St. Cloud, Minn. – The Bernick Family Foundation announced today that it awarded $150,000 in grants focused on enriching the lives of youth and improving health through its fund at the Central Minnesota Community Foundation.
“Bernick’s is proud to uphold a long tradition of supporting the communities we serve,” said Jason Bernick, Bernick’s Director of Corporate Affairs. “The funding in this year’s grant round will help build a stronger future for our communities.” Bernick’s service areas include St. Cloud/Waite Park, Duluth, Alexandria, Willmar, Brainerd, Bemidji, and Dresser, Wisconsin.
The latest round of grants supported the following community projects:
- Friends of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, Inc. to build a Wetlands Education Dock to encourage students of all ages to explore and learn more about the refuge’s habitats and wildlife $10,000
- GREAT Theatre to renovate its new space $15,000
- Brainerd Baxter Youth Center to support the Bicycle Recycle Project @ TheShop, a program for young people to gain employable skills and opportunities to become leaders in their community $5,000.00
- Catholic Charities to build a new Intensive Treatment Cottage to serve children with special mental health needs $35,000.00
- Beltrami Area Service Collaborative for a program matching students with caring community members who will coach them on setting and reaching goals $20,000.00
- Central Minnesota Council, Boy Scouts of America to build a science lab at Parker Scout Camp in Brainerd $10,000.00
- Alexandria Area Arts Association to renovate space to expand its educational programming and accommodate small performance groups $5,000.00
- Girls Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines to complete construction of a storm shelter grade building at its resident camp near Minong, Wisconsin $25,000.00
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota to help the organization relocate to and renovate its new space $25,000.00
The Bernick Family Foundation was established as a component of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation in 1989 to help Bernick’s and the Bernick Family support organizations that reflect the family’s core values, while providing leadership in responding to emerging community needs.
Founded in 1916, Bernick’s is a fourth-generation family-owned business, providing beverage, vending and food service solutions. The Waite Park-based company has a long tradition of investing in its local communities to improve quality of life. In addition to their support through the Foundation, Bernick’s continues as a longtime philanthropic leader through direct financial and in-kind donations to over 100 causes each year. Learn more at bernicks.com.
The Central Minnesota Community Foundation (CMCF), based in St. Cloud, is a public charity that administers over 600 charitable funds totaling more than $105 million for the benefit of area residents. CMCF has been engaging people and connecting resources to build a better community since 1985. CMCF deepens its community impact through its affiliates, Alexandria Area Community Foundation, Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation, and Willmar Area Community Foundation, as well as its supporting organization the Minnesota Real Estate Foundation. Learn more at CommunityGiving.org.
