North Shore Community School

Grant funding to assist with "Playground Expansion"

North Shore Community School is a rural charter school serving children from kindergarten to sixth grade. The mission of the School is to "excel in connecting our students' academics and learning with their natural and social environments in a nurturing community setting". In 2018 the Foundation assisted the school with a grant in the amount of $12,000 to expand their playground for students in grades 3-6. The playground site is also used by many local families after-school and during the summer, so the school has created a true community gathering space.

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Neighborhood Youth Services - a program of The Hills

Grant funding provided to "Address the Achievement Gap"

Neighborhood Youth Services (NYS) - A Program of The Hills Youth and Family Services provides free out-of-school time programming to youth k-12. Many of the 700+ youth served live within a 1 miles radius of their downtown/central hillside location. NYS core programming is in: Academics, Culture & Community, Healthy Lifestyles, and JET (Jobs Education Training) for young adults. Foundation funding in the amount of $20,000 was to support NYS to address the Achievement Gap by strengthening their academic program.

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Boreal Community Media

Grant funding to assist with "Intern Technology Program"

Boreal Community Media was founded more than twenty years ago to provide internet access and other digital technology services to Cook County, Minnesota. In 2018, the organization launched a new internship program through a $25,000 grant from the Foundation. The internship program provides high school students with the opportunity for hands-on, real-workplace experience that will further their education, skillsets, and potentially future careers. In addition to the workplace learning experiences, interns offered technical assistance to community members at various tech night events – a win/win experience for all!

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The Nature Conservancy

Grant funding to assist with "Highway 61 Reforested"

The Nature Conservancy (TNC), is a global conservation organization whose mission is dedicated to "conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends”. TNC has set a worldwide goal to plant a billion trees, and has already planted 4 million trees in northeastern Minnesota over the last 12 years. The Foundation grant of $15,000 provided funding to plant 11,500 trees along scenic Highway 61 in Cascade River State Park with the goal of creating a healthy, diverse forest for future generations.

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Community Partners

Grant funding to assist with "Addressing Critical Needs for Seniors"

Community Partners is located in Two Harbors, Minnesota with goals to: assist older adults to safely live in their homes for as long as possible; connect older adults to networks of supportive care; increase older adults and their caregivers access to transportation, health care, education, food, housing and social options; and to ensure older adults and their caregivers feel heard and valued in the community. The Foundation’s grant of $25,000 was to assist Community Partners to address critical needs including food access for seniors and increasing the organizations volunteer capacity. The attached picture underscores that volunteers to the program come in all ages.

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Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial Inc.

Grant funding to assist with "The Duluth Black History Project"

Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial Inc., (CJMM) was founded in 2000 as a nonprofit dedicated to the stewardship of the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial and the legacy of racial justice in the community through education. In 2018 as an effort to educate and raise awareness of the contributions of many African heritage people from the City’s founding until present day, CJMMI worked with curator Jordon Moses to develop 26 educational panels to be displayed as representations of Duluth’s Black History. The panels bring knowledge to Duluth’s citizens that hasn’t been available before, and contribute to the cultural and historical knowledge of both children and adults. The Foundation provided a small grant in the amount of $1,351 to assist with this important exhibit.

Learn more about Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial Inc.: