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Volunteers Packing Food

Charles E. Lakin Foundation, Inc.

Making a Difference Today

Charles E. Lakin Foundation, Inc. wants to spread our message of hope and compassion. We believe that a single action can make a difference in the community, and we diligently seek to fund those projects which have the greatest impact on the region. 

Charles E. Lakin personally made all grant decisions from the Foundation's inception until his death in 2016. In late 2016 through 2017, the Charles E. Lakin Foundation, Inc. formalized their Board of Directors, infrastructure, and mission and began awarding grants in 2018. The Foundation now has two grant cycles per year and also addresses major community emergencies.

Grants 2022

Grant Cycle 8

Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation

$75,000

Kitchen Council

Boys & Girls Club of Council Bluffs

$75,000

Academic Support

Boys & Girls Club of Council Bluffs

$25,000

Charles E. and Florence Lakin Good Citizen Scholarship Award

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Foundation

 $802,080 

Reach Out and Read Literacy Program

Completely KIDS

$400,000

CK 26 Programming

Completely KIDS

$55,100

Charles E. Lakin Learn to Swim Program

Completely KIDS

$50,000

Weekend Food Program

Green Hills AEA

$65,000

Charles E. Lakin Outstanding Teacher Award

Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy 

$125,065

Capital Improvements and Therapy Services.

Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless

$75,000

Pottawattamie County Housing Problem Solving Program

Noble Initiative Foundation

$500,000

The Lakin Foundation Child Development Center of Griswold (Iowa)

Ollie Webb Center, Inc.

$75,000

Supported Employment Program

Partnership 4 Kids

$300,000

College & Career Readiness Program

Partnership 4 Kids

$99,100

Southwest Iowa Feasibility Study

Women's Center for Advancement (WCA)

$116,460

Charles E. Lakin Foundation Legal Clinic

Vision Treynor Group 

$336,000

The Lakin Foundation Family Pavilion (Treynor, IA)

Grants 2022

Grant Cycle 7

100 Black Men of Omaha. Inc.

$225,000

Mentoring the 100 Way

African American Empowerment Network, Inc.

$1,568,604

Step-Up Omaha!

Bethlehem House

$600,000

Aftercare Programmatic Support

Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands

$2,400,000

Lakin Foundation Carter Lake Club (New Club Building)

Gabby Krause Fdn / Bags of Fun Omaha

$120,000

Bags of Fun Omaha

Omaha Bridges Out of Poverty

$600,000

SW Iowa Poverty Alleviation Initiative

Omni Inventive Care

$300,000

SW Iowa Training Program

Pottawattamie Arts Culture Entertainment

$82,245

Youth Educational Program Support

TeamMates

$1,000,000

SW Iowa Mentoring

Whispering Roots

$75,000

Food Distribution Support

Grants 2021

Grant Cycle 6

Avenue Scholars Foundation

$600,000

Charles E. Lakin Foundation's Healthcare Career Pathway

Boys & Girls Club of Council Bluffs

$75,000

Academic Support

Boys & Girls Club of Council Bluffs

$25,000

Charles E. Lakin Good Citizen Scholarship Award

Career EdVantage

$4,836,447

Career EdVantage, a Charles E. Lakin Foundation Initiative, powered by Avenue Scholars

Children's Square USA

$434,800

Psychiatric Services Program Expansion

Completely KIDS

$400,000

CK 26 Programming

Completely KIDS

$105,000

Weekend Food Program

First Responders Foundation

$300,000

First Responders Wellness in Iowa, powered by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation

Green Hills AEA

$57,200

Lakin Outstanding Teacher Awards

Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs

$450,000

Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs, powered by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation

Impact Hill Community Center, Oakland, IA

$300,000

Charles E. Lakin Envisioning Center (Oakland, IA)

Neola Betterment Corporation

$500,000

Charles E. Lakin Senior Villas (Neola, IA)

Share Iowa - Pottawattamie County Community Foundation (PCCF)

$85,800

Share Iowa, a Charles E. Lakin Foundation Initiative, powered by Share Good

Thrive Center of Omaha / Bethesda Urban Community Development

$799,770

Thrive Omaha powered by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation

Women's Center for Advancement (WCA)

$116,460

Charles E. Lakin Foundation Legal Clinic

Grants 2021

Grant Cycle 5

AIM Institute

$500,000

The AIM Institute Southwest Iowa Tech Training Initiative Funded by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands

$345,000

MentorU, Powered by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation (Council Bluffs)

Glenwood, IA PTA

$65,000

Lakin Family Park of Glenwood

Learning For All

$55,000

Life Skills Education for Refugees

Police Athletics for Community Engagement

$351,600

PACE Soccer Academy, Powered by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation

Southwest Iowa Families, Inc.

