Apex Clean Energy has awarded its latest round of grants to Coldwater-area organizations as part of the Coldwater Solar Community Grant Program. The program, now in its third year, is one way that Apex Clean Energy can contribute to pressing community needs and make a meaningful impact at the local level. These funds are allocated to support programs that serve the residents and communities of the Coldwater area through economic development, environmental sustainability, education, and health and recreation.
During this cycle, funds were distributed to Animal Aid of Branch County, the Coldwater Downtown Development Authority (DDA), and the Coldwater Community Center.
Animal Aid of Branch County (AABC) is an all-volunteer non-profit foster based rescue in Coldwater dedicated to the well-being of the animal population in Branch County and beyond. The funds awarded to AABC will help cover veterinary services for animals coming into the program, often with illnesses that require immediate treatment.
Cathy Schaupp, board member at AABC, said “We help homeless, abandoned, and injured dogs and cats, and we’re requested to help animals in our community on a daily basis. We are asked to take in animals with specific medical needs, such as respiratory ailments or a heartworm positive diagnosis, that must be treated on entering our program. All animals that come into our program receive any needed medical care, are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated. Donations and grants like the one from Coldwater Solar help us to accept additional animals in need and move closer to our goal of reducing animal homelessness in Branch County.”
The Coldwater Community Center received unanimous approval from the mayor and city council to begin restoring the historic Putnam Funeral Home building as a new community center. Chairperson Kathleen Bappert said the grant award will go towards installing two ADA-compliant bathrooms and small catering kitchen to make it suitable for cooking and baking demonstrations. “Our community in and around Coldwater has a unique small-town feel of generosity and hospitality and yet uniquely diverse. Our mission is to create a center for multicultural celebration and preservation of our unique and shared history, with educational and fun social opportunities that bring people together. This grant will help us offer more activities and make the Community Center accessible to all,” said Bappert.
The Coldwater DDA is undertaking a renovation on the historic Taylor’s Building to allow the Children’s Museum to relocate into a larger space with more activities, STEAM programming, and new exhibits and programs. According to Main Street Director and Community Development Coordinator Audrey Tappenden, “Coldwater Solar’s donation is helping to build a bigger, brighter children’s museum in Branch County. The organization joins a community of supporters who are making the transformation at 60 W. Chicago Street possible.”
With this latest round of grantees, the program has awarded more than $25,000 to date. Past recipients include the Branch District Library, Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary, the Branch Area Rescue Coalition, Coldwater Family Promise, and the Coldwater High School Interact Club, to name a few. Apex awards local grants through its Community Grant Program on a regular basis during the development, construction, and operation of local renewable energy projects. If you are interested in applying for future rounds of funding, please visit www.coldwatersolar.com/grant.