ROCHELLE — The Rochelle Area Community Foundation announced Tuesday the award of $30,050 in Coronavirus Response Fund Grants to nonprofit organizations serving the needs of people in the local area.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, the Rochelle Area Community Foundation will distribute funds to aid local nonprofit organizations in their service to the community related to COVID-19.  In this third round of grant making, seven organizations applied to the Coronavirus Response Fund and each application was funded in full.

Grant Awards include:

The Rochelle Christian Food Pantry: $6,600 to make necessary improvements for safe and effective food distribution in winter months, and additional funds to purchase food through the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

The Kitchen Table Community Kitchen: $5,000 to purchase food and containers to assist them in continuing to provide hot, nutritious meals.

The Northern Illinois Food Bank: $4,100 to host two mobile food pantries in the Rochelle area.

Farmworkers and Landscapers Advocacy Project (FLAP): $8,000 to provide resources for the needs of very low income Latinx populations in the Rochelle area.

Pegasus Special Riders: $3,500 to replace income lost due to cancelled fundraisers, allowing the therapeutic horseback riding program to continue in the coming year.

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois: $1,100 to support virtual programing for girls grades kindergarten through 12 in order to develop a strong sense of self, positive values and to seek challenges.

Creston Booster Club: $1,750 to replace lost income from fundraisers that could not occur. The grant will provide utility payment assistance for the Creston Opera House.

The RACF Coronavirus Response Fund grant application will remain open as long as funds are available and the need for relief continues. The Rochelle Area Community Foundation supports the needs of nonprofit organizations serving the local community. The Foundation does not make grants to individuals or for-profit businesses but encourages the community to seek resources available to them through the nonprofit organizations which the Foundation funds.

A complete list of local COVID-19 resources is available on both the City of Rochelle’s website at cityofrochelle.net and the foundation’s website: http://rochellefoundation.org/coronavirus-response-fund.

The Rochelle Area Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to improve the community through charitable giving, encourage a spirit of philanthropy, develop collaborative partnerships and enhance the quality of life of the community.  Our work is only possible through the generosity of others.

For more information contact Kim Montgomery, Executive Director at 815-561-3600 or by e-mail at kim@rochellefoundation.org.