The Petersburg Community Foundation this spring distributed the highest dollar amount of grants it ever has, totaling nearly $50,000. In addition to this year’s grant recipients, the foundation announced that its endowment fund has reached $1 million.
Board member Sue Paulsen led a toast at the foundation’s annual award event on May 16, during Petersburg’s Little Norway Festival weekend.
“Congratulations and full speed ahead. Skål, everybody!” she said.
The locally-advised community foundation started in 2008 as one of many affiliates of the Alaska Community Foundation. Paulsen credited its million dollar achievement to the “unrelenting and frequent donations” raised in Petersburg.
Investment earnings from the endowment fund make it possible for the foundation to award grants to local organizations, programs and projects every year.
Petersburg Children’s Center received $5,500 from the foundation this cycle, which First Bank matched for a total of $11,000. The money is for various childcare supplies at the facility and upgrading its camera system.
Sharlay Mamoe is the Children Center’s director. She said they try not to apply for money, “unless we absolutely need it.”
“I always tell my staff, you know, shoot for the moon, and if you land in the stars, it’s okay. So, whenever I got told that we were fully funded by both organizations, I literally cried,” Mamoe said at the event. “Thank you so much for the support of everybody in this room. It definitely takes a village to raise our youngest citizens, and I’m happy to be a part of your village.”
The local Salvation Army was awarded $5,000, which was matched by the Alaska Community Foundation’s Nourish Communities Fund. The $10,000 supports the Salvation Army’s food box program it provides during the holidays.
Salvation Army Captain Ashley Duran said the financial support for the food box program helps it support families experiencing food insecurity in the community.
“There are going to be a lot of smiling, crying faces. Our last year, we had some people that were coming in last minute … crying because they didn’t know where they’re going to get food,” she said. “With the shutdowns that were happening, they came to us and we were able to provide Christmas meal for them. And there was a lot of single moms crying when they received that meal. So, thank you for this.”
The Petersburg Community Foundation also contributed $2,500 toward repairing the gutters at Petersburg’s historic Sons of Norway Hall building, awarded $6,000 to the Clausen Memorial Museum for a new roof, granted the Five Finger Lighthouse Society $2,400 for installing web cameras at the island, and awarded KFSK $7,500 for replacing a piece of equipment called the antenna air dryer.
Petersburg Indian Association received $1,700 for safety supplies for the canoe Journey to Celebration in Juneau. The Muskeg Maleriers rosemaling club received $2,250 to support travel costs for a visiting class instructor.
The Petersburg Public Library received $4,000 for a self-service checkout kiosk, with support from the Friends of the Petersburg Library, the library’s endowment, and the Rasmuson Foundation to fund the project.
The Petersburg Community Foundation also recognized local resident Desi Burrell as this year’s Community Volunteer. As part of the award, Burrell got to choose a nonprofit organization to give a $1,000 grant. Burrell chose Beat the Odds, which supports local cancer-related programs.
