Ten deserving nonprofit organizations are awarded $35,000 in grants for projects to strengthen the Cook County community.
Cook County Community Fund
(GRAND MARAIS, MN – November 8, 2024 ) – The Cook County Community Fund (CCCF) announced its 2024 grant recipients today with $35,000 in funds being distributed to Cook County non-profit organizations for various community service initiatives. Grants are awarded through a competitive grant application process and recipients were determined as most impactful in the Cook County community by the Advisory Board of CCCF.
The 2024 grants awarded by the Cook County Community Fund include:
Cook County faces numerous challenges in providing adequate healthcare to its residents. The North Shore Health Care Foundation $5,000 grant will be used to help administer to initiatives aimed at improving healthcare – Early Childcare Village and Investing in Our Future. The aim of the Early Childhood Village initiative is to reduce risk factors that prevent healthy child development while Investing in Our Future will work to train healthcare professionals.
North Shore Collaborative will receive $1,000 to help fund their Learning Opportunities Through Stories (LOTS) program. LOTS helps provide young children with strong literacy education by promoting reading, getting children interested in reading at an early age and helping prepare children for kindergarten.
The $4,500 grant to Justice North will be used to support outreach and educational programming for legal aid services. These efforts will help families be aware of their legal rights relating to issues including housing, divorce, custody, domestic abuse, harassment, public benefits, and elder law.
Cook County ISD 166 will receive $5,000 to upgrade Early Childhood Indoor Playspace programs. The programs bring early childhood families together in Grand Marais and Grand Portage in safe spaces where children can develop their gross motor skills and social/emotional tools and receive services from local educational professionals.
The Gunflint Trail Historical Society will receive $4,500 to refurbish the equipment used in their internationally-known Dark Sky Program. The Dark Sky Program raises public awareness of the importance of dark skies, educates the public around responsible outdoor lighting practices, and provides educational opportunities such as night sky and astro photography.
A $4,500 grant to Grand Marais Arts will be used to increase participation in their Entry Points Program, an after school program offering youth art classes in a safe, easily accessible downtown location.
Great Expectations will receive a $2,000 grant to help develop a playscape that is both 100% accessible to all students and culturally inclusive. The purchase of Ojibwe language signage, communication boards for non-verbal students, and sustainable sensory building equipment will remove barriers that prevent some children from experiencing and appreciating the natural world.
The Good Harbor Hill Players will receive a $4,500 grant to help facilitate the creation and performance of its annual Winter Solstice Shadow Puppet Show, a seasonal celebration that explores regional and cultural themes. These monies will assist in the hiring of artists, musicians, and technical staff. This annual event helps strengthen community ties among a diverse cross-section of people.
The Voyageurs Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) will receive a $2,000 grant to help develop the expansion of Cub Scout packs in Cook County. New scouts will learn the value of community through outreach efforts and service projects, as well an appreciation for the natural elements of their local landscape. The BSA recently celebrated its five-year anniversary of welcoming all youths, regardless of gender.
The North House Folk School (NHFS) will receive a $2,000 grant to assist in the development and enhancement of its annual Wooden Boat Show event. Children from ages 6-12 will have greater opportunities to participate in craft activities and experience a variety of traditional craft-based kids’ games. The event focuses on artisan demonstrations and family activities to inspire and engage greater numbers of participants in creative exploration with wood, fiber, blacksmithing, and food craft.
“We’re pleased to be able to provide financial support to all of these deserving programs which will enrich our community and region,” said Virginia Detrick Palmer, Chair of the Cook County Community Fund Advisory Board, “We thank these organizations and all that submitted grant requests for their dedication to improving Cook County.”
The Cook County Community Fund is a regional affiliate of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, which awards grants to nonprofits, awards scholarships to individuals and provides leadership on important initiatives in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. Since its creation in 2003, the Community Fund has distributed more than $324,000 to Cook County nonprofits. Since its start in 1983, the Community Foundation has distributed more than $65 million and holds more than 470 funds. Learn more at dsacommunityfoundation.com.