$600,000

The Charles E. Lakin Foundation Child and Family Center

Southwest Iowa Nonprofit for Collective Impact (SINC)

$1,000,000

The Charles E. Lakin Foundation Pier in the Iowa Riverfront Development

Together, Inc.

$450,000

Together, Inc. Choice Food Pantry - Funded by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation

Grants 2020

Grant Cycle 4

Boys & Girls Club of Council Bluffs

$75,000

Academic Support

Boys & Girls Club of Council Bluffs

$25,000

Charles E. Lakin Good Citizen Scholarship Award

Completely KIDS

$400,000

CK 26 Programming

Completely KIDS

$105,000

Weekend Food Program

Do Space

$239,800

Tech Upgrade Projext 2020

Green Hills AEA

$62,1000

Lakin Outstanding Teacher Awards

MICAH House

$270,000

Family Shelter Facilities

Nebraska Enterprise Fund

$300,000

Southwest Iowa Initiative

Omaha Symphony

$90,000

Music Education & Community Engagement for Southwest Iowa

Pottawattamie County Community Foundation (PCCF)

$3,100,000

Lakin Family Fund

Visiting Nurses Association of Pottawattamie County

$300,000

Parenting Support Program

Women's Center for Advancement (WCA)

$116,460

Charles E. Lakin Foundation Legal Clinic

COVID-19 Response Funding 2020

Special Funding

Iowa West Foundation

$50,000

COVID 19 Response Fund

Pottawattamie County Community Foundation (PCCF)

$50,000

COVID 19 Response Fund

Grants 2019

Grant Cycle 3

100 Black Men of Omaha, Inc.

$300,000

Mentoring the 100 Way

African American Empowerment Network, Inc.

$1,889,993

Step-Up Omaha! & Step-Up Council Bluffs!

Boys & Girls Club of Council Bluffs

$75,000

Academic Support

Boys & Girls Club of Council Bluffs

$25,000

Charles E. Lakin Good Citizen Scholarship Award

Bridges Out of Poverty

$600,000

Southwest Iowa Poverty Alleviation Initiative

Completely KIDS

$400,000

CK 26 Programming

Completely KIDS

$55,100

Charles E. Lakin Learn to Swim Program

Completely KIDS

$50,000

Weekend Food Program

Green Hills AEA

$65,000

Lakin Outstanding Teacher Awards

Pottawattamie County Community Foundation (PCCF)

$451,000

Charles E. and Florence M. Lakin Center for Community Giving

Stephen Center, Inc.

$2,025,165

Donation Center

Women's Center for Advancement (WCA)

$116,460

Charles E. Lakin Foundation Legal Clinic

YMCA of Greater Omaha

$500,000

Lakin Family Park

Grants 2019

Grant Cycle 2

Avenue Scholars Foundation

$1,700,000

Charles E. Lakin Foundation's Healthcare Career Pathway

Career EdVantage

$2,825,960

Provide individualized support services for Southwest Iowa high school students to enter financially sustaining career paths

Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus

$382,424

Campus Improvements

Cross Training Center

$714,400

Programmatic Operations

Tabor Library Association

$680,000

The Lakin Library and Envisioning Center

TeamMates

$1,000,000

Mentoring Programs in Southwest Iowa

Women's Center for Advancement (WCA)

$116,460

Charles E. Lakin Foundation Legal Clinic

Grants 2018

Grant Cycle 1

Boys & Girls Club of Council Bluffs

$75,000

Academic Support

Boys & Girls Club of Council Bluffs

$25,000

Charles E. Lakin Good Citizen Scholarship Award

Completely KIDS

$400,000

CK 26 Programming

Completely KIDS

$55,100

Charles E. Lakin Learn to Swim Program

Completely KIDS

$50,000

Weekend Food Program

Green Hills AEA

$65,000

Lakin Outstanding Teacher Awards

Heartland Family Service

$490,000

General Programming Support

Heartland Family Service

$312,817

InSHAPE Program

Heartland Family Service

$984,825

Psychiatric Clinic Program

Heartland Family Service

$544,749

Youth Treatment & Prevention Program

House of Hope

$18,100

Consulting Grant

MICAH House

$500,000

Florence M. Lakin Medical Center

Pottawattamie Arts Culture & Entertainment (PACE)

$500,000

Nancy S. Benson Arts & Education Center

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