Cedar Rapids Freedom Foundation Awarded Funds For New Facility

The Freedom Foundation, in Cedar Rapids, is getting a bigger and better home, thanks to a state grant award of $990,000.

According to KCRG, the money is coming from the state of Iowa to help the nonprofit organization relocate to