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MCFF was proud to be part of several projects and events in 2024 - large and small - to make McCook an even better place to call home.

McCook Aquatic Park Entrance Fees Among MCFF's 2024 Grants

The 2024 Southwest Nebraska Big Give reached record numbers thanks to support from the community, donors and sponsors.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give includes those groups helping those most in need for day-to-day services to organizations bringing art, color and creativity to our communities.

Many Big Give organizations have a focus on the youngest and oldest members of the community.

By RONDA GRAFF MCFF With less than a month until the 2024 Southwest Nebraska Big Give, organizers would like to introduce all the organizations which are part of the one day of giving. But with more than 40 non-profits, the groups have been loosely divided into groups, somewhat based on the projects they are working on or people they are serving. By the Big Give on Thursday, Nov. 7, all of the organizations will be covered, starting with the non-profits which are working toward a specific project and/or entity. Perhaps the best known group in the Big Give is the McCook YMCA , which has been a part of McCook for nearly a century. While the organization is undergoing a capital campaign, funds from the Big Give are used to offset fees for families and youth, as well as operating expenses. Another well-known entity is the McCook Humane Society , which works tirelessly for our four-legged friends, both feline and canine. Sticking with the animals, the McCook K9 Korner operates McCook’s dog park, located at Barnett Park with the hope of installing agility equipment for visiting dogs. Many have likely heard of Habitat for Humanity , which has a Southwest Nebraska Chapter and is responsible for many new houses throughout the area over the past few years with the hope of building more in the future. Two organizations which are helping our communities remember (or find) their history is the High Plains Historical Society and Museum , with its location on Norris Avenue, and the Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society , which utilizes the resources in the museum as well as online. Returning after a year’s hiatus is the Freedom Festival , which is McCook’s annual Fourth of July celebration and is organized by McCook Christian Church. New to the Big Give in 2024 is Beautify McCook , which is responsible for McCook’s downtown holiday lighting, the flowering planters on Norris Avenue and additional lights in Norris Park. Cambridge Park Foundation joins the Big Give for the first time, as it works to improve and update the city’s park. Southwest Area Training Services , commonly called SWATS, has joined for itself and its foundation, serving our community’s residents with special needs. And the Daughters of the American Revolution joins Big Give for the first time in 2024, again helping people remember their past while looking forward. The Southwest Nebraska Big Give is made even more impactful because of the generous sponsors, which provide matching dollars. Platinum and gold sponsors include Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank, Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank. A complete list of sponsors will be available on the Big Give website, swnebiggive.org. The Southwest Nebraska Big Give is coordinated by Community Chest, which is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Southwest Nebraska Big Give is Thursday, Nov. 7 and will feature more than 40 non-profit organizations.

YCR's Cars Under the Stars presents second showing to filled "up" parking lot to watch Pixar's "Up."

Cars Under the Stars showing Pixar's "Up" Aug. 17 at Red Willow Co. Fairgrounds

All organizations that would like to be part of the 2024 Southwest Nebraska Big Give need to register by Sept. 9.

After two years of fund-raising, planning and researching, Youth Change Reaction's Cars Under the Stars will have its first show May 4 with a Star Wars movie.

McCook's Creative District and the City of McCook received a planning grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to look at several forward-thinking projects.

The McCook Humane Society was a grant recipient last fall, enabling the facility to purchase new cat cages. The upcoming grant deadline is Monday, April 1 with applications online at mccookfoundation.org.