Last month, the Knox County Foundation awarded five local nonprofits grants worth up to $5,000 through Giving BACK Tuesday, and one organization selected was the Knox County Task Force for Older Adults.
Knox County Foundation celebrated Giving Tuesday on Nov. 30 by asking people to help give back to the local community. The social media campaign was through Dec. 14 and gave people the opportunity to nominate a local nonprofit. A grants committee then narrowed down the nominations for the five winners, who were chosen in January. The winners came from 10 nominees and also included Centerburg Senior Services, Habitat for Humanity of Knox County, Knox County Task Force for Older Adults and MTVarts.
“This was the first year we hosted Giving BACK Tuesday, and we are hopeful to continue this campaign, or something similar, every year to celebrate Giving Tuesday and honor our nonprofits that work year-round to serve the community,” said Knox County Foundation Program Director Lisa Lloyd in a Jan. 28 release.
According to Tina Marie Heibert, who is the president of the Knox County Task Force for Older Adults, the funds will be used toward mental wellness bags that are filled with activities and items to help keep seniors mentally sharp and happy. The winners work with the Knox County Foundation on project or program that the grants can used for.
“We want to also include educational pieces on happiness, how to avoid scams, and how to see if your friends, family and neighbors may need more support,” Heibert said. “Our spending committee is diligently working on ideas to create this.”
The Knox County Task Force for Older Adults was started by a group of citizens who wanted to benefit the older population by getting their needs met, according to Heibert. She said that this also works as a networking group so the organization can learn about what options are there for seniors in the community. In 2015, the organization started the process of becoming a 501(c)3 nonprofit. She said prior to this, membership fees and her own personal money were used, as some people did not want to donate to a registered nonprofit.
“Today, we are not only a 501(c)3 but we have received grants for our programs through the commissioners, senior levy, food for the hungry and operation round-up as well as from the Knox Community Foundation,” Heibert said.
Membership is open to all who are interested and involved in the human services sector of Knox County. There is a Senior Resources Day in the fall where local businesses set up booths for seniors. Free health screenings, a meal and transportation are provided for the seniors. There is also a Knox County Senior Resource Directory that compiled senior serving companies and services within the county.
Each Christmas, the task force provides 120 meals. In the summer, the Knox County Fair Senior Day includes music, bingo and a free lunch. In March, there is usually a soup day, and this year, they will be giving seniors comfort bags with warm soup and other items to help get through the cold.
During the summer, the task force runs the “Farmers Market Senior Token Eat Fresh, Eat Local” program. It gives tokens to seniors in Knox County to spend on fruits and vegetables, in an effort to meet their nutritional needs.
Heibert said she is happy to have seen the task force grow and that it was nominated for the grant through the Knox County Foundation.
“It really means a lot that what we are doing in the community is being noticed and more people want to participate in supporting our mission,” Heibert said.
Knox County Task Force for Older Adults can be found on Facebook and the public is encouraged to like and follow the page. More information can be found at knoxtaskforce.org.
