Pictured above are Joan Neeno, DJI President and Elaina Szyjewski, Managing Director of DJI receiving a check from members of ARISENow and the Forward Foundation.
As the year is coming to a close, Downtown Janesville, Inc. and the Downtown Business Improvement District would like to thank the Forward Foundation for their generous support of DJI and BID.
Forward Foundation, the charitable arm of Forward Janesville, and the leader behind the $6 million ARISENow capital campaign, awarded DJI a $60,000 grant and BID a $40,000 grant over two years 2023-2024 to support their first ever Director positions.
“DJI has been a volunteer only based organization over the last two decades, and we were happy to be a part of the discussion and development of what downtown needed in terms of dedicated personnel,” shared Tim Lindau, Past Chair Forward Foundation. Early in our start to raise the ARISENow funds, we had allocated $100,000 to personnel to maintain the Town Square. After discussions with the City, it was determined supporting new positions at DJI and BID were more valuable.”
Forward Janesville’s mission is to ensure the economic prosperity of our members and communities. A vibrant downtown is a key factor for a vibrant community.
DJI also received a one-time grant from the Janesville Foundation in the amount of $30,000. The Janesville Foundation’s mission is to provide proactive leadership toward a better community through support of creative initiatives in economic and community development, education, and human services that enhance quality of life in Janesville.
Both DJI and BID extend a heartfelt thank you for their generosity and support.