Grant Stories

School district among six nonprofits to receive Foundation support

WINNECONNE, Wis. – For the first time this spring, the Winneconne Community School District will implement wellness screening for ninth graders to help identify mental health issues and provide support for families.

The district has partnered with the Samaritan Counseling Center to provide wellness screening, which will be done privately at the high school with trained counselors and parent consent.
Funded in part by the Winneconne Basic Needs Fund, the program’s goal is to identify students who need support in the school setting but also to find support for families in the community.

“We are really excited about this opportunity ? surrounding districts have been providing this (evaluation) and have been working to identify mental health needs of students in their districts,” said Sarah Meyer, counselor at Winneconne High School.

“Just like vision and hearing, emotional wellness is a major factor in your teen’s academic success and quality of life.”

The Winneconne Area Community Foundation received $18,500 in requests for funding from its unrestricted and basic needs competitive grant programs this fall. With $3,800 available to distribute, the grant to WCSD was one of six awarded this year.

“It was good to see the diversity in the projects and organizations that received grants,” said Emily Dunham, president of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

“The Board was so pleased and excited about the dozen applications we received. It’s great to know the word is getting out that we are here to help the community.”

The following programs also received grant support:

Butte des Morts Historical Preservation Society – Archiving Project
This grant will provide financial support to purchase items such as a digital voice recorder, a portable scanner and book boxes to better enhance the overall operations of the Butte des Morts Historical Preservation Society.

Grace Lutheran Church – Save our Steeple (S.O.S.)
This grant will provide financial support to refurbish the steeple through the installation of a new LED cross and roofing at Grace Lutheran Church in Winchester for the purpose of architectural preservation.
Friends of the Winneconne Library, Inc.

Children’s Activities: Sovereign State Days 50th Anniversary
This grant will fund children’s activities including pony rides, a bounce house and live entertainment for the 2017 Sovereign State Days in Winneconne.

Winneconne Area Assistance Center, Inc. – Holiday Meal Program
This grant will provide special holiday meals during Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter to those in need in Winneconne.

Wolf Wilderness Recreational Trail – Wolf Wilderness Trail Enhancement
This grant will provide financial support to finish resurfacing the Wolf Wilderness Trail.

Charitable organizations that serve residents of the Winneconne Community School District, which includes the Village of Winneconne and Towns of Larsen, Winchester, Poygan and Butte des Morts, are eligible to apply for funding.

The Foundation serves the residents of Winneconne and the surrounding area as a charitable giving partner, with the mission of attracting and distributing funds to nonprofit organizations in efforts that enhance the quality of life.

Donors can make a lasting gift to the community while enjoying maximum tax benefits from the Foundation’s affiliation with the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Supporting the Foundation is easy.

Simply mail a check written out to the Foundation to:
Winneconne Area Community Foundation
P.O Box 476, Winneconne, WI 54986-0476

Or, call the Foundation at 920-426-3993 for help making your donation. Online donations can be made at www.WinneconneAreaCF.org.