The Amy Helpenstell Foundation Awards $359,855 to 28 nonprofits

Twenty-eight area nonprofit organizations were awarded $359,855 on Wednesday, April 23rd during The Amy Helpenstell Foundation’s Spring Grant Reception at 8:30 a.m. at the Quad City Botanical Center in Rock Island, IL. This is the largest amount of funding awarded by the Foundation in a single grant cycle.

Nonprofit guests received their grants from Amy’s father, Franz “Bud” Helpenstell. In addition, several nonprofit leaders spoke on behalf of their organizations to share how they will utilize the grant money received from the Foundation.

Sue Swisher, Child Abuse Council

Joyce Morrison, Vera French Foundation

Paige Nagle, Gilda’s Club Quad Cities

Among the causes and organizations it supports, The Amy Helpenstell Foundation promotes awareness, understanding, diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders in the greater Quad Cities area.  Amy Helpenstell passed away in 2003 from complications related to an eating disorder. Ms. Helpenstell created the Foundation through her estate to support causes related to health, education, youth development, community development and cultural activities within a 60-mile radius of Rock Island, where she lived and worked.

“Amy’s Foundation has given nearly $5 million back to the community since 2005, all to causes that she cared about very much,” said Bud Helpenstell, Amy’s father and President of The Amy Helpenstell Foundation. “With the full impact of state cutbacks to nonprofits being especially noticeable now, we are happy to support these organizations in every way we can. The important work they do can be felt in the lives of real people every day.” 

The Spring Grant recipients and the programs that received funding include: 

  • Aldridge Early Learning Center – Parent Education, $2,000

  • Arrowhead Ranch – Residential Dorm Remodel/Update, $11,555

  • Augustana College – The Amy Helpenstell Foundation Student Intern Program, $20,000

  • Bethany for Children & Families – Youth Transitional Housing for Homeless Youth (Rock Island), $8,000

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley – One-to-One Youth Mentoring, $15,000

  • Black Hawk College Foundation – Documentation at Point of Care for Nursing Students, $4,500

  • Black Hawk College Optional Ed. Program – Adult Education, English as a Second Language Coordination, $20,000

  • Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley – Core Competencies-Youth Programs, $16,000

  • Center for Youth and Family Solutions – Crisis Intervention Service Enhancement, $10,000

  • Child Abuse Council – Prevention Education Services, $12,000

  • Children’s Therapy Center of the Quad Cities – Enhanced Feeding Therapy Program, $16,000

  • Community Housing Services – JumpStart After School Program, $10,000

  • Community Resource & Learning Center, Inc. – Pre-K Project, $5,000

  • Gilda’s Club of the Quad Cities – Children in Need Continuation, $13,000

  • Hand in Hand – Accessibility Program& Licensing Upgrades for Individuals with Disabilities, $10,500

  • Henry County Youth Services Bureau – Free School-Based and Home-Based Individual and Group Counseling, $14,000

  • Junior Achievement of the Heartland – Junior Achievement Programs; Empowering the Future, $15,000

  • Marriage & Family Counseling Service – Spanish Family Therapy Program, $10,000

  • National Alliance on Mental Illness, Scott County – NAMI Scott County Office Expansion, Bringing NAMI’s Signature Education Classes In-House, $5,300

  • New Kingdom Trail Riders – 2012-2014 Horse Care Project, $10,000

  • Quad City Youth Conference – 2015 Quad City Youth Conference, 3,500

  • Rick’s House of Hope – Ongoing Training of Volunteers and Staff, $3,500

  • Robert Young Center for Community Mental Health – Amy’s Gift: Quad Cities Eating Disorder Consortium, $50,000

  • School Health LINK, Inc. – Behavioral Health Specialist, $15,000

  • Spring Forward Learning Center – After-School Tutoring and Mentoring, $15,000

  • St. Ambrose University – The Amy Helpenstell Scholars Program,  $10,000

  • theplace2b – Community Outreach Project, $15,000

  • Vera French Foundation – School-Based Mental Health Therapy Program, $20,000

For more information about The Amy Helpenstell Foundation, visit www.amyhelpenstell.org or call 563-326-2840.  The Amy Helpenstell Foundation is administered by the Quad Cities Community Foundation.

 

###

 

 

 

Melanie JonesGrant, Amy Helpenstell Foundation