(Cass Co) At its second annual grant celebration event, the Cass County Community Foundation honored 35 nonprofit organizations and community projects that received grants throughout the past year. These honorees included grant recipients from both Spring and Fall 2022 grant cycles who were awarded a collective sum of $170,155.
Spring 2022 Grant Recipients:
| Organization | Project | Award |
| Anita Child Care Center | Child Interest Areas Equipment | $1,000 |
| Anita Health and Wellness Center | New Spin Bikes | $3,200 |
| Anita Volunteer Fire Association | Stryker Stair Chair | $3,500 |
| Ann W. Wickman Child Development Center | Upkeep of Essential Daily Equipment | $2,500 |
| Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise (ARISE) | Chairs for Rock Island Depot | $2,500 |
| Atlantic Lions Club | Healthy Food through Community Gardens | $5,000 |
| CAM Youth Sports | Batting Cage | $4,500 |
| Cass County Fair Association | Chuckwagon Food Stand | $5,000 |
| Cass County Health System Foundation | Telemedicine Stroke Cart | $4,000 |
| City of Griswold | City Park Revitalization | $3,000 |
| Griswold Fire Department | Technical Rescue Equipment | $2,000 |
| Griswold Pickleball | Pickleball Courts Fencing | $1,000 |
| Griswold Rescue | Video Laryngoscope | $4,500 |
| Griswold Youth Sports | Ballfield Improvements | $4,000 |
| Kiwanis Club of Atlantic, Iowa | Bike Helmets for Third Graders | $1,000 |
| LC Clinic | Atlantic LC Clinic Technology Equipment | $3,000 |
| Lewis First Responders and Firefighters Association | Compressor and Cascade System | $2,500 |
| Lewis Public Library | Bookcase for Children’s Section | $1,400 |
| Marne Firefighter and Rescue Association | Extrication Tools | $10,000 |
| Massena Fire and Rescue | Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | $4,500 |
| Massena Public Library | Update to Walls and Community Room | $1,500 |
| Noble Initiative Foundation | Griswold Child Development Center | $50,000 |
| SHIFT ATL | The Telegraph – Exterior Tuck Pointing | $5,000 |
| Wiota Community Boosters | Wiota City Park – Playground Update | $8,955 |
Fall 2022 Grant Recipients:
| Organization | Project | Award |
| Anita Public Library | Obituary Card File Cabinets | $ 1,000 |
| Anita Town & Country | Project Organization | $ 600 |
| Anita Volunteer Fire Association | Laerdal Compact Suction Unit | $ 1,175 |
| Atlantic Public Library | Exterior Security Camera | $ 1,000 |
| Cass County Historical Museum | Replacement of HVAC System in Museum | $ 3,500 |
| City of Griswold | City Park Revitalization | $ 2,000 |
| Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa | Girl Scout Tree Promise – Cass County | $ 500 |
| Griswold Fire Department | Ventilation Chainsaw | $ 1,610 |
| Griswold Rescue | Portable Suction Unit | $ 1,060 |
| Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates | Career Pathways for Underserved Youth | $ 2,555 |
| Kiwanis Club of Atlantic | Books for Kindergartners and Newborns | $ 500 |
| LC Clinic | Lactation Consultation Equipment & Supplies | $ 1,000 |
| Lewis Public Library | Tween/Teen Makerspace | $ 1,000 |
| Massena Historical Society | Interior Improvements | $ 2,600 |
| Massena Public Library | Community Room Update | $ 1,000 |
| Noble Initiative Foundation | Concrete Work | $ 7,000 |
| The 309 Club, Inc. | Parking Lot Improvements | $ 1,000 |
| Trivium Life Services | Fresh Start Fund | $ 1,500 |
| Wesley Retirement Services, Inc. | Heritage House Audio/Visual Enhancement | $ 5,000 |
| West Central Community Action | Emergency Clothing Room Equipment | $ 1,000 |
The Cass County Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Omaha Community Foundation, which meets National Standards for Community Foundations, and is one of nine county members of the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa. Each year it receives funds from the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program for endowment building and grantmaking throughout the county. The spring cycle of grants is made possible through the County Endowment Fund Program and is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license.
The Foundation’s fall grant cycle is made possible through the generosity of donors to the Cass County Community Foundation. The Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to create permanent and expendable funds that address changing, vital community needs and interests. Gifts to permanently endowed funds through the Cass County Community Foundation may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.
Pictured are Foundation board members and representatives of Cass County organizations who received grants from the Cass County Community Foundation. (1st Row Left to Right); Brent Myers – LC Clinic; Hannah Shady – LC Clinic; Jen Eggen – Trivium Life Services; Amber Schlake – Anita Health & Wellness Center; (2nd Row); David Christensen – Anita Fire Department; Dan Haynes – Nishna Valley Family YMCA; Dianna Williams – Ann W. Wickman Child Development Center; Tracey Knutson – Anita Town & Country; Jodi Irlmeier – Anita Town & Country; Vicki Brown – Atlantic Public Library; Carol Preseton – Cass County Historical Museum; Lila Hoogeueen – Cass County Historical Museum; Anita Gregory – Cass County Historical Museum; Kristi Burg – Cass County Community Foundation Board Member, Chair; (3rd Row); Steve Green – Kiwanis Club of Atlantic; Peter Gray – Heritage House; Dave Chase – Cass County Health Foundation; Don Brownsberger – The 309 Club, Inc.; Dottie Krogh – LC Clinic; Gaylord Schelling – Cass County Community Foundation Board Member, Vice Chair; Gordon Crawford – LC Clinic; Sue Hunt – Cass County Community Foundation Board Member, Secretary/Treasurer
