IAR’s Project Jack Grants Do Good Across NWIA
Early in 2016, the REALTOR ® Foundation of Iowa allowed 6th and 7th grade teachers in school districts across the state to apply for $250 grants to be used by students in their classrooms in a way that “paid it forward” to others.
NWIA was pleased to assist teachers in Spirit Lake and Sioux Center with their applications. Also receiving grants in IAR Region 1 were classrooms in Cherokee and Sioux Rapids. In total, 14 educators in IAR Region 1 received grants to use with their students, with 135 total classrooms across the state receiving grants.
Six classrooms in Sioux Rapids each received a $250 grant. Students made decisions about how to spend their money, with some choosing to make donations to other organizations, and some opting to find a way to turn their grant dollars into more cash with which to make an impact. Read the online story from NorthwestIowa.com.
The Promise Community Heath Center was one of the organizations impacted by the Sioux Center student’s gifts. Read their story here.
In Spirit Lake, 6th grade students from Annette Kalkoff’s class made and delivered May baskets to area nursing homes and fire stations. Several other classroom award winners will complete their projects before the end of the school year.
Originating in the Quad Cities area in memory of Jack Lindaman, Project Jack gives junior high aged students the opportunity to do good in their community in any way the class chooses.
About The Program
Jack Lindaman was born on the 4th of July and was affectionately called a little firecracker. Jack and his family enjoyed fireworks and all the festivities around the Fourth of July. He liked to make people happy and was always a positive light to those around him despite his health issues. Jack passed away in February 2010 from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). According to curesma.org, “SMA is a disease that robs people of physical strength by affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, taking away the ability to walk, eat, or breathe. It is the number one genetic cause of death for infants.”
Jack Lindaman was just 6 years old when he passed away. Through the creation of Project Jack, his memory and loving spirit will continue on through the good deeds of children. The REALTOR® Foundation of Iowa is pleased to have created a fund to help students across Iowa to participate in Project Jack.
The first project was carried out with each person in Jack’s class at Alan Shepard Elementary School receiving $100 to “pay it forward”. There were not any stipulations given or rules to follow on how to use the money. Projects ranged from donations to charitable organizations to passing out roses to strangers.
