Nancy Stephens at the Silver City Museum's 4th of July Ice-cream SocialGary King, President of the New Mexico Children's Foundation, announced its grant recipients for 2017-2018. In celebration of its 25th Anniversary, the Board of Directors will fund thirty-nine organizations. These non-profits are community-based with budgets less than $300,000—many have budgets that are far less. The total awarded is $73,500.

First Lady Alice King founded the NMCF in 1992 as a statewide, grant-making organization. NMCF has given over $1.5 million to 160 organizations throughout New Mexico in its 25 years. Her son, Gary King, was elected to serve as President of the Board beginning July 1st. He continues in the family tradition of working to improve the lives of New Mexico's children and families.

The Imagination Library of Grant County has been awarded a $2000 grant to enhance early childhood literacy. As an affiliate of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, their mission is to promote reading readiness and language proficiency for Grant County preschool children by delivering books to their homes monthly from birth to age five. The organization now serves approximately 1300 children, representing 83% of the county's under-five population.

New Mexico Children's Foundation is a visionary, grassroots organization that funds small non-profit children's organizations throughout New Mexico. A group can be a start-up with a strong mission or a growing organization with a special needs program. Organizations served through the foundation's funding come in all shapes, sizes and ethnicities. The foundation's core belief is that most children have a wide range of under-served needs. The foundation's goal is to provide meaningful grants to serve as many of those needs as possible.

For more information, please contact Carol Robertson Lopez, Executive Director, 505-986-2043 office, 505-690-4114 cell, or email carol@nmchildren.org.