The Gilchrist Foundation is proud to support Siouxland nonprofit organizations that are growing. The Foundation’s purpose is to foster the long-term viability of charities and enable special projects rather than supplying short-term operating funds. Granting funds for expansion projects and initiatives directly ties into this type of support. In 2023, the Foundation awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to nonprofit organizations specifically for expanding their physical space, including Camp High Hopes, a local organization that offers recreational activities for children, teens and adults with disabilities, special needs and chronic illnesses.

Boys and Girls Home of Sioux City has been working to improve the lives of children and families in the area for more than 100 years. In 2022 alone, it served 60 children in residential treatment as well as provided 754 group/family therapy sessions, 3779 individual therapy sessions, 124 mental health assessments and 15,121 pounds of emergency food relief. Because the need to help children and families is growing, Boys and Girls Home has developed plans to relocate some of its services to the new Ginny Peterson Behavioral Health Campus at 1551 Indian Hills Drive. It will accomplish this goal through a $8.5 million capital campaign that the Gilchrist Foundation is proud to support.

A beautiful outdoor garden can help ease the anxiety of those seeking medical care. It’s one of the reasons the Gilchrist Foundation chose to support MercyOne Siouxland Foundation’s renovation of its Garden Space at 6th and Jones streets. The Foundation awarded MercyOne a $5,000 project grant in 2022 to help complete the project. The updated and enhanced Garden Space gives patients an area to relax, reflect and rejuvenate.

Millions of Americans and hundreds of communities are affected by disasters each year. Fires, floods, tornados and earthquakes destroy homes, misplace people and cause injuries and deaths. That’s why the work that the American Red Cross does is so important, and why the Gilchrist Foundation supports the Red Cross’ disaster relief efforts. Each year the Gilchrist Foundation awards tens of thousands of dollars to help fund disaster relief efforts nationwide. In 2023, the Foundation has already awarded $50,000 to the American Red Cross to help with relief efforts in California and the southern United States.

Soon there will be another outdoor theater experience in Siouxland, thanks in part to the Gilchrist Foundation. In 2022, the Foundation awarded the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and the Betty Strong Encounter Center a $35,000 project grant for its Shipwreck Outdoor Theatre Project. The grant funded the project’s outdoor sound system which will soon host a future outdoor theatre fine arts series.

The Gilchrist Foundation is committed to supporting Siouxland nonprofits and has awarded 63 grants in 2022 totaling more than $1.8 million. Since 1998, the Foundation has awarded grants to local charities whose interests align with that of Jocelyn Gilchrist, who established the Foundation. The Foundation awards three types of grants: endowment, capital campaign and project grants during the annual grant cycle of April to mid-July. The Foundation also awards micro grants of a maximum of $5,000 throughout the year.

Art is a natural extension of our lives. It enhances our surroundings, speaks to our emotions, tells us a story, lets us express ourselves and much more. Making art accessible to everyone in the community is the mission of several art-focused nonprofit organizations across Siouxland. It’s an important goal that can positively impact both adults and kids. Learning about art, i.e., art education, can positively impact a student’s motivation and attitude. According to Americans for the Arts, increasing access and involvement in arts education encourages students to stay in school and succeed in school, work and life.