Community Foundation for Western Iowa

Join us for a meaningful morning dedicated to sharing information, resources and inspiration about the mental health and well-being of First Responders, Veterans, and their families in our community. ?? We are delighted to have representation from our frontline medical and emergency response teams, as well as At Ease, First Responders Foundation, and Heartland Family Service. Thank you to our event sponsor, American National Bank, and venue sponsor, Iowa Western Community College. ?? Wednesday, March 26, 2025 ?? 7:30am-10:00am ?? Iowa Western Community College ??? Tickets: $20 Per Person -- https://lnkd.in/gqM9P9Rs ABOUT THE FUND The Southwest Iowa Mental Health and Substance Abuse Fund was created to enhance the reach and capacity of our nonprofit service providers around their ability to educate the public, provide preventative solutions, and internal training to increase the capacity and ability of the providers. ?? Learn more at:?https://lnkd.in/gWWEGRue

? ATTENTION NONPROFITS! Our Community Impact Grants application for Pottawattamie County is OPEN now through March 15! ?? Community Impact Grants through the Pottawattamie County Impact Fund range from $500 to $5,000 and are available to area nonprofit and city organizations whose innovative and meaningful work benefit the lives of Pottawattamie County residents. ?? Learn more or apply at: https://lnkd.in/gDH6aktB #wheregivinggrows ?? #impact #grants #communityfoundation #givewherewelive #givewesterniowa #philanthropy

Special thank you to the Community Foundation for Western Iowa for their YMCA Healthy Living Center investment! The foundation shared, “We were proud to award the YMCA Healthy Living Center with a $10,000 grant from the Women's Fund of Southwest Iowa to support preventative health and social connections for women aging in place. ?? "Aging in Place" is one of the Women's Fund of Southwest Iowa's focus areas, and grant funding supports programs and services designed to help women age gracefully in their communities, including access to quality and affordable healthcare, healthy foods, exercise, placemaking, family resources, and volunteer services. According to our friends at the YMCA, loneliness and social isolation in older adults are gaining greater recognition for the serious public health risks they pose, affecting a significant number of people in our community and putting them at risk for serious medical conditions. Due to differences in life expectancy, women are more likely to experience widowhood and the accompanying isolation and financial hardships. The YMCA Healthy Living Center serves primarily seniors over age 55, many of whom are retired, veterans, living with physical limitations or mental acuity challenges that come with age, or are living on a fixed income in Pottawattamie County, IA. Learn more about the benefits of a membership at the YMCA Healthy Living Center by visiting: https://lnkd.in/e73tj5c https://lnkd.in/gPYjy-U4 Amanda Sindelar Rochelle Borgaila Leo McIntosh

During the?Community Foundation's latest Women's Fund granting cycle,?THE STANTON CHILD RESOURCE CENTER INC?received a $10,000 grant to support their Educational/Developmental Play Project. To elevate the standard of classrooms and toys, Stanton Child Resource Center offers options that actively foster cognitive development, social-emotional awareness, and motor skill advancement. These educational aspects hold immense significance for the center, as they have a lasting impact on the children even after they've left their care. Grant funding from the Women's Fund helped to purchase higher-quality toys and supplies so that the Resource Center's teachers and staff can continue to ensure these crucial developmental milestones are being achieved effectively. We are honored to support the incredible work of Stanton Child Resource Center as they continue to provide safe, reliable, and quality childcare for children ranging from newborn to 12 years of age. Since its first grant cycle in 2020, the Women's Fund of Southwest Iowa, though the generosity of our community, has invested nearly $300,000 into programming at over 25 western Iowa organizations designed specifically to alleviate issues and challenges facing women and their families. Learn more by visiting:?https://lnkd.in/gPYjy-U4 #wheregivinggrows?#communityfoundation?#WesternIowa?#philanthropy?#givewherewelive?#impact?#womensfund?#childcare

The Community Foundation for Western Iowa has received $165 million from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation for programs to enhance housing, child care, education, and community development for residents of the region. https://bit.ly/3YaKiFu

We are proud to share exciting news announced at today’s Nonprofit Association of the Midlands Summit! Our two employees, Rachel Morehead and Catrina Trabal, have been accepted into leadership classes with NAM for 2025! Rachel, our director of marketing and engagement, was selected into the Nonprofit Executive Institute (NEI) Class 18! NEI is an eleven-month leadership program designed to offer nonprofit leaders skills and strategies to enhance organizational sustainability and transform the communities they serve. ?? Catrina, our community partnerships manager, was selected for the Rising Leaders Institute (RLI) Class 6! RLI is a one-year program in which young professionals learn skills necessary to achieve a nonprofit leadership position through mentorship and facilitated discussion with subject matter experts. ?? Congratulations to Rachel and Catrina! ??

The Community Foundation for Western Iowa and the Charles E. Lakin Foundation hosted a special event and press conference in Atlantic, Iowa yesterday at the beautiful Bluebird Hill to announce a HISTORIC gift to "Revitalize Southwest Iowa." Nearly 200 guests, comprised of business and community leaders, philanthropic supporters, and local and state officials, attended the event to learn of the Charles E. Lakin Foundation's transformative $165 Million gift to the Community Foundation for Western Iowa to support community projects in 51 cities throughout a six-county region. We are incredibly grateful to the Charles E. Lakin Foundation and its Board of Directors, and are honored to be their partners in this powerful philanthropy. ?? Thank you to Stacie at Western Iowa Development Association for capturing such wonderful photographs of our momentous event! https://lnkd.in/eCwS9aq6 #givewherewelive #givewesterniowa #wheregivinggrows #communityfoundation #philanthropy #impactinvesting #revitalizesouthwestiowa

Please join us for a ribbon cutting and open house on Tuesday, September 10th to celebrate the Community Foundation for Western Iowa’s beautiful new mural! The project, designed by local artist Emily McQueen, was made possible by a generous family fund holder at the Community Foundation, and we are so grateful for their vision, leadership, and support! As a special treat, we will be serving Falk’s Ice Cream to attendees, and the Falk’s Ice Cream truck will be selling pints in our parking lot for $6 each or 2/$10 with a portion of sales to benefit the Women’s Fund of Southwest Iowa! 3:30pm – Open House and Networking 4:00pm – Welcome, Ribbon Cutting + Special Remarks 4:30pm – Open House and Networking Limited parking will be available at the Community Foundation, however, additional parking will be available in the north- and west-facing spots at Walgreens and on the neighboring streets to the south of our building. For questions, please email [email protected].

Minden, Iowa residents and businesses are encouraged to attend this informative event to ask questions and learn about the Minden Relief Fund application process! Thursday, July 11 4:00pm-8:00pm Minden Fire Hall

Congratulations to our very own Catrina Trabal, Community Partnerships Manager at the Community Foundation, for graduating from the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Council Bluffs program! ? Due to the event being rescheduled, Catrina was unable to attend yesterday's celebration in person…but our team was there to cheer her on! ??