Kenosha Community Foundation announces 2023 Field of Interest Funds grants

The Kenosha Community Foundation has awarded 22 grants totaling over $40,000 to nonprofit organizations and projects that serve Kenosha County residents from four of its Field of Interest Funds charitable funds — the LaFave Family Fund, the OMC Legacy Fund, Women’s Fund, and the Kenosha Arts Fund.

“Each year, grants from the Foundation’s Field of Interest Funds support a diverse set of programs and initiatives that serve critical needs, spur innovation and/or improve the health of our community,” Kenosha Community Foundation Executive Director Amy Greil said. “As grants are awarded, I am reminded of the generosity of our donors and volunteers that invest their time, talent, and treasure to enhance the present and ensure the future health and well-being of individuals and families across Kenosha County.

“KCF is a special organization that serves as a bridge between those with financial means and those seeking community support.”

A highlight of this year’s Field of Interest fund grant making was the Peace Learning Circles. This is a volunteer-led organization that is programming in an increasing number of Kenosha Unified School District elementary and middle schools. Its age-appropriate curriculum models practical strategies toward conflict resolution; bullying prevention, mindfulness, equality, resilience, and teamwork.

List of grants awarded January 2023 by the Kenosha Community Foundation:

From the LaFave Family Fund (established by the estate of Susann LaFave), six grants were made to organizations for programs that further education — particularly to promoting the humanities, the arts, tolerance, and communication:

● Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha: To support the club’s winter supply packs for domestic violence victims.
● Faith, Hope and Love: To support art projects for youth in foster care.
● Kenosha Achievement Center: To support enrichment activities for youth with developmental disabilities.
● Kenosha Literacy Council: To support family literacy programming.
● Kenosha Museum Foundation: To support teacher training in Native American history and sovereignty.
● Peace Learning Circles: To support age-appropriate conflict resolution programming.
Note: In addition to the grants awarded to nonprofit organizations, each year the LaFave Family Fund supports a scholarship at Marquette University’s College of Communication (Susann LaFave’s alma mater).

From the Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) Legacy Fund, six grants targeting youth programs to:

● Boys & Girls Club: To support the installation and operation of a park Safety Station.
● ELCA Outreach: To support community-based summer camp.
● Kenosha County Association of Home and Community Education-Book Worms: To support bi-lingual
books and literacy programming for Head Start programs.
● Shalom Center of the Interfaith Network: To support its homeless shelter family enrichment programming.
● The Sharing Center: To support motel vouchers for homeless individual and families.
● Three Harbors Council Boys Scouts: To support transportation and programming for scout camps.

From the Foundation’s Women’s Fund, seven grants to programs that benefit women and children to:

● Boys & Girls Club: To support a Little Free Library Kit made available to Club families.
● Faith, Hope and Love: To support duffle bags and supplies for children in housing transition/eviction.
● Kenosha Achievement Center: To support supplies and equipment for children/toddlers with developmental delays.
● Kenosha Literacy Council: To support a Parent Power Workshop for Women English-Language Learners.
● The Sharing Center: To support emergency motel vouchers for homeless individuals and families.
● UW-Parkside Foundation: To support the launch of women’s golf programming.
● Women and Children’s Horizons: To support an art therapy program for victims of domestic violence.

From the Foundation’s Kenosha Arts Fund, three grants were made to:

● Boys & Girls Club: To support Teen Center Dance Team programming.
● Kenosha Achievement Center: To support art supplies for individuals with developmental disabilities.
● Faith, Hope and Love: To support Teen Reach Adventure Camp programming.