – Grant to leverage donations supporting children’s educational programming – $2,500

Hutchinson Community College Child Care Center – Water/sand area in the Center’s playscape, an outdoor play and education area – $5,000

FAMILY ECONOMIC SUCCESS –

Interfaith Housing Services – Enable the Executive Director to attend the Harvard Achieving Excellence program to gain knowledge of housing and community development – $4,300

City of Hutchinson Housing Commission – Second year of a three-year grant to support a marketing and communications plan for the Community Housing Trust – $3,750

Reno County Drug Court – Intensive services to high-risk clients – $11,345

Trinity United Methodist Church – Circles of Hope Reno County program, a community initiative to help stabilize families with limited resources – $11,400

The Volunteer Center – Computer equipment to assure accurate and secure income tax returns for residents using the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program – $1,070

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT –

Horizons Mental Health Center – Support for the Personal Safety Awareness Program taught to Reno County children – $2,000

Boys & Girls Club – Support for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum for Club members – $10,000

Communities That Care of Reno County – Youth leaders will host a summit in January 2013 for Reno County middle school youth to encourage a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle – $3,000

Hutchinson High School – Implementation of the International Baccalaureate Career-related Certification Programme, a component of the existing IB Diploma Programme – $10,000

USD 310 Fairfield – Support for high school mentors working in the Afterschool Academy – $5,000

Rice Park Neighborhood – Support for a Splash Pad Water Park in Rice Park – $15,000

NUTRITION & PHYSICAL ACTIVITY –

Reno County Health Department – Facilitation to create a Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan – $1,540

Reno County Vitality Team – Local cyclists will be trained and certified by the League of American Bicyclists to provide safe cycling instruction in Reno County schools and for the community at large – $3,400

Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce – Funds will support the connection of the northeast walking and biking trail to the Dillons Marketplace property – $15,000

Hutchinson Community Foundation’s mission is to connect donors to community needs, increase philanthropy and provide leadership on key community issues. Since 1989 the foundation has granted more than $60 million. The Community Foundation meets National Standards for operational quality, donor service and accountability in the community foundation sector.