Home & Community Options (HCO) received a $5,985 Cycle 1 community grant from the Winona Community Foundation in 2023. As a result of this funding, HCO was able to offer a series of workshops that provided education and training to anyone in our community who is caring for their friends, neighbors, and loved ones. It is HCO’s mission to provide support and residential services to people with developmental disabilities in order to enable individuals to live as full members of their communities.

For caregivers, a well-rounded understanding of key services their loved ones rely on is essential. These topics often directly affect the health and wellbeing of those they are supporting. When caregivers are equipped with knowledge and resources, their ability to provide for their loved ones is greatly improved. As a result of community grant funding, HCO was able to host education workshops on the following topics and more:

  • Guardianships

  • Dementia

  • Cyber Fraud

  • End of Life Planning

  • Social Leisure Activities as We Age

  • CPR/First Aid (Summer 2024)


These training sessions not only provided a valuable platform for providing education to community members, but also offered the opportunity for attendees to ask questions they had. Attendance ranged from 10-30+ people per session, with several sessions recorded and shared online for those who were unable to attend in-person. Several participants reported that the information they learned was valuable in both their professional and personal lives. HCO aims to continue providing more workshops in the future.

An important part of the Winona Community Foundation’s mission is realized though awarding community grants to meet the ever-changing needs of the community through a competitive process. Funding for this program comes from generous people, like you, who invest in the community and the Foundation. Whether through direct donations, establishing endowments, or holding charitable funds at the Foundation, these diverse sources of funding are instrumental in supporting the community grant program. As a result, local nonprofits in the Winona area greatly benefit from this program, which has become an essential asset in meeting the needs of the community.

To learn more about Home & Community Options, visit hco.org.