$150,000 received in grants last month Community Resource Center on track for March completion
The Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation awarded $100,000 to the Community Resource Center project for installation of an elevator. From left are Ellen Johnson of the UMGC, Austin Coon and Andy Reimer, representing the GEIDC, and Dave Kahrs of the UMGC. (Photo submitted )
Grants totaling $150,000 were recently awarded to the Guttenberg Economic and Industrial Development Committee (GEIDC) for its Community Resource Center project.
The Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation awarded the project $100,000 for installation of an elevator, and Black Hills Energy granted $30,000 to the effort. The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque awarded $20,000 to support private office spaces for the Family Resource Center, which provides all of Clayton County with access to many social services.
“We are absolutely thrilled with these contributions from local organizations and are extremely grateful for their generosity,” says Austin Coon, GEIDC president. “The closer we can get to our fundraising goal, the less debt we take on and the sooner we can turn this project into more economic growth for the community.”
The Community Resource Center has already been a catalyst for community growth. Expanded offices for Unlimited Services, a nonprofit that provides supported vocational and community living in Clayton, Delaware and Dubuque Counties, will be located on the second floor.
The Clayton Ridge Community School District will launch a new therapeutic school on the second floor for up to 20 K-12 students whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs interfere with their ability to be successful in the current educational environment. This creates an alternative education option closer to home for those who now travel to Elkader or Prairie du Chien for their schooling. Additional space on the third stories of the building is still available for rent – contact a GEIDC member for details.
“This project is an investment in the local economy and will ultimately result in a funding stream for GEIDC through rental income, which we will use to stimulate and support further economic development opportunities,” says Coon. “Additional partnerships are expected as other organizations formalize decisions to use the available spaces in the building. This potential makes our community more attractive; and when the space is eventually occupied, new services within will also add to the economy.”
March plans
Staff and volunteers of the Family Resource Center expect to move from their River Park Drive location into the first floor of the Community Resource Center building in March.
The new space is badly needed: The organization’s food pantry saw an increase from 725 households in 2019 to 3,897 households in 2023, and referrals increased from 2,375 people in 2019 to 5,389 people in 2023.
The existing space also lacks private meeting spaces for individuals in crises or those sharing confidential information with service agencies and SHIIP counselors. In the new space, six private offices complement ample space for storing household items and all the necessities for the food pantry.
The Family Resource Center was recognized in 2019 at a state healthcare symposium and has been highlighted as a model to replicate for other healthcare organizations. A service hub that can meet many needs in one stop, the organization is more than a typical food pantry. Its partnership with the hospital allows providers to send patients directly to the Family Resource Center as part of their continuum of care. An area nurse shared the story of an ill, elderly patient who had been living on peanut butter sandwiches due to income limitations. The nurse was able to send her home with a box of food thanks to this partnership.
Funding
With this mission in mind, dozens of area volunteers made visits last fall to 170 individuals, families and businesses. These visits resulted in $550,000 donated to the project. Local banks have also contributed donations and project leadership. GEIDC board members and Family Resource Center staff extend their heartfelt thanks to all who have given.
GEIDC is leveraging a $2.7M grant from the State of Iowa for the project. Most of the $40M awarded from the Iowa Innovation Fund, where this grant originated, was distributed in cities like Des Moines, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids and Ames. “We don't see many grants this large made to rural areas like ours,” says Molly Moser, a member of the steering committee who has assisted with writing grants for the project. “That's one reason it's so important for this project to succeed: so we can show state and national funders that small communities work together to make big projects happen. Though our population may be lower, we can make an impact and we should be taken as seriously as metro areas.”
With about $560,000 left to raise, leaders continue to apply for grants and are still on the fundraising trail. Contact any member of GEIDC to make your gift, or mail contributions to GEIDC at PO Box 99, Guttenberg IA 52052.
GEIDC members are Tom Augustyn, Austin Coon, Jamie Blume, William Kann, Kathryn Klaes, Jackie Lee, Andrea Moser and Andy Reimer.
