DCF Awards $71,300 in Specific Interest Grants
This year the Delaware Community Foundation has awarded $71,300 in specific interest grants to 13 nonprofit organizations around the state.
Specific interest funds – created by donors to support issues they are particularly passionate about – provide grants for nonprofits and programs that work within specific areas of activity or populations and currently focus on arts in Wilmington, fulfillment of terminally ill children’s wishes, and training and treatment of animals. This year’s recipients are:
Arts in Wilmington:
Choir School of Delaware – $2,500
To support REACH FOR THE STARS, a weekday summer camp including music education, academic support, and summer fun over five weeks.
Wilmington Children’s Chorus – $2,300
To support necessary materials for their “Singing Through Summer” initiative, which will bring music to camps throughout Wilmington in the summer months and connect traditionally under-resourced children with opportunities to experiment with music-making and express themselves through creative outlets.
The Delaware Contemporary – $2,500
To support the Platform Gallery, a public art initiative transforming the museum’s exterior into a public space to experience contemporary art.
Delaware Art Museum – $2,500
To support their Family Day event, to be held in the fall of 2021. The event will complement and support the special exhibition Afro-American Images 1971: The Vision of Percy Ricks.
Latin American Community Center – $2,500
To support ArtAddiction, an annual initiative through the Prevention Promoters Program which encourages participants to use art to express themes related to addiction.
Fulfillment of Terminally Ill Children’s Wishes
Make-A-Wish – $7,500
To enable more of Delaware’s critically ill children to receive wishes, which inspire and give hope to the children and their families.
Preston’s March for Energy – $7,500
To fund adaptive bikes to children with developmental disabilities in need of fun, outdoor movement.
Support Animals and Animal Welfare
Forgotten Cats – $7,500
To support high volume trap-neuter-vaccinate-return in Sussex County to address the urgent homeless cat problem.
Faithful Friends Animal Society – $7,500
To support operation costs for the Free Pet Food & Supply crisis prevention program, which reduces pet relinquishment by providing owners with free pet food, supplies and education for preventative care.
Friends of Animals – $7,500
To encourage the humane treatment of animals in Delaware through public education, adoption, neutering, and enforcement of laws governing the humane treatment of animals.
Southern Delaware Therapeutic and Recreational Horseback Riding, Inc. – $7,500
To support the training of therapy horses used in the lessons of riders who may have physical or behavioral challenges.
Canine Partners for Life – $7,500
To assist in the training of professionally trained seeing eye dogs and service assistance dogs for blind individuals, deaf individuals and/or individuals with mobility impairments and/or other physical disabilities
Keystone Service Systems DBA Susquehanna Service Dogs – $6,500
Provide support services in connection with the placements of such dogs with eligible recipients who are residents of the State of Delaware who demonstrate a drive to become more independent and who would not be able to acquire such dogs without financial assistance.