Say thank you with Jessica’s Roses

TALKEETNA — Nonprofits are making good things happen in the Upper Susitna Valley — from Meals on Wheels for seniors, a well-stocked library, drama, food bank, museum, students building a plane and the beginnings of a preschool in Trapper Creek to festivals, water monitoring, music, Youth Conservation Corps, transportation and a playground for children.

Since its creation in 2007, the Jessica Stevens Community Foundation has distributed more than $25,000 in grants to support more than 20 local nonprofit groups.

For a second year, the Jessica Stevens Community Foundation will distribute yellow roses to celebrate the work done by nonprofits and as a thank you to the community for its support. Distribution of Jessica’s Roses is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 1 at the Trapper Creek Post office, Moore’s hardware parking lot and the Talkeetna Village Park. Roses also will be available at the Live at 5 concert May 31 in Talkeetna Park.

Jessica Stevens was a physician’s assistant who transformed a tiny clinic into the Sunshine Community Health Center, a full-service community health center. The Jessica Stevens Community Foundation was founded after her death as a way to continue her work in promoting a healthy community, compassionate health care, innovative education and creative artistic expression.

The foundation has focused its work on building an endowment dedicated to helping build healthy communities in the northern Susitna Valley through grants to local nonprofits.

For more information, visit alaskacf.org.