Foundation awards grants to Susitna Valley nonprofits

Six Susitna Valley nonprofit organizations shared $5,000 in Healthy Community Grants from the Jessica Stevens Community Foundation. Winners for 2011 include Sunshine Transit Coalition, Trapper Creek Pre-School, Upper Susitna Youth Conservation Corp, Talkeetna Build-a-Plane Project, Sunshine Station Childcare Center and Talkeetna Elementary PTA.

This is the third year the grants have been awarded and the second year Sunshine Transit, Upper Susitna Youth Corp, Talkeetna Build a Plane, and Talkeetna PTA received funding. In its first year, the foundation helped to fund the construction of Talkeetna Playground Park.

The foundation was established in 2008 in memory of Jessica Stevens, a beloved health care provider. The advisory board continues to raise funds to create an endowment that will allow the foundation to aid local nonprofit groups in perpetuity.

Jessica Stevens Community Foundation is an affiliate fund of the Alaska Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.