News

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids and Greenway (GR/GW) was selected as one of three local organizations to receive funding from the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation’s Seeds of Change 2024 annual campaign. The support came at a critical time, helping GR/GW serve rural, working-class families who rely on after-school care to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the end of the workday. Thanks to this funding and other support, GR/GW is able to provide a safe, supportive, and engaging environment that keeps young people on track to graduate from high school with a plan for their

Open Door Coat Rack is a collaboration of Itasca County area volunteers, churches, and organizations who gather and distribute winter wear (coats, snow pants, boots, etc.) to local area families in need each year.  The location for this yearly event is at their host location, the United Methodist Church of Grand Rapids. In 2024, 909 Itasca area children and needy adults received newly purchased and donated winter wear. There was a 23% increase over 2023 in the number of children served. With that increase, they ran out of many sizes of children’s coats and boots. There was also an increase

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our First Friday event—it was a wonderful turnout and an exciting kick-off to our annual Seeds of Change campaign! Special thanks to North in Bloom for their beautiful mini bouquets—they were a big hit! Congratulations to Jean Grover and Kathleen Spencer, the winners of our NoPo Kitchen gift card giveaway! Save the Date: Our next First Friday event is June 6! Enjoy music by Dan Rigoni, stunning artwork by Susan Clandon, plus appetizers, beer & wine. Don’t forget: Thanks to a generous matching donor, all donations to our Seeds of

The Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation (GRACF) kicks off its annual Seeds of Change Campaign with a Friday Art Walk event on April 4, 2025, from 4-7 p.m. at the Community Foundation, 350 NW 1st Avenue, Suite E, Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The event will feature a jewelry display by Tammy Horton of Tamarick Designs, a northern Minnesota artist known for handcrafted, one-of-a-kind jewelry made with natural stones set in sterling, copper, or brass. Learn more at www.tamarickdesigns.com. Guests can also enjoy live music by Dan Rigoni of Rapids Radio from 4:30-6:30 p.m., along with beverages and appetizers from NoPo Kitchen.

  The Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation is excited to announce the first-ever 100 Women Who Care Itasca giving circle event, taking place on Monday, May 5, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at Timberlake Lodge in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. This community-driven initiative brings together women who want to make an immediate and meaningful impact. The concept is simple: one hundred women gather, and each attendee donates $100. Together, they pool their resources to raise at least $10,000 in a single evening for a local nonprofit organization. During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to nominate a nonprofit they are