The Heart of Cook has awarded grants to 36 area nonprofit organizations, totaling $74,870 at a grant reception at Indiana Michigan Power’s Cook Nuclear Plant on June 28. The Heart of Cook is a corporate-advised fund held by the Berrien Community Foundation.
Shane Lies with representatives from Heart of Cook grant recipient, Praise Fellowship SDA Women’s Ministry.
“It’s always a pleasure to be able to provide these worthy organizations with some of the extra dollars they need to make our community better,” said American Electric Power’s Senior Vice President & Chief Nuclear Officer Shane Lies. “We’re extremely grateful for the important work they do, and are proud that The Heart of Cook can help play a small role in their success.”
The 2023 Heart of Cook grants will support a wide range of programming with everything from food pantries to prom for senior citizens to getting new gear to first responders. The Heart of Cook focuses on programs that address education, human services and environmental projects, and gives priority to programs that involve a Cook Nuclear employee.
While the Heart of Cook grant program is administered by the Berrien Community Foundation, a committee comprised of Cook Nuclear Plant employees review all grant applications and make the decisions. After receiving dozens of applications, the Heart of Cook Grant Committee certainly had its work cut out for them in the decision-making process.
This year, the Heart of Cook committee selected the following organizations as winners of the 2023 Heart of Cook Grant:
- Advancing Christ’s Kingdom Ministries – Michigan City
- Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety
- Berrien Community Foundation
- Berrien County Conservation District
- Berrien County Youth Fair Association
- Berrien Springs Virtual Academy
- Boy Scout Troop 603
- Buchanan Township Fire Department
- Children’s Music Workshop
- Coloma Youth Baseball Softball Association
- Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Southwest Michigan
- Fairplain Presbyterian Church
- Feeding America West Michigan
- First Congregational Church UCC
- Friends of the Lincoln Township Public Library
- Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana
- Green Bridge Growers
- LOGAN Community Resources
- Lory’s Place of Caring Circle
- Neighbor By Neighbor
- New Heights CCDA
- Niles Salvation Army
- Paws of Hope
- Praise Fellowship SDA Women’s Ministry
- Present Pillars
- Senior Nutrition Services Region IV/Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan
- Sodus Township Fire Department
- Southshore Concert Band
- St. Margaret’s House
- St. Joseph Charter Township Fire Department Fire Station #2
- St. Joseph High School Key Club
- St. Joseph Parish Conference Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Joseph County, Indiana
- Summit Financial Wellness
- Watervliet Public Schools Foundation for Excellence
- Youth Development Company/PAL
Grant applications for 2024 will be available in January by visiting the Berrien Community Foundation website at www.berriencommunity.org.