Y pool project wins $100k grant

WASHINGTON — The Wellmark Foundation announced over $1.6 million in Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) grant awards Sept. 27, a sizable portion of them sent to Southeast Iowa groups.

The organizations were notified in May of the pending awards and had 16 weeks to secure matching funds to qualify, according to a news release from the foundation.

“We know the neighborhoods people live in have a major impact on their health and well-being,” Wellmark Foundation Executive Director Mary Lawyer said in a news release. “Each of these projects provides an opportunity for residents to be active where they live, work, learn and play, or ensures access to healthy foods.”

The YMCA of Washington County received $100,000 from the MATCH grant. CEO Amy Schulte said the group had its matching money raised right away.

“Funds we were able to utilize come from local donors and businesses and organizations who have already supported the pool project,” she said. “We’ve had such great response for our pool project that we really had the funds already in place at the time we applied for it.”

Schulte said the organization had raised $5.4 million, about 73% of the estimated cost. The anticipation is getting overwhelming.

“We’re so close but we still have this $1.82 million gap that we need to fund,” she said. “It’s almost like we can just reach out and grab it, it’s so close … a lot of excitement, but also a lot of work to finish things up, wrap things up so we can start this coming summer.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com