MUSCATINE — The Wilton Community School District recently received a $5,000 Community Continuity Grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine to help provide food for area students and families, as well as hotspots to allow children the ability to access course work remotely.
Marc Snavely, principal at the Wilton Jr./Sr. High School, stated, “I would like to first thank the Wilton Café, Jeff’s Market, and the Durant-Wilton Food Pantry for stepping up to provide food and other necessities for the students and families in Wilton and surrounding areas. I also would like to thank the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine for their generosity. As a school, we really wanted to help support these individuals and businesses that stepped up to help feed children while we were waiting on funding in order to start providing meals at school.
“In addition, WTC generously stepped forward to provide internet access for the students that needed it in the city of Wilton. The grant money received provided funding to purchase hot spots through US Cellular for those students living in the rural areas.
“The Community Foundation helped us achieve these goals. I can’t express how blessed we are to live in this community. A special thank you to everyone that has stepped up to help during the unprecedented times!”
Portions of the grant supported the efforts of:
• Wilton Café who volunteered to provide free meals to students during the school closure. They have been providing 80 free meals a day to students.
• Jeff’s Market and Catering who has also been filling the meal gap for students while school is in recess.
• Durant-Wilton Food Pantry who is working to meet the growing demand for food for vulnerable area families.
• Wilton Schools to provide rural hotspots for students’ Internet access.
Charla Schafer, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, noted, “We are pleased to be able to direct dollars to the Wilton schools to help soften the edges of this difficult time. Feeding our children, ensuring their health and safety, and providing the tools to continue their education are paramount.
“We are grateful to the Wilton schools, and the leadership of Joe Burnett, Marc Snavely, and Denise Austin, Wilton Café, Jeff’s Market, the Durant-Wilton Food Pantry, WTC, area donors and others that have worked in concert to ensure our children are fed, their fears are reduced, families are stabilized, and the children are poised to successfully resume academic opportunity.
“This collaborative effort of school, business, individuals and non-profits is a true testament of the strength of the Wilton community.”
The Community Continuity Fund exists to support the immediate and emerging needs of neighbors in Muscatine County caused by coronavirus containment efforts. The Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine will match each gift to this countywide Fund up to $70,000; thus, any donations to the fund will be doubled. To learn more or donate go to www.muscatinecommunityfoundatioin.org. Or mail checks to Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, 208 West Second St., #213, Muscatine, Iowa 52761.