(Pottawattamie Co) Brenda Mainwaring, President and CEO of Iowa West Foundation, provided an update on their recent grant awards to the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning.
Mainwaring said they really focused on one thing this time and that’s the status of kindergarten readiness.
Mainwaring said for 18-years Iowa West Foundation has given roughly one million dollars a year for all school districts in Pottawattamie County to have access to hold full-day four-year-old preschool, and most of the school districts have taken that opportunity.
A few other highlights from this grant cycle that Mainwaring mentioned included providing funding to Avenue of Scholars of Southwest Iowa to add another person so they can expand their reach. Avenue of Scholars is one of the ways they are reaching career training in the rural school districts.
The City of Hancock received $10,000 for the Volunteer Fire Department Gear Program and the City of Macedonia received $10,000 for the Heart & Soul Community Coordinator.
Glenwood’s Hiley Park project received $40,000. Denison’s Washington Park received $55,000 to build all-inclusive playgrounds. These renovations will allow children of all abilities to better enjoy their community parks
