MINOT, ND (KXNET) — The spirit of giving is alive and well with Thanksgiving just one week away. The Minot Area Community Foundation (MACF) has announced two grants it gave to St. Ann's Mission in Belcourt over the past year. The money comes from the Ovid F. Boisjolie fund and includes a $3,000 grant to the TMCFP last year. Earlier this year, the fund also granted just over $24,000 to St. Ann's Church so they can create a boiler heating system at the Queen of Peace Retreat Center. St. Ann's Mission was founded in 1885 and provides spiritual and material resources to the people of the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation and surrounding communities. The Mission also acts as a fiscal sponsor for the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Food Pantry (TMCFP), which opened in 2007 to help address food insecurity in the region. Burgum requests presidential major disaster declaration after wildfires “We are so grateful for the support St. Ann's has received from MACF's Boisjolie Fund,” said Fr.Michael Slovak, SOLT, pastor for St. Ann's Mission, in a press release. “The funds helped replace the boiler system in our Queen of Peace community center. The center provides a place of rest for so many who come to pray in the chapel, joy to those who share a meal in the communal eating area, or support for leaders who gather in a meeting room to find solutions to area needs. In addition to the boiler, the MACF's Boisjolie Fund has helped us reach more children and families with their food pantry support. There are limited resources in our rural area, and we are grateful that the Minot Area Community Foundation remembered our community in their giving decision.” The pantry distributes over 25,600 pounds of food to more than 13,000 individuals every month in Belcourt, as well as Dunseith, St. John, Rolette, and Rolla. The 2023 grant was given to address TMCFP’s food shortage and summer cereal needs. It helped supply a year of funding for the purchase of fresh produce/dairy products, restock empty shelves between regional deliveries, and provide food for children when school is out. “These grants supporting the great work that St. Ann’s does perfectly aligns with the desire and intent of Mr. Boisjolie when he established his endowment,” stated Jason Zimmerman, the MACF president, in a press release. “We are honored to continue to fulfill his charitable wishes now and into the future.” Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW