The garden’s hand-on learning approach of teaching gives the students "that are not in touch with nature, a chance to learn while getting their hands dirty” Martinez said. “It has been such a blessing!”
HCF Partners with Key Society for Record Grant
It is the single largest grant made by the Hastings Community Foundation.
The HCF Grants Committee partnered with the Key Society to make a $150,000 gift to the Hastings Family YMCA’s “Building What Matters” campaign. The project includes a complete renovation and expansion of the 16th Street YMCA facility and the selling of their 18th Street location.
New Forklift for Catholic Social Services
Project Homeless Connect
Project Homeless Connect – Hastings is a one-day, one-stop event at which individuals and families who are homeless or near homeless can receive a variety of immediate, on-site services and support. In 2017, PHC partnered with CASA (Court appointed Special Advocate) and First St. Paul’s Church. We assisted 428 guests through a wide variety of agencies and services. Services were provided in the following areas at no cost: medical, dental, HIV testing, food, clothing, adult education, housing, car maintenance, employment, hygiene, disability assistance and veterans’ services,
“Hastings Community Foundation has helped us reach out to those needing the services through publicity grants. Publicity through many different forms of media is of vital importance to reach our sometimes nomadic population. With the grant we received, we were able to begin purchasing non-profit radio ads to reach more people in the counties we serve.
“One participant told us he had been living in his car in a park for several months. He was at his wits end. Out of money, no job and no prospects. He was desperate and didn’t know what he was going to do. Then he heard the ad on the radio about Project Homeless Connect. The event was the next day. That night, he said he slept in the church parking lot. He was able to meet with many agencies, receive services, get a shower and a haircut and clothes for a job interview. This year that hopeless man was a volunteer, giving hope to others! The gentleman is now employed full-time, stably housed and is almost done with his GED. If it had not been for the funding granted to us by Hastings Community Foundation, he never would have heard that ad. Who knows where he would be today.”
– Tina Winchell, Coordinator of PHC in Hastings
Revive Ministries
“Revive Ministries, Horizon Recovery and Counseling Center/The Unity Houses will celebrate its ten year anniversary on March 1, 2018. We are a very young organization in the Hastings Community, helping people overcome the demons of addiction and hurts, habits and hang-ups. Revive Ministries is our non-profit name. Horizon Recovery and Counseling Center is our addiction rehab treatment center. The Unity Houses is our sober living housing program where we can house eleven women and twenty three men providing a safe and affordable living environment for adults recovering from addiction.
“We received our first grant from the Hastings Community Foundation in 2012 to support our Sponsorship Program. We have also received funds for two new furnaces and air conditioning systems in one of our Unity Houses. There were two systems in one house and both became worn-out and were leaking gas. The Community Foundation provided funding quickly for us to replace these two units.
“This past year the Hastings Community Foundation provided funding for our campaign to educate our community about the negative effects alcohol/drugs have on our community. This grant paid for radio ads also paid for two billboards with information about the health effects of substance abuse.
“The Hastings Community Foundation also sponsors Give Hastings Day. We have received large amounts of funds from this one-day of giving and we are so thankful for the Foundation’s efforts bringing this event to our community.”
– Dan Rutt, Director