Hillsboro Community Foundation distributed grant awards totaling $21,461 Friday to 16 Hillsboro-area not-for-profit entities during halftime of the high school boys’ basketball games with Pratt.

Formed in 2004, HCF exists to promote and facilitate charitable giving in support of projects and programs that enhance the quality of life in the USD 410 community.

Since its formation, HCF has given $460,063 back to the community through grants and scholarships.

Following are the grant recipients, and their projects:

◼ CASA of the 8th Judicial District, $1,000: Advocacy for child victims of abuse and neglect. The funds will be used to recruit CASA volunteer advocates for the Hillsboro area.

These events would allow the program to give information to individuals who are interested in becoming CASA volunteer advocates.

◼ Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church, $500: Thanks­giving Food Drive for Main Street Ministries

Ebenfeld has worked with Main Street Ministries to provide groceries for Thanks­giving dinner baskets for families in need. Meat coupons from Dale’s Supermarket will be included in the basket.

◼ Families and Communities Together (FACT), $1,500: Hillsboro Area Family Financial Assistance Fund, FACT Inc. provides emergency financial assistance for provision of basic needs, including shelter, food, medical care and transportation. All donations designated to the Family Financial Assistance Fund go directly to assist families.

◼ USD 410 Chess Guild, $300: The Chess Guild provides students with chess lessons, encourages them to grow in their knowledge and skill in chess, and provides the opportunity for students to compete in scholastic chess tournaments. The funds pay tournament entry fees and help cover expenses for the home tournament.

◼ USD 410 Hunter Safety Club, $476: The program will teach students to be responsible hunters through interactive activities that include becoming familiar with proper gun handling, animal identification, conservation and wildlife programs. The funds will be used to purchase equipment used during the training.

◼ City of Hillsboro outdoor basketball court, $2,000 (Kansas Health Foundation Fund): The goal is to construct two concrete basketball courts in Memorial Park. The funds will be used to purchase the materials and pay for the labor to construct the courts and items associated with the courts, such as pouring concrete, painting lines on the courts and putting up lighting around the courts.

◼ USD 410 exercise mats, $500 (Marga Ebel Fund): The grant will be used to purchase exercise mats to be used in the weight room by the Hillsboro physical education classes to help increase flexibility and core strength. The weight room is available for the community to use in the evenings.

◼ City of Hillsboro, JAM basketball program, $2,000 (Kansas Health Foun­dation Fund). The grant will help purchase basketballs for the JAM program. These balls would replace 200 basketballs that were purchased 11 years ago. The old balls no longer hold air for more than two weeks. The balls would be the appropriate size for various age groups, which will help the coaches teach proper techniques.

◼ Hillsboro Senior Center, $2,000: commercial refrigerator (Impact Fund): The current refrigerator no longer maintains the proper interior temperature because it cannot use the new hydro carbon refrigerant. The new refrigerator will maintain a colder temperature, lower utility costs, provide food safety and allow the senior center to meet new EPA standards for refrigerants.

◼ City of Hillsboro, Splash Pad/Community Plaza, $2,500 (Kansas Health Foundation Fund). Develop a splash pad and public gathering space to increase the quality of life in Hillsboro. Provide a safe and valuable venue for events. Phase one of the project includes a splash pad: a free and dynamic, zero-depth aquatic play area, shade, seating and public restrooms that are greatly desired for downtown and will connect to Hillsboro’s new walking trail. Funds may be used for features such as seating, shade and waste receptacles.

◼ Main Street Mini­stries Inc. exterior doors, $2,385 (Impact Fund): Currently, two exterior doors are so deteriorated that they no longer secure the building. The grant will replace the current doors with steel doors and have them professionally installed.

◼ Marion County 4-H Development Fund, 4-H Camp tuition assistance, $500 (Impact Fund): The Marion County 4-H Development Fund supports and assists Marion County 4-H members, youth leaders and adult leaders in the areas of education, citizenship and leadership development. The grant will be used to provide financial assistance for Marion County 4-H youth to attend 4-H Camp or other state youth leadership development programs.

◼ Music On Site Inc., Experience Opera, $1,300 (Impact Fund): The goal of the program is to supplement existing arts education and develop an appreciation for opera in the next generation.

This includes an educational outreach program for area 2-12 students that includes educational packets to be used in class and a live opera performance.

Grant funds will be used to purchase education packet materials, artist stipends and production costs associated with producing a successful professional opera performance.

◼ Trinity Mennonite Church, Summer Food 4 Kids, $1,500 (Impact Fund): The summer Food 4 Kids program provides a noon meal throughout the summer for children who are at risk of hunger and food instability. More than 200 children participate in this program. A day swimming pass is given to each participant for exercise, socialization and a place to cool off during the hot summer.

◼ USD 410 on-site medical services, $2,500 (Marga Ebel Fund): Hillsboro Community Hospital would like to expand its services to USD 410 athletes by providing an on-site doctor once a week at the middle/high school. This collaboration would allow for greater accessibility and increase the overall health and prevention of injuries in the athletic programs.

Reprinted from the Hillsboro Free Press

In celebration of its 90th anniversary, Amer­i­can Family Insurance, founded on Oct. 3, 1927, asked its customers, agents and employees to nominate local nonprofits to receive a $3,000 donation.

In September, Cynthia Fleming, Hillsboro Community Foundation director, said she learned from Jayson Hanschu, American Family Insurance agent, that Hillsboro Community Foundation was one of the groups to receive $3,000.

A couple of months earlier, Hanschu had responded to an email about it, she said.

“That email just happened to pop up, and he filled out the application,” Fleming said. “Jayson was familiar with HCF as a board member.”

When announcements were being made, Hanschu contacted Fleming and said HCF was awarded a $3,000 donation.

“I expected to get a message thanking me for the application and that the funds had gone elsewhere,” Hanschu said about the email.

Fleming said when Hanschu opened the email, though, the company stated his agency’s nomination of HCF would be a recipients.

Some 90 charities across the country received $3,000 from a total of 17,000 nominations vying for the “Community of Dreamers” gifts honoring the company’s 90th birthday.

“We are so appreciative of Jayson (and others) for this donation,” Fleming said.

About HCF

The Hillsboro Community Foundation promotes and facilitates charitable giving, supporting projects and programs that enhance the quality of life in Hillsboro, she said.

In fulfilling that mission, the foundation plays many roles to include:

• receiving and managing donor funds for projects benefiting the Hills­boro community and nearby areas.

• helping donors identify local organizations, projects and programs that meet their benevolent goals.

• serving as an ambassador by promoting the needs of the Hillsboro community.

An American Family Insurance spokesman said a total of $270,000 was distributed as a way for them to give back to the communities.

“Strengthening individuals and families so they’re better able to pursue their dreams makes our communities stronger and American Family can be proud to be part of that,” said Judd Schemmel, community investments director.

For more information about HCF, call 620-947-0170 or email: director@hcfoundationks.org.

Patty Decker / Reprinted from the Hillsboro Free Press

On the heels of achieving a funding goal surpassing the $2 million target, Hills­boro Community Found­a­tion board members presented grant checks totaling $20,483 to 13 organ­iza­tions and programs serving Marion County children, families and seniors.

The presentations were made Feb. 17 during halftime of the Hillsboro High School boys’ basketball game with Hesston.

Of the total, $11,933 came through the Hillsboro Area Impact Fund and was distributed among eight recipient groups; $6,200 came through the Kansas Health Foundation Fund or the Kansas Health Fund and was award among five groups.

Since the formation of HCF in 2004, $431,904 has been given back to the community through grants and scholarships.

Following are the recipients of this year’s grants, with an explanation how the money will be used. Funding is provided through the Impact Fund unless otherwise indicated.

Grant recipients

• Circles of Marion County: $2,000. Circles is an initiative to eradicate poverty by building relationships across class lines. Cir­cles defines persons caught in poverty as “Leaders,” and trains them to lead their families out of poverty. Funds will be used for transportation, producing and printing materials. Grant funds will be part of the general operating budget of the organization.

• City of Hillsboro: Bluejay Lanes: $1,000. Blue­jay Lanes was acquired several years ago and has undergone extensive remodeling. Two rooms are dedicated for youth activities. The grant, which includes $300 from KHFF, will be used to replace an old and inefficient heating system.

• Hillsboro Senior Center: $2,500. The center serves meals five days a week and averages 80 meals per day. The center also is used for multiple community meals. The grant will go toward the purchase of a commercial dishwasher, which will enable the center to use fewer volunteers to wash dishes and continue to provide community meals.

• Main Street Mini­stries: $2,500. The Main Street Ministries food bank serves those struggling to feed their families in the community and surrounding area. The KHFF funds will be used to help fill the shelves of the food bank.

• Marion County 4-H Development Fund: $500. The fund supports and assists Marion County 4-H members, youth leaders and adult leaders in the areas of education, citizenship and leadership development. The grant will be used in the form of scholarships to help 4-H youth attend 4-H camp at Rock Springs Ranch.

• Parkside Homes: $2,417. The funds will go toward the program “Cooking and Learning in Grandma’s Kitchen,” an intergenerational program of cooking and cultural experiences between Park­side residents and Hillsboro community youth. Parkside will purchase a residential range for the main kitchenette and additional equipment to provide tools needed for this project.

• Prairie View Inc.: $1,000. Prairie View’s Sum­mer Intensive Rehabilitation Program creates psychoeducational opportunities for children to build skills to live well within their homes and communities. Assis­tance to cover healthy lunches is of great help to SIRP and the children who benefit from the program. The KHF funds will be used to pay Trinity Church for healthy lunches for the participating children.

• Trinity Mennonite Church: $2,000. The summer “Food for Kids” program provides a noon meal throughout the summer for children who are at risk of hunger and food instability. About 200 children participate in the program. Each participant also receives a day swimming pass. The KHFF funding will be used to purchase food.

• Salem Home: $700. Due to reimbursements cuts, Salem Home is experiencing financial difficulties in buying recliners for all the rooms. Most residents move to the home with no furniture. Because of compromised health, some residents need to sit on recliners so they can be comfortable and able to get up when they need to. The KHF grant will enable Salem to purchase one recliner chair for a resident.

• USD 410 – After School Program: $2,000. This program is available for first through sixth graders. It provides healthy, enriching and emotionally developing activities for at-risk students who may be without adult supervision.

• USD 410 – Hearing support services: $1,350. Funds from the Marga Ebel Fund received will be used to cover the cost of a portable audiometer and the annual cost for calibration fees that are required. This equipment will help address a critical need within the school system to evaluate needs for students with hearing difficulties.

• USD 410 – Chess Guild: $500. The Chess Guild provides students with chess lessons, encourages them to grow in their knowledge and skill in chess, and provides for them to compete in scholastic chess tournaments. The funds will be used to send students to chess camp in Lindsborg to learn from a grandmaster.

• USD 410 – Vocal Music Department: $2,106. Students in this department perform for the community throughout the school year and participate in league, regional and state competitions. The funds, which include $1,000 from the Hillsboro Area Community Arts Endowment Fund, will be used to purchase a video camera and tripod to be used in the classroom as well as to video performances for the vocal music and band departments.

Reprinted from the Hillsboro Free Press