The Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation 2020 Annual Report
2020 Grantee Stories
2020 GRANTEE
North House Folk School
Creativity
In 2020 the Foundation provided a grant of $30,000 for general operating support. The mission of North House Folk School is to “to enrich lives and build community by teaching traditional northern crafts in a student-centered learning environment that inspires the hands, the heart, and the mind”. Facing many challenges with the pandemic, which disrupted long-held plans and shut-down all on-site classes, North House quickly developed new, creative, virtual opportunities for people to engage in craft in meaningful ways. “Sparking creativity”, at the heart of the mission of the school and the lived reality of the organization.
2020 GRANTEE
Ecolibrium3
Resilience
In 2020, the Foundation provided a matching grant of $40,000 for the Legacy House project. Legacy House is a condemned house in the Lincoln Park district in Duluth that is being remodeled as affordable housing for AmeriCorps VISTA members. VISTA members work in the community building capacity and demonstrating resilience as they work to reduce poverty through addressing community need in areas such as: Family services, public health, disasters, affordable housing, energy-use reduction, and food systems. The mission of Ecolibrium3 is to “to lead and inspire change towards an equitable and sustainable future”.
2020 GRANTEE
Life House
Mission
In 2020, the Foundation provided a grant of $25,000 to support The Loft Shelter for young people in need of housing and support. During the pandemic, the mission of Life House “ to reconnect homeless and street youth to their dreams with a vision that no young person will be left homeless, alone, uncared for, or fending for themselves on the streets” has been so critical, especially during these challenging days. Life House continues to live out their mission - ensuring that all young people who enter their doors are safe, unconditionally accepted, and welcomed to the community.
2020 GRANTEE
Minnesota Children’s Press
Creativity
In 2020, the Foundation provided a grant of $2,000 to a new nonprofit located in Grand Marais with a mission to “mentor rural children in grades 1-10 in entrepreneurial writing, illustration and publishing skills; and to distribute and sell their work for the purpose of generating funds that they collectively contribute to the common good”. During the summer of 2020, the organization conducted a Book Camp for children following COVID safety protocols. With children researching, writing, and illustrating the history of the community, the book “Ice Cream and Fish” was published with more in the series to follow.
2020 GRANTEE
Sawtooth Mountain Clinic
Resilience
In 2020, the Foundation funded the Oral Health Task Force, a program of Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, $10,000. The Oral Health Task Force focuses on preventive dental care for children and young adults in Cook County, including the Grand Portage Indian Reservation. Through a unique multi-disciplinary team approach, the Oral Health Task Force has been resilient throughout the pandemic, diligently ensuring that dental health education, fluoride treatments and dentist visits for prevention and restorative needs, continue for children and young mothers.
2020 GRANTEE