The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) is home to over 30 Donor Advised Funds with a wide range of purposes and dedicated causes that they provide financial support for. One of them made an anonymous gift of $50,000 to the Nevis School District in January 2020 so they could upgrade their technology capacity. Little did the donor know, this gift would become a critical necessity in March of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic made its way to Northwest Minnesota.
When schools were ordered to shut down, the ripple effects were felt in communities all over our region and around the country. This posed a major challenge for school districts that did not have the resources to support students and families with their new normal of distance learning. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, Nevis was able to meet this challenge head on and provide devices for students to use at home.
“The devices purchased with the gift money were extremely valuable to us during Distance Learning last spring,” said Gregg Parks, superintendent of Nevis School District. “Thanks to the beneficence of our donors, we had the capability of providing an E-Learning device for all of our students. Most of the devices were sent home. I am happy to report that they all came back in good condition as well.”
“Philanthropy is impact. The anonymous donor who gave this gift to the Nevis School District understands this,” said Dawn Ganje, senior development officer at NMF. “They also understand they had the opportunity to make a difference in this community, and they really did! The students in Nevis are the real winners. It is fantastic to see the young people of Nevis benefit from this generous gift.”
It’s evident that this pandemic is going to have a lasting impact on our region, and it’s up to all of us to pitch in and help our neighbors in need. The anonymous donor who was able to help the Nevis school district understands that the need is now, so now is the time to give. If you are able to contribute to these relief efforts, please consider making a gift to NMF. You can donate by clicking here or contact a development officer to discuss a meaningful way for you to give back to your community.
