Left to right: Adam Muschler (Adult Housing Program Manager), Erik Sievers (Executive Director), Katie Donahue (Adult Housing Director), Tim Hunter (Deputy Director), Ryan Buhler (Marketing & Communications Specialist)
In 2024, the Winona Community Foundation’s Board of Directors awarded the Foundation’s first $100,000 Impact Grant. The recipient, Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center (HVMHC), was selected through a competitive process. With the use of the dollars, they set out to address two major needs in the Winona area: the need for stable housing, and the need to support individuals with mental health and substance use disorders.
While already addressing these needs through their Scattered Site Housing Program, the $100,000 grant enabled them to greatly expand the program’s capacity to house more individuals in need of help. Because of the support of the grant, a new full-time Housing Specialist was hired, new partnerships with Winona landlords were formed, and six housing units were entered into the program.
Adam Muschler gives a report to the WCF Board of Directors on February 24, 2026.
While the WCF grant gave the program an initial significant boost, HVMHC plans to sustain the program into the future through medical assistant reimbursement, Winona County ARPA, an infrastructure grant, and operating dollars moving forward.
The impact of the grant touches not only clients, but their families and the community as a whole. Often those served have complex barriers that impair their functioning in the community and ability to maintain housing. “I finally have some stability in my life,” shared one HVMHC client affected by the program. “I’m finally not waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
Creating a Sustainable Future for our Community
At its heart, the Winona Community Foundation exists to serve as a permanent source of charitable dollars for the benefit of all who live, work, and play in this wonderful place we call home. Grants like these are made possible by people like you, who have a giving heart and a love for our community.
Each year the Foundation awards grants to local organizations making a difference in our area, however, the needs in the community far outweigh the available dollars. By engaging with the Foundation, you are helping to build our community. The larger our community endowment gets, the greater impact we can have on our local nonprofits who are doing crucial work in our community.
To make your impact on the causes you care about in our community, give the Winona Community Foundation a call. The Foundation offers a variety of charitable giving options suited to your needs. Call 507-454-6511 or visit www.winonacf.org to learn more.
