The Kenosha Community Foundation has awarded 30 grants from seven endowment funds it manages – a total of $79,750 awarded to 24 different organizations in all parts of Kenosha County.

From the Foundation’s unrestricted endowment funds, grant awards went to:

• The Sharing Center in Trevor, western Kenosha County, to support the center’s food distribution program.
• Kenosha Literacy Council for its “Family Literacy Leaders Project.”
• Shalom Center for its emergency family shelter operations.
• Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services, Inc. to provide meals to younger adults with serious health problems.
• Feed America Eastern Wisconsin, Inc. for funds to be distributed to 14 hunger relief agencies.
• Racine and Kenosha Community Action Agency to assist with start-up costs for a kitchen.
• NAACP – Kenosha’s Health Committee to support its Road to Health Toolkit and program.

From the Susann LaFave Family Fund, grants were made to:

• Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast for its “When Friends are not Friends Girls” program for 4th and 5th grade girls.
• Peace Learning Circles of Kenosha and Racine’s “Circles of Peace” program for school-aged children.
• Congregations United to Serve Humanity to support its Diversity Conversations Project.
• The Fifth House Ensemble’s “fresh inc.” workshops for young composers held at Carthage College this summer.
• University of Wisconsin-Parkside for their Diversity Resource Library.

From the Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) Legacy Endowment, awards went to:

• Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin for mental health therapy sessions for children and families.
• ELCA Urban Outreach Center to support field trips and transportation during its summer camp.
• Urban League of Kenosha & Racine to support its after-school safe zone program.

The Foundation’s Women’s Fund awarded grants to:

• The Sharing Center’s Personal Hygiene Program.
• Women and Children’s Horizon to support publication of the agency’s newsletter.
• Kenosha Literacy Council’s monthly “Women in Focus” workshops.
• Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast’s Woodhaven Outdoor Experience for Girls.
• Lemon Street Gallery and ArtSpace’s ceramics for Women and Children’s Horizon clients.
• Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services, Inc. for the Teen Parent and Family Support Program’s “car seat” project to improve infant and toddler safety.

The Foundation’s Arts Fund awarded grants to:

• Western Kenosha County Senior Citizens Council’s ceramics program.
• Kemper Center’s arts education program including Art Camp and art classes.
• Women and Children’s Horizon’s booklets written by victims.
• Lakeside Players of Kenosha’s Children’s Theater Workshop for 2012-2013.

Executive Director, Robert Schneider, announced that this year special grants were made from other funds managed by the Foundation:

• From the Foundation’s Environmental Fund, grants to the Parks Commission of the Village of Silver Lake to help create a community garden.
• From a Fund maintained by the Kenosha County Medical Society, a grant to the United Way of Kenosha County to support the 2nd annual Baby and Family Wellness Expo.
• The Foundation recognized this year’s grant recipients at a June 20 reception held at the Civil War Museum.

Board president, Ken Fellman, personally thanked members of the Foundation’s Grants Committees for their work in selecting the grantees from the 56 applications the foundation received. The Foundation’s Grants Committees are made up of Foundation Board members and other representatives of the Kenosha community. At its 2011 reception, the Foundation distributed 24 grants worth $73,000. The Kenosha Community Foundation, organized in 1926 as a tax-exempt public charity, actively manages permanent endowments established by individuals, families and business organizations. The Foundation manages over $5.4 million in endowment funds and each year awards around $200,000 in grants, scholarships and gifts to Kenosha area non-profit organizations and students.