Sierra Sun's parent company donates $74,500 to nonprofits for 2016
CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation each year awards grants to programs that promote literacy, reading and writing skills, as well as programs that focus on the arts, languages and sciences.
This week, the foundation announced that more than $74,500 has been awarded to 36 deserving organizations for 2016. In all, more than 160 applications were received.
At Truckee and North Tahoe, two programs/nonprofits received donations:
$1,100 for the Sierra Nevada Children's Museum (KidZone Museum) in Truckee: This spring the museum features a Fairy Tale exhibit called "Once Upon A Time, in a kingdom far away." The exhibit addresses literacy acquisition for children age six and under through an interactive exhibit in which children and families learn by playing together. Bessie Minor Swift Foundation funds will be used to purchase hardbound books of original fairy tales and to pay for storytellers and a sing-along musician.
$2,736 for Incline Elementary School: The school's Robotics Club will purchase 15 Ozobot robots and an instructor curriculum from Exploring Robotics. The Club encourages creativity and critical thinking, establishes linkages between different subjects and builds a positive after school program for students. The Robotics Club will engage 80 students over the course of the year, and the robots will be incorporated into the 5th grade science curriculum as well.
The Bessie Minor Swift Foundation was formed by the owners and founder of Swift Communications, which owns and operates the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza, Sierra Sun and SierraSun.com.
Since 2008, more than $375,000 has been awarded to 145 organizations in the communities where Swift Communications conducts business.
Applications for next year be accepted starting Jan. 1, 2017, with a deadline of Feb. 15, 2017. Visit the Bessie Minor website at bessieminorswift.org to learn more.