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Drug court, education initiatives awarded grants from Iowa West Foundation

The Iowa West Foundation has awarded $7 million in grants to 22 organizations for projects in Omaha and southwest Iowa.

Iowa West focuses on four areas for funding: education, economic development, community development, and placemaking. Two of the largest grants are for development at the Mid-America Center and at Riverfront Park in Council Bluffs.

$113,000 was also awarded to the Fourth Judicial District for the Department of Correctional Service drug court. Iowa West president and CEO Pete Tulipana says that court is important to southwest Iowa.

“It is very valuable to our community for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the opportunity to provide for folks treatment of, individuals who have issues with substance abuse, treatment, and in a way that prevents them from having to go to jail.”

Tulipana says the Iowa West Foundation provided funding for the drug court until it’s fully funded by the state of Iowa.

Other projects awarded grants by Iowa West include a Children’s Mental Health Initiative in Lewis Central Community Schools. Heartland Family Service is administering that program.

Several southwest Iowa towns received grants for community projects.