Bonners Ferry groups receive Innovia grants

Bonners Ferry groups are among those receiving grants from Innovia Foundation. The foundation recently announced 165 grants totaling $746,012 from the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Funds for North Idaho and Eastern Washington.

This is the second round of grants from the Response and Recovery Funds and is directed to nonprofit and grassroots organizations, as well as tribal entities, schools and other government agencies, that are on the front lines of the COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Grants focused on childcare and youth, food assistance needs, support for immigrant and refugee communities, mental health resources and small business support.

A $5,000 grant to NAMI Far North will help pay phone service for mental health clinicians who staff the North Idaho Crisis Services (NICS) and increase advertising regarding mental health services available in the community. Kootenai Tribe of Idaho is receiving $4,000 to provide housing assistance, food security, mental health services or other basic expenses to support tribal members hit hardest by the outbreak. IdaHope Families will support the financial needs of families affected by unemployment, domestic violence, substance abuse, homelessness, mental illness and medical crises with a $4,000 grant.

Also receiving grants were:

• Boundary County Victim Services — $4,000 grant to provide mental health counseling by licensed therapists for victims of violent crime who are in crisis.

• Community Coalition for Families — $4,000 grant to provide housing assistance due to job loss, illness, behavioral health issues, or other unexpected issues, and to pay for utilities, transportation, behavioral health, technology support and childcare.

• Kootenai Tribe of Idaho — $4,000 grant to provide housing assistance, food security, mental health services, or other basic expenses to support tribal members hardest hit by the outbreak.

The COVID-19 Response and Recovery Funds are hosted at Innovia Foundation in partnership with Equinox Foundation and Avista Foundation in North Idaho and Empire Health Foundation and Spokane County United Way in Eastern Washington.

Grants from the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Funds are administered in partnership with regional community advisory groups consisting of residents and leaders from health, business, education and human services sectors. Thanks to the generosity of local, regional and national funding partners, the funds for Eastern Washington and North Idaho have surpassed $2.7 million.

Businesses, individuals and organizations can donate and find additional information about the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Funds for North Idaho and Eastern Washington at innovia.org/COVID19.