Committee awards third round of response grants

13 May Committee awards third round of response grants

Eight nonprofit organizations received a total of $25,150 Monday in the third round of grants issued from the Rally Reno Nonprofit Response Fund.

The money comes from a $110,000 pool funded by donors of the United Way of Reno County and Hutchinson Community Foundation. The grants are aimed at expanding local nonprofits’ capacities to continue providing services during the COVID-19 crisis.

A total of $95,700 in grants have been awarded to 26 organizations since the fund was established in April.

A panel of community leaders awarded the following grants:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Hutchinson – $5,000: Support the purchase of two shade structures and two adjustable basketball goals to expand outdoor play area to help club members maintain advised social distancing during summer programming.
• Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland – $2,000: Funds will be used for costs of implementing programming, such as “Camp At Home” and “Camp in a Box,” which allow for continuation of Girl Scout leadership development in Reno County during times of social distancing limitations. Funds may also be used as financial aid for member registration and to cover costs of badges and patches for girls in need of financial aid.
• Hadley Day Care Center – $5,000: Grant will assist with Hadley’s operational expenses until the center is functioning at full capacity again as families return to work.
• JAM Program-Plainview Mennonite Church – $2,500: Funds will allow the group to continue providing food to families in rural Reno County whose children (50-60 total) participate in the program, helping meet an immediate need during a time when the full congregation is not gathering and able to make regular food donations.
• Prairie Independent Living Resource Center (PILR) – $2,500: Allow for purchase of personal hygiene items and nonperishable food items to distribute to clients who are in need.
• TECH, Inc. – $3,500: Funds will allow for purchase of tablets, web cams and other pieces of technology that will allow staff to engage more clients with activities, such as art classes, games and connecting with friends during times of social distancing.
• TFI Family Services – $1,500: Grant will assist with purchase of equipment, such as weighted blankets, calming portable tents, fidget manipulatives and other materials, used to make up Calming Kits distributed to foster children in Reno County during times of increased anxiety.
• United Way of Reno County – $3,150: Funds will be used to purchase no-touch thermometers for nonprofit organizations that need this equipment to monitor staff and clients but could not have anticipated COVID-19 and the need for this high-cost equipment when budgeting for 2020.

Those who would like to make a gift to the Rally Reno Nonprofit Response Fund may contact Hutchinson Community Foundation President and CEO Aubrey Abbott Patterson at aubrey@hutchcf.org or 620-200-0175 or United Way of Reno County Executive Director Lisa Gleason at lgleason@unitedwayofrenocounty.org or 620-669-9329.