JCCF awards over $99,000 in grants

On Dec. 2, the Jones County Community Foundation (JCCF) held its annual grant celebration at Calkin’s Barn in Wyoming. They celebrated a successful year of community impact with donors, non-profit leaders, and community partners. 

The JCCF awarded just over $99,000 in grants to 17 local non-profits:

Anamosa Boosters 

Holly Niernberger and Amanda Bieber were present to accept the grant. The money will go toward improvements to the two-story concession stand, “which serves both music and athletic boosters,” said Bieber. “We provide a steady source of income for the athletic and music programs of Anamosa.

Cedar/Jones Early Childhood Iowa 

Board member Steve Williams accepted the donation for the Early Literacy Book Project. 

ECI is involved in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which provides one book a month to kids ages 0-5. The cost of the program is $25 a year, or roughly $2.08 per book. 

“This grant will provides lots of books,” acknowledged Williams. 

Sherri Hunt, ECI coordinator, said they are currently serving 453 families in Jones County. “It takes a lot of funds so we’re very grateful to the JCCF for supporting this,” she said.

Martelle Public Library 

They received a grant to help with a circulation station and organizing their library resources.

Monticello Public Library 

Library Director Michelle Turnis and board members Don Tapken and Kim Brooks were present to accept the grant. The funds will go toward the library renovation and reorganization project. 

After 14 years at the current location, Turnis said much of the furniture is outdated. The library, in general, is also in need of updates for functionality. 

“Sound carries very well in our library,” explained Turnis. “We want to move our children’s area around to help cut down on the sound that carries. And we want to have comfortable furniture for our families.”

Every Child Reads Jones County (Grade Level Reading Campaign) 

Heather Weers, coordinator, accepted the grant. 

Sherri Hunt, GLR board member, highlighted the program earlier in the evening as one of the ways the JCCF is trying to create long-term sustainable change. 

GLR started about a year and a half ago in Jones County to help children achieve the goal of reading by third grade. 

“If you’re not reading by third grade at grade level,” said Hunt, “it’s a key predictor of a child’s future success. Third grade is that time when you go from learning to read to reading to learn. If you’re not reading at the third grade level, you start to fall behind even quicker.” 

Weers and her board have been working with community partners and county schools to pinpoint the issues when it comes to early literacy. After gathering data, the schools have indicated that absenteeism is one of the factors. 

“It’s not those kids that miss once in a while,” said Hunt. “It’s the chronic ones missing more than 10 percent of school.” 

GLR is working to assist the schools and collectively make an impact. 

Grant Wood Scenic Byway 

Jared Nielsen, Scenic Byway coordinator, said the funds would go toward their new Maquoketa River regional guidebook. 

“This has been a project that’s been in the works for a couple of years now. With this funding we can finally get going on it,” said Nielsen. “We plan to have the publication out by this upcoming fall for visitors and residents who are interested in experiencing the Maquoketa River.” 

Jones County Community Food Bank 

Julie Finn shared that funds will go toward additional shelving and a commercial refrigerator. 

The Food Bank serves 225 families in Jones County. 

“We’re looking at updating and remodeling our food pantry so we can get more produce and ordering more food from the food reservoir.” 

Jones County EMS Association 

Jean McPherson, with the Association, shared that funds will assist in the cost of training future EMTs in Jones County. 

“There’s always a shortage,” she said. “There’s always a need for more EMTs and paramedics in the county, especially in our rural areas.” 

Jones County Historical Society 

Jim Christianson accepted the grant for sealcoating about 300 feet driveway at Edinburgh Historic Village. 

“This past year was our 45^th year at Edinburgh. It’s right in the middle of the county, which is why it was the first county seat,” explained Christianson. 

Edinburgh hosts several events throughout the year. 

Jones Regional Medical Center 

Sheila Tjaden, director of Community Development at JRMC, said the hospital is working on becoming sustainable, and one way to do so is through solar energy. 

“Our solar project is really one of the first initiatives. We’re hoping to save on electricity. We hope to launch this by the end of the year,” explained Tjaden. 

They continue to raise money to meet the $85,000 goal. 

Little Lion Learning Center (Olin) 

Walt Laetare, a board member, accepted the grant. The funds will go toward a playhouse and stage shed. The building will house toys in the winter and be used as a playhouse for kids in the summer. 

Monticello Treblemakers (MHS vocal booster club) 

Accepting were parents and club members Lisa Oswald and Kati Besler. The funds will go toward purchasing a new stage for the Monticello Berndes Center, which is where the annual Dessert Concert in held. As the only organization that uses the entire stage, Oswald said the Treblemakers felt they could come up with the money to help replace the old stage with something safer. 

“This will allow us to finish off the stage and continue on with the Dessert Concert, our big fundraiser every year,” said Oswald. 

Oxford Junction Ambulance 

Dennis Coon accepted the grant, saying it would go toward the purchase of a power load hydraulic lift for the ambulance to assist in the transport of patients. 

“This grant will push us over the edge in the final phase of a program we put together to improve the health and safety of not only our crew members (EMTs, drivers), but also the patients as well,” Coon said. “This is a real benefit for everyone.” 

Oxford Junction Cemetery Association 

Accepting was Don Benhart. The grant will go toward tree removal at the Mayflower Cemetery. 

Sleep in Heavenly Peace – Jones County 

Accepting was organizer Heather Weers. The money will help in building more bunk beds for Jones County children who do not currently have a bed to sleep in at night. 

Weers started SHP in June, and they’ve already made and distributed 74 beds in the county. 

“We just received mattresses for the seven beds left in our warehouse. After we deliver those seven beds, we still have 15 kids on our waiting list that need beds,” she said. 

A building date is set for Jan. 12 in Monticello. 

Vision to Learn – Jones County 

The grant will go toward vision services and eyeglasses for children in Jones County. 

Coordinator Sherri Hunt said Jones County will enter its third round of vision tests in the fall of 2020. The program serves grades K-11 in all schools in the county. Kids in need of glasses receive two free pairs: one to keep at school and one to take home. 

In 2018, they served 200 kids. 

“It’s a huge barrier that we’re helping to alleviate so that kids can continue to learn,” said Hunt. 

Waypoint Services 

Alexis Chadwick and Carrie Slagle accepted the grant for domestic violence services in Jones County. 

“We know that domestic violence affects not only the people who are in the relationship, but the community at large,” said Chadwick. “One in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime, and one in seven men. With these funds, they really go to the heart of what we do, which is crisis intervention. Helping victims who experience harm by their partner get to safety or access safety.” 

The JCCF helps to oversee over 30 organizations that have endowment funds with the Foundation. 

“Our role is to really help you get the word out, connect you with the donors, help support those endowment funds in any way we can,” explained Hunt, who is also the director of the JCCF. 

JCCF chairperson Doug Edel shared that the total of those funds is $2 million. 

Amy Manternach, with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, highlighted the three roles a community foundation plays: 

• Connect philanthropic people with causes they are about 

• Support non-profits across the region 

• Support community initiative work 

Manternach reminded everyone that gifts to endowment funds are eligible for the Endow Iowa 25 percent State Tax Credit. 

In addition to handing out several grants, the JCCF also thanked retiring board members Vic Hamre and Dean Zimmerman. 

Edel thanked both Hunt and Manternach for their hard work and support of the Foundation. 

For more information about the JCCF, visit dbqfoundation.org/JCCF or contact Hunt at jccf@ dbqfoundation.org.