Record number of non-profits awarded by JCCF

     Over $110,000 was awarded to 23 different organizations and non-profits during the Jones County Community Foundation (JCCF) 2023 Grant Awards Ceremony.

   The annual event was held on Dec. 12 at the Lawrence Community Center in Anamosa.

   Before the pomp and circumstance, several speeches were made, highlighting the history and future of the JCCF, which is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque.

   "We really are proud to be affiliated with you all," voiced Nancy Van Milligan, president and CEO of Greater Dubuque. "You all do great work of running a community foundation, working with your donors to make a difference, and the great work of the non-profits."

   2023 marked the 20^th anniversary of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. It supports seven different county foundations and eight affiliates.

   "We hold over 1,400 funds for individuals and non-profits from across the region," shared Amy Manternach, outgoing senior philanthropic advisor of Greater Dubuque. "This year alone, our finance team has processed over 6,500 transactions, 2,500 of which were gifts from philanthropic people like you and others throughout the region."

   Manternach started with the Foundation in September 2012. In November of that year, she attended the JCCF Advisory Board meeting. In March 2013, the JCCF made a decision that they felt was best for everyone and transferred their affiliation from Cedar Rapids to Dubuque.

   In 2014, the JCCF's first full year with Greater Dubuque, they showed $900,000 in assets and held 16 funds. In 2023, assets are at $2.3 million.

   "So you have basically tripled you’re assets, and your funds have grown from 16 to 35," noted Manternach. "The board has led the JCCF to really make a huge impact and to really be able to springboard into the future with a ton of strength. You have some huge initiatives within Jones County to lift up and support your kids. You're really positioned to provide a perfect vehicle for legacy gifts, for people who have lived and worked in Jones County, raising their families and enjoying so much that the county has to offer.

   Those who were awarded grants included:

   American Legion Wapsi Post 473 (Oxford Junction). They plan to use the funds to repair the roof on the legionnaire ballroom.

   ALY (Anamosa Lunches for Youth). The money is going to provide food for students.

   Camp Courageous. The grant will be applied toward the Pictured Rocks Nature Trail through the former Pictured Rocks Methodist Camp.

   Cedar/Jones Early Childhood Iowa (ECI). The grant will go toward the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to provide books for kids throughout Jones County, ages 0-5.

   City of Martelle. The money will be used to build uni-sex public restrooms at their roadside park off Highway 1.

   City of Morley. The money will be used to build a pavilion to provide the community with a place for people to gather.

   Eastern Iowa Conservation Foundation. The grant will be used to purchase 14 acres of the Ken and Kathy Zimmerman property, adjacent to the Muskrat Slough Wildlife Management Area to expand the park.

   Emergency Medical Association of Jones County. They plan to use the money to upgrade patient cots to make it easier to lift into the ambulances.

   Every Child Reads Jones County. The funds will go toward the purchase of children's books to be given out during various countywide programs.

   Friends of the Anamosa Library. They are going to apply the grant toward a recent project to bind fragile and old issues of the Anamosa Journal-Eureka.

   Jones County Historical Society. The money will go toward repairs of some of the buildings at Edinburgh Village.

   Jones County Migrant Inclusion Team. The money will help this new, start-up group as they work to acclimate and empower the Hispanic population of Jones County.

   Jones Regional Medical Center Foundation. They are utilizing the money to purchase newer technology for the pulse oximetry machine for patient care rooms at Anamosa Family Practice.

   Lisbon-Mount Vernon Ambulance. The funds will be used to "bring the hospital to the patient." The devices they plan to purchase will allow medical personnel to do blood work inside the ambulance and get real-time feedback to be able to start treatment before they arrive at a hospital.

   Midland PATS (Parents and Teachers for Students). They will use the grant for a multi-sensory project.

   MEMT (Monticello Emergency Management Team). The grant will help them to purchase a new child-restraint system for the ambulances and dopplers to do field work in the ambulances.

   Monticello Heritage & Cultural Center. The money will be used for directional signage so visitors can find the Center.

   Monticello Main Street. The money will go toward their place-making project.

   Olin Food Pantry. The money will go toward the purchase of a refrigerator to store food.

   Olin Splash Pad. They plan to use the funds to complete phase one of the splash pad project (excavating, electrical, plumbing, and seven ground water features). They hope to break ground in spring 2024.

   St. John's Christian Daycare. The money will be used for upgrades to the playground.

   Teufelhund Veterans Group. The grant money will go toward their various projects to serve veterans, including general assistance and mobility services.

   Vision to Learn. The money will go toward their mission of helping children see better, including free vision screenings and two pairs of eyeglasses within the Midland school district.

   "Our county, with over 20,000 residents, knows what it means to be part of a community," praised JCCF Vice President Mindy Wilcox. "When we think of community, we think of a shared focus, a sense of belonging, strong social connections, and engaging in action."

   Those associated with Every Child Reads were also recognized for the work they did in publishing the children's book "The ABC's of Jones County" earlier this year.

   "These women initiated, wrote, published, held book signings, visited schools throughout Jones County to encourage reading," commemorated Sheila Tjaden, director of affiliate foundations with Greater Dubuque.

   Those who serve on the JCCF include: Executive Director Doug Edel, President Janet Martin, VP Mindy Wilcox, Secretary Janet Sanborn, Jim Eichhorn, Greg Kromminga, Trish Laetare, Jim Luckstead, Patty Manuel, Jessica Nicely, Janine Sulzner, and Rachel VonBehren.

   For more information on the JCCF, visit bdqfoundation.org/jccf.