EFFINGHAM, Illinois – November 10, 2025: The Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Bill and Jacquelyn Jordan Anderson Visual Arts and Youth grant programs. The grants were awarded to five area nonprofits under each program, recognizing their contributions to the community.
The recipients of the Visual Arts grants are:
• Effingham Artisan Fair: $2,500 for the 2026 Artisan Fair in Effingham County. The Effingham Artisan Fair, established in 2005, is an annual outdoor festival held at Tuscan Hills Winery that supports and promotes arts in Effingham County. The event features a juried art show with over 40 artisans working across various media, including clay, metal, fiber, paint, wood, and photography. By providing artists a platform to sell their work and receive monetary awards, the fair unites local arts organizations like Crossroads Quilters Guild, Effingham Art Guild, FACE Orchestra, and Three Chicks & a Stage Theatre. This unique event is the only juried outdoor festival in central Illinois, attracting over 3,000 guests annually and aiming to expose, excite, and educate the community about different art forms.
• Aspire and Tristar Academy: $2,000 for the Art for At-Risk Youth Program. This grant, involving Aspire Alternative High School and TriStar Academy (ROE 3 Youth Education Services), aims to support 6th-12th grade at-risk students in Effingham County through art-based programming. Led by Julie Wollerman, Dannielle Harden, and Amber Kidd, the project seeks to increase Art Club participation, provide emotional regulation tools, and foster community connections. By supplying art supplies and implementing trauma informed educational practices, the grant targets improving student engagement, reducing suspensions, enhancing academic credit attainment, and promoting creativity and self-expression among vulnerable youth.
The recipients of the Youth grants are:
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Illinois: $1,000 for Monthly Group Art Activities. These activities are designed to enhance creativity, confidence, and community belonging. The program will feature collaborative art sessions and an end-of-year art showcase, aimed at strengthening mentor-mentee relationships.
• Children’s Advocacy of East Central Illinois: $1,000 The Child Advocacy Center of Effingham County (CACECI) has expanded its satellite services located at 302 E. Washington Avenue, in Effingham. Supported by grants from National Children’s Alliance, DCFS, and the Attorney General VCVA, their mission is to minimize trauma for child victims by providing comprehensive services including forensic interviews, medical examinations, and legal advocacy. The key goal is to offer child advocacy center services to 100% of alleged child victims in Effingham County and 9 surrounding counties, with a focus on increasing referrals and reducing service response time for children in Effingham, Fayette, and Jasper counties.
• Crossroads Montessori School: $1,400 for their project, “Youth Leadership Through Creativity: Empowering Students as Artists, Storytellers, and Changemakers.” The grant will support arts-based leadership development for K-12 students, focusing on student-led art exhibits, creative leadership workshops, community art partnerships, and student council activities. The funding will cover art materials, community showcase resources, visiting artist stipends, and program documentation, with the ultimate goal of developing students’ leadership, communication skills, and community engagement through creative expression.
The grants were awarded at the SICF office on November 3, 2025. Attendees included members of the grant evaluation committee, SICF board members, awardees.
Jacquelyn Jordan Anderson was deeply involved in developing community programs benefiting the youth of Effingham County and promoting fine arts. Bill Anderson was a respected artist in the community, known for his work as a lithographer, color separator, cartoonist, and painter.
The Bill and Jacquelyn Jordan Anderson Fund for Youth and Visual Arts, managed by the Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation, is dedicated to supporting arts programs in Effingham County.
For more information, contact Alex Pleasant at 217.342.4988 or alex@southeasternillinois.org.
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Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation was established in 2009 as a result of a merger between Effingham County Community Foundation (est. 1999) and Mattoon Area Community Foundation (est. 1980). Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization managing permanent and non-permanent assets for the long-term benefit of communities in southeastern Illinois.