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Upper Susitna Food Pantry receives $1,000 from the Jessica Stevens Community Foundation
Jessica Stevens Community Foundation board members dropped by the Upper Susitna Food Pantry on December 4 to deliver a special grant of $1000. The food pantry serves about 165 households every month and over 200 with their Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets.
The Upper Susitna Food Pantry is staffed by a dedicated group of volunteers. Carroll Carroll explained that she was not afraid “to use my sharp elbows to get our share” when she goes down to the food bank distribution center in Palmer. She and Suzy Kellard, another volunteer, described their plans for including handmade stockings filled with all kinds of goodies as part of their special Christmas baskets.
From L to R: Susie Kellard, Robert Ambrose, Chris Mannix, Carroll Carroll (manager), and Joe Page.
In 2011 and 2012, Jessica Stevens Community Foundation, an Affiliate of The Alaska Community Foundation, received matching funds and additional granting capacity from the Rasmuson Foundation. Donors met the Rasmuson challenge to add $15,000 to the JSCF endowment in both years, making it possible for JSCF to help even more local non-profits such as the Upper Susitna Food Pantry.
The Upper Susitna Food Pantry has two locations, one located on Walstead Road near Sunshine Clinic and one in Trapper Creek at the Fellowship Lutheran Church on the Petersville Road. They are open every Tuesday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
2012 Healthy Community Grants Awarded
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2012 grant cycle awards. Eight organizations were awarded either $500 or $1000 each, for a total of $6000 in grants this year. Because of our donors' generosity allowing us to meet the 2011 funding challenge offered by the Rasmuson Foundation, JSCF was able to offer $1000 more in total grant dollars. The Healthy Community Grant Committee made recommendations for awards to the following outstanding nonprofit organizations in the Susitna Valley:
· Cook Inletkeeper - $1000 for their program “Clean Water, Healthy Families,” which will provides water testing and a seminar on safe drinking water for the Upper Susitna Valley
· Denali Arts Council - $500 for youth art opportunities
· Friends of the Talkeetna Library - $500 for the Library’s Community Resource Center
· Northern Susitna Institute - $500 for publication of their community course catalog
· Sunshine Transit Coalition - $1000 for a mobility management project
· Upper Susitna Seniors, Inc. - $1000 for their Meals on Wheels program
· Upper Susitna Soil and Water Conservation District - $1000 for their Youth Conservation Corps
· Talkeetna Historical Society - $500 for Belle’s Barn Interpretive Park Property Fence
Free Grant Writing Seminar for Northern Susitna Non-Profits
On Wednesday, September 19th 2012, there will be a free grant writing seminar at the Northern Susitna Institute. Please see the schedule of events.
Jessica's Rose Day
On Saturday, May 26, upper Susitna valley residents and visitors will be sporting Jessica's Rose, a brilliant yellow rose.
Organizers are putting together Jessica's Rose event to celebrate the life and work of Jessica Stevens and our community foundation. Jessica's Roses will be available at the Talkeetna Village Park, the Flying Squirrel Bakery, Moore's Mercantile and the Trapper Creek Post Office.
2012 Grant Cycle Announced
April 23, 2012 - The steering committee is pleased to announce our fourth annual grant program to support non-profits active in the Northern Susitna community, all made possible by our growing permanent endowment. These grants are intended to support organizations and programs in our community that serve the needs of people in areas such as health, education, human services, arts and culture, and the preservation and enjoyment of the natural environment. JSCF will accept online grant proposals between May 1, 2012 and July 3, 2012 at 9:00pm from qualified tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations.
Grant proposals can be for specific projects or for operating expenses. To help support a broad range of nonprofit organizations active in our community, the 2011 JSCF grant awards are intended to not exceed $1000. A total of $6,000 may be dispersed this year, more than has ever been available during other grant cycles.
2011 JSCF Healthy Community Grant Awarded
Oct. 10, 2011 - Thanks to our generous donors, we are pleased to announce our 3rd annual Healthy Communities grant recipients. Again this year, we were able to award a total of $5000 to local non-profits who are accomplishing remarkable work in the northern Susitna Valley.
2011 award winners include:
- Sunshine Transit Coalition
- Trapper Creek Pre-School
- Upper Susitna Youth Conservation Corp
- Talkeetna Build A Plane Project
- Sunshine Station Childcare Center
- Talkeetna Elementary PTA
Some of these organizations are receiving funding from us for a second year, partly because we are pleased with the work they were doing. All the organizations and projects that received grants shared our goal of working toward creating healthier communities by offering increased opportunities for residents in the northern Susitna communities.
Talkeetna Bachelor Society Fund Launched
Feb. 9, 2010 -- The Jessica Stevens Community Foundation opened an endowment fund for the benefit of women and children in crisis in the Upper Susitna Valley. The fund, called the Talkeetna Bachelor Society Fund for Women and Children in Crisis was initially funded by its namesake, the Talkeetna Bachelor Society, which holds a fund-raiser each year that includes the Wilderness Women's Contest and the Talkeetna Bachelor Auction.
The endowment will grow year after year as the Talkeetna Bachelor Society continues to support causes to help women and children in the Upper Susitna Valley. For more information, contact robert@jessicasfoundation.org.
Foundation Announces 2010 BP Mat-Su Challenge Grant Recipients
July 15 -- The Jessica Stevens Community Foundation made awards to the 20 non-profit organizations as part of a cooperative program with BP Exploration Alaska. BP has teamed with JSCF to promote philanthropy throughout the Mat-Su Borough by encouraging citizens to contribute to the many worthy non-profits in the area. Through the BP Mat-Su Valley Challenge Grant, JSCF matched nearly $100,000 in funds raised by these organizations through Oct. 31.
To assist grantees in their fundraising efforts, JSCF partnered in 2009 with the Foraker Group to provide technical support and free training sessions on donor solicitation and stewardship. For more information, contact robert@jessicasfoundation.org.
Grantees:
- Palmer Arts Council
- Family Promise Mat-Su (Mat-Su Valley Interfaith Hospitality Network)
- Friends of Mat-Su
- Denali Arts Council
- Valley Arts Alliance
- Matanuska Community Health Care (The Children’s Place)
- Alaskans for Palmer Hay Flats State Game Refuge
- North America Outdoor Institute
- Radio Free Palmer
- Classroom With A View, Inc.
- Talkeetna Community Radio, Inc.
- Community Sports Inc (Sponsored by Mat-Su RC&D)
- Valley Center for Recycling Solutions
- Willow Health Organization
- Valley Performing Arts
- Alaska Farmlands Trust Corporation
- Palmer Museum of History and Art
- Alaska Wildbird Rehab Center Mat-Su Ski Club
- Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry