Open Door Coat Rack Continues to Serve Growing Needs
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
🌱 Thank You for a Fantastic First Friday! 🌸
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
GRACF Seeds of Change: Supporting Arts, Animals, Environment, and Women
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.
100 Women to Raise $10,000 for Local Non-Profit
 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
Investing in Community: The Hill City Area Community Fund
In 2024, the Hill City Area Community Fund (HCACF) awarded seven grants totaling $39,900 to support projects and programs in the Hill City area. As a community-based fund, HCACF provides discretionary grants to initiatives that enhance the quality of life for residents in Jacobson, Swatara, Palisade, Hill City, and the surrounding Macville and Spang Townships. Â If you are a 501(c)(3) or other not-for-profit organization with a project aimed at improving your community, HCACF encourages you to apply for a grant. The next HCACF meeting is scheduled for April 9 at 6:00 PM. Community members with ideas for how HCACF