Making an Impact

The Southeastern Minnesota Multi-County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (SEMMCHRA) received a $7,500 Cycle 1 Community Grant from the Winona Community Foundation in 2022. This grant assisted in the piloting of a Homebuyer Club for 12 households in the Winona area. This program was designed to assist low to moderate income households, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher patients, and Public Housing tenants. The goals of the Homebuyer Club were to provide [...]

“The families are always grateful for the help as back-to-school can be expensive." – Mandi Olson, Ready Set School Director Ready Set School received a $4,900 Cycle 1 Community Grant from the Winona Community Foundation in 2022. This grant supported their voucher program that provides school supplies and clothing to low-income Winona County K-12 families and students during the back-to-school time period. The amount will provide $70 vouchers [...]

"The Donna Helble Fund of the Winona Community Foundation has had an immensely positive impact on our organization since the onset of our partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. With nearly 1,000 active children and over 400 graduated children, we have seen over half of the county's children under give participate." – Emily Tipton, Board Member at the Friends of Winona Public Library The Friends of Winona Public [...]

On December 1, 2022, the Winona Noon Lions Club, Winona Rivertown, Winona Sunset, and the Celanese Community Foundation accomplished their Phase 2 fundraising goal for the Every Child's Dream Park Fund, which supports an ability-inclusive playground. The Winona Lion's Club raised $103,388.68 to donate to the City of Winona for this special project. The Winona Community Foundation served as the fiscal sponsor for this special project. Their phase project goal [...]

In December of 2022, a community partner, Altra Federal Credit Union, donated a gift of $2,500 to the Winona Community Foundation. Altra was selected to be one of the ten credit unions given a $10,000 donation from the SCU's Credit Union Give Back Sweepstakes to give charities of their choice. Winona Community Foundation was one of the four organizations selected to receive this a gift. When you give the Winona [...]

Your support is of great value to us. When you give to the Winona Community Foundation, you are a catalyst in ensuring we can do what we do today, tomorrow, and even better, for future generations. At its heart, the 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. These dollars come from people like [...]

“This grant from the Winona Community Foundation allowed us to move forward with our program development, and we anticipate our programs will be self-sustaining once initiated." – Emilie Volkman, Clinic Manager at Winona Health The Winona Health Foundation received a $5,000 Cycle 1 Community Grant from the Winona Community Foundation in 2022. This grant assisted in the development of a Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Program. The is a [...]

Scaffolding at Habitat for Humanity serving Winona County. “This project will make a huge impact on the critical community housing need because it strengthens our ability to deliver mission services safely. It is vitally important that we keep our volunteers, home buyers, and staff as safe as possible in the inherently dangerous construction environment.” – Amanda Hedlund, Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity serving Winona County Habitat for [...]

“Each member of the group reported a regained sense of personal power by feeling less guilty and ashamed of their experiences." The Advocacy Center of Winona received a $10,000 Cycle 2 Community Grant from the Winona Community Foundation in 2021. This grant was to fund a support group for survivors of sexual violence facilitated by a licensed social worker. The group incorporated both experience-specific support and tools for managing [...]

Apple Tree Dental's Mobile Dental Unit “This generous funding from Winona Community Foundation has helped us to optimize services we provide to patients with special needs at Home & Community Options in Winona." – Mary Larkin, Development & Marketing Director at Apple Tree Dental Apple Tree Dental received a $10,000 Cycle 2 Community Grant from the Winona Community Foundation in 2021. This grant was to fund their purchasing [...]

Pictured from left to right: Amanda Hedlund (WCF's Board Chair), Keri Cada (HCO), Katie van Eijl (Project Fine), Doug Grout (Semcac), Eric Sievers (Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center), Sandra Burke (Winona Volunteer Services) and Kathy Peterson (WCF's Board Vice-Chair). “I continue to be amazed by the generosity of the Winona Community Foundation and the Winona community.” – Erik Sievers, Executive Director of Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center When [...]

Meals-on-wheels frozen meals. “With the support of the Winona Community Foundation, we were able to invest resources into this program and produce 3,000 meals for seniors in the Winona community." – Jeff Wyant, Senior Services Director at Semcac Semcac received a $10,000 Cycle 2 Community Grant from the Winona Community Foundation in 2021. This grant was to support the establishment of a weekly delivered frozen meals-on-wheels program to [...]