MANKATO, MN(November 5, 2018)—The Senior Endowment Fund of the Mankato Area Foundation (MAF) announces a grant of $20,000 toward VINE Faith in Action’s emergency fundraising campaign in response to the recent loss of a critical funding source for the coming year. The Foundation is pleased to champion VINE’s efforts by making a lead gift from this designated fund to kick off their campaign.

Nancy Zallek, President and CEO of MAF, explains, “it is our role in this region to identify needs and encourage the philanthropic spirit that supports so many vibrant nonprofits in our area. Over a decade ago, an endowment was established at the Foundation specifically to support older adults in this community – we believe this grant to help VINE preserve services to the hundreds of individuals served by the programs that have lost funding this fall is a perfect use of those funds. We hope this lead gift, which constitutes 10% of the needed funds, will encourage participation in this campaign by our incredibly generous community at this very charitable time of year. Mankato is privileged to have a strong spirit of giving and a wide range of high-quality nonprofit organizations that help to make Mankato a great place to live – at any age!”

VINE’s need to raise $200,000 is precipitated by the loss of Live Well at Home funds, a grant program of the Minnesota Department of Human Services that supports organizations helping people 65 and older stay in their homes. A clerical error removed the proposal from consideration for the upcoming year; the requested funds were designated for staff salaries to coordinate the nonprofit's 500-plus volunteers, the meal-delivery program, the respite center, and other services.

Pam Determan, VINE Executive Director, says, “We are incredibly grateful for Mankato Area Foundation’s lead gift to VINE’s emergency fundraising campaign and the affirmation of the importance of our services to aging adults in the Greater Mankato area. This generous contribution is a powerful testament to the responsiveness of MAF’s President and CEO and Board in addressing an urgent need and bringing people together to solve local problems and improve the quality of life of our community.”

About the Mankato Area Foundation
The Mankato Area Foundation is a donor-driven community foundation whose purpose is to improve the livability in our region. Our Community Foundation connects donors with causes they care about, provides funding to address key community objectives and convenes individuals and organizations to find solutions to local challenges.
To learn more about the Mankato Area Foundation and how the organization makes an impact in this region visit www.mankatoareafoundation.com or visit us on Facebook.