Heart of Cook awards $75K in grants to local non-profits

BRIDGMAN, Mich. -- The Berrien Community Foundation announced The Heart of Cook awarded grants to 24 area nonprofit organizations, totaling $75,000, at a grant reception at Indiana Michigan Power’s Cook Nuclear Plant on Thursday.

“These non-profits provide much needed assistance to so many people across our service territory in Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana,” said AEP Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Shane Lies. “We are proud to offer The Heart of Cook Grant program so nonprofits can get financial support to continue doing great work that makes life better for those they serve.”

The Heart of Cook is a corporate-advised fund held by the Berrien Community Foundation.

Officials say the grant program supports a wide range of programming, from supporting home maintenance projects for low-income families, to music scholarships, and providing operational cost assistance of several non-profits.

The Heart of Cook focuses on programs addressing education, human services, and environmental projects, with priority given to programs that involve a Cook Nuclear Plant employee.

The Heart of Cook grant program is administered by Berrien Community Foundation, but a committee comprised of Cook Nuclear Plant employees review all grant applications and make the decisions.

The committee selected the following organizations as winners of the grant program:

• Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety – Water rescue equipment
• Berrien Community Foundation – Care Kits for Seniors
• Berrien County – Silver Beach County Park Playground Project
• Chikaming Township Fire Department – Thermal imaging cameras
• City of St. Joseph Public Safety – Electric vehicle and lithium-ion fire response equipment
• College Mentors For Kids – Fighting Irish - Building Up Grit, Determination and Tenacity for South Bend Youth program
• Court Appointed Special Advocates of SW MI – Operational support and mileage reimbursement for volunteers
• Disability Network Southwest Michigan – Ramp Up program
• Ducks Unlimited – Wood duck nest box project
• Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana – Girl Scout Leadership Experience for Berrien County youth
• Grace Christian School – Keep Cold and Cook Well program
• LOGAN Community Resources – Life-enriching field trips for clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Mosaic CCDA – Financial assistance to Jobs For Life students and coaches
• Neighbor by Neighbor – A Roof Over Their Heads program
• New Heights CCDA – Purchase of automated external defibrillators (AED’s)
• Paws of Hope – Funding for critical medical expenses of fostered animals
• Present Pillars Foundation – 3rd Annual Shop With A Pillar event
• Roosevelt PTO – Book vending machine
• School of American Music – Scholarships
• Servants at Work – Building wheelchair ramps in St. Joseph County
• Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra – Symphony: Unexpected
• St. Joseph Charter Township Fire Station #2 – Public safety initiative
• St. Joseph Parish Conference, Society of St. Vincent de Paul – Paying for transportation needs of low-income neighbors
• Tri-County Council for Child Development – Purchase of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) manikin