St. Alphonsus Early Childhood Education Center in Davenport recently received a grant for technology and security upgrades from the Quad Cities Community Foundation.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — The Quad Cities Community Foundation has awarded $13,782 for technology and security upgrades to St. Alphonsus Early Childhood Education Center and $14,250 to Humility Homes & Services Inc. for strategic planning.
The Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants program provides funding to Quad-City area organizations for staff training, board development, strategic planning, technology and other activities that carry out the mission of each organization.
St. Alphonsus Early Childhood Education Center sought a grant to enhance the school building’s security and to allow controlled access to the third-floor rooms utilized by several groups, said Paige King, St. Alphonsus Parish’s administrative assistant.
“The grant reflects a great effort on the part of Ron Patton, the ECEC and rectory staff and complies with the recommendations of the Davenport Police Department,” King said. “As a result of the award the children and staff of the ECEC will have a safer environment as well as those groups utilizing the upper levels of the building.”
The St. Alphonsus Early Childhood Center provides daycare and preschool and has specialized rooms for infants, toddlers, 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds, preschool- and school-age children. The center offers meals, transportation and other enrichment opportunities.
Ashley Velez, executive director of Humility Homes & Services, said the existing strategic plan that resulted from the merger of Humility of Mary Housing, Inc. and Humility of Mary Shelter, Inc., has reached its end.
“We are excited for this (new grant) because it is time to examine the work we have done in the community, look at data and look at what we need to do to help end homelessness in the Quad-Cities area. We have started working already and we are hoping our plan will be completed by November 2020.”
Velez said Humility Homes & Services is grateful for funding from the Quad Cities Community Foundation and for the foundation’s support and leadership with the Disaster Recovery Fund along with Riverboat Development Authority and the United Way of the Quad Cities.
“The private sector continues to step up to help support the work of nonprofits and we cannot do our work in supporting the community without them,” she said.
Another round of Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants will be awarded in the fall. Letters of interest are being accepted now through Sept. 1. To learn more, visit https://www. qccommunityfoundation.org/nonprofitcapacitybuilding.
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