Bremer grants awarded

Red Lake to receive $125,000

Northwest Minnesota and North Dakota non-profit groups have received grants to promote human rights and create opportunities for social and economic justice from the Otto Bremer Foundation.

The St. Paul-based foundation was created in 1944 by banker Otto Bremer. The awards were determined by foundation trustees at a recent meeting.

The Bremer Foundation's 12 grant awards totaling about $406,000 in North Dakota included:

• $200,000 for Red River Valley Community Action, Grand Forks, to support construction of transitional housing; plus another $30,000 to improve the North Dakota Coalition for Homeless People and to further develop a "continuum of care" project.

• $20,000 for Prairie Harvest Human Services Foundation, Grand Forks, to enhance the recruitment of culturally competent foster and adoptive families.

• $19,616 for the Community Violence Intervention Center, Grand Forks, for board development and assessment of organizational capacity.

The private charitable foundation's grant recipients totaled 82 in Minnesota. They included:

• $125,000 for the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians for start-up of a family violence center that will serve victims of child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence.

• $76,315 for White Earth Tribal and Community College, Mahnomen, to increase the student enrollment and financial aid capacity.

• $72,000 for Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, Thief River Falls, and its Respite Plus project to address the needs of family caregivers in rural communities.

• $25,000 for the Center for Reducing Rural Violence, Bemidji, to develop a restorative justice infrastructure.

• $12,300 for Upper Mississippi Mental Health Center, Bemidji, to strengthen the technical operations of this regional network of community health centers.

• $2,000 for the Hallock Public Library, to support library expansion.