Community Success Stories

Grinnell

Grinnell PRIDE was started in 1978 with the assistance of Stan McAdoo, Community Development and PRIDE Specialist. Stan visited with a group of Grinnell residents about the PRIDE program and encouraged them to set up a group of volunteer committees. And that is just what they did.

They conducted a community survey to identify needs. Two needs which rose to the surface were a library and senior center. Committees were formed and the work started.

In 1979, Friends of Grinnell, Inc, a 501C3 corporation, was established to handle the financial and legal aspects for PRIDE. With Friends of Grinnell in place, PRIDE started working on establishing a library. A building was donated and funds were solicited to remodel, buy books and start the library. The majority of the labor was in kind.

With the library project well underway, another committee became excited about the prospect of a Senior Center. In 1980, the committee started soliciting donations and working on grants. They were successful in obtaining a grant and were able to build a new facility. Once again, much of the labor for the center was in kind.

As the PRIDE Program became established, they continued to add new projects. A few of their annual projects include Yard of the Month, park clean-up in the spring, landscaping downtown, welcome to Grinnell packets and Christmas activities such as caroling and decorating.

In 1993 a new and urgent need hit the community. The grocery store was in danger of closing its doors. The owners were wanting to sell and prospect did not look good. PRIDE rallied, and through Friends of Grinnell was able to obtain an interest free loan from S&T Telephone Co. Letters were sent to Grinnell alumni and past residents soliciting donations and memberships. Through their efforts, they obtained enough funds to purchase the building and its inventory and to hire a manager. The store has been able to pay back the loan to S&T Telephone. The store is not a big money maker, but it offers a tremendous service to the small community. This spring they have added noon meals since the town does not have a local restaurant.

To address health issues in the community, Grinnell has applied and received Get It! Do It! Grants the past two years. They have held Health Fest Days at the park where games and booth have been set up for nutrition and physical activity. The grade school children participate while the middle school youth man and set-up the booths. Through the Get It! Do It! Grants they have been able to establish 4 exercise stations at the park which are open for all to use.

To expand their health activities they are now in the process of applying for a Blue Chip Grant through Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

To learn more about Grinnell, CLICK HERE to view their community Website!

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