ROCKFORD, IL – At its recent board meeting, the Board of Directors of The Blazer Foundation approved grants totaling over $353,000. Agencies that received grants included but are not limited to: Barbara Olson Center of Hope, Fish-Abled Foundation, GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford, Goldie Floberg Center, Heartland’s “A Night to Remember”, Milestone Inc., RAMP, Rockford Park District, Rockford Rescue Mission, Special Olympics Illinois, YMCA of the Rock River Valley, Walter Lawson Children’s Home, United Way 815 Community Response Team and 81Thrive. The deadline to have an application reviewed for funding at the next meeting is October 1, 2020.
Our March board meeting was cancelled due to the COVID 19 outbreak. Those grants that were unable to be reviewed at that meeting, were then reviewed at our May meeting. In addition to the normal funding opportunities, the board was able to help support several organizations with their immediate needs due to Covid 19 and assist them in taking measures to help ensure that the organizations and the people they serve were supported during the pandemic. If your organization has been affected by Covid 19, please visit the website 815crt.org for additional support opportunities.
We are also excited to announce that Tara Blazer has accepted a seat on the Blazer Foundation board. Tara was the wife of Cedric Blazer and brings to the Board a unique perspective and knowledge of the Foundation as she was a part of the Foundation when it was first created. Board Chair Pat Shaw stated, “We are grateful that Tara has decided to join our Board. She brings a lot of experience and familiarity with the board and will be a great addition. We are looking forward to having her join us.”
The Blazer Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation established by Cedric Blazer in 1986. Its mission is to support local initiatives in research and development as well as programs designed to directly support those individuals with disabilities.