Grow Spring Valley teams up with Starved Rock Country Community Foundation

Grow Spring Valley is joining forces with the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation to increase grant opportunities, raise awareness of its mission and ensure a stable financial future.

Formerly Spring Valley Boosters, Grow Spring Valley is a collection of community members and business owners with a mission to grow the city of 5,400 to its full potential. The group is dedicated to revitalizing downtown, expanding economic development to Interstate 80 and enhancing quality of life.

Grow has contributed to Spring Valley parks, Cops4Cancer, Spring Valley Police Department’s National Night Out and Christmas4Kids. It made a $2,500 donation to the Spring Valley Community Center project and contributed $7,500 to a downtown music/speaker project.

Former Grow President JC Heerdt reached out to the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation after learning the foundation helped Reimagine Mendota acquire a $10,000 donation from the Matt Carroll family of Mendota. (Reimagine is leading downtown revitalization efforts in Mendota following a pair of fires in 2022.)

Recently elected President Sarah Kinkin said working with SRCCF will allow Grow to focus on its core mission.

“The community foundation possesses the resources, expertise, and regional exposure necessary to assist Grow Spring Valley in raising awareness of its mission and addressing the needs of the community,” Kinkin said in a news release

“Our primary objective is to foster community engagement and promote the development of activities and initiatives within the Spring Valley area. This partnership will provide much-needed support for fundraising efforts, allowing volunteers to dedicate more time to planning and executing meaningful activities.

President and CEO Fran Brolley said SRCCF is proud to partner with highly motivated organizations like Grow.

“Grow Spring Valley’s enthusiasm and commitment are contagious,” Brolley said. “They’ve already accomplished so much and are not slowing down. This fiscal sponsorship enhances both of our organizations.”

SRCCF now has 110 funds including fiscal sponsorships with Dementia Friendly Princeton, Canal Trail Connector, Inc. (linking the Hennepin and Illinois and Michigan canal trails), Flags of Freedom in Princeton, the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp collegiate baseball team in Peru, and others.

For SRCCF information, email info@srccf.org, call 815-252-2906, visit the office at 241 Marquette St., La Salle, or website at srccf.org.

For information on Grow, email grow@springvalleyil.us; mail Grow Spring Valley, 1017 West Fourth St., Spring Valley, IL 61362; visit Facebook at Grow Spring Valley; or call 815-878-5123.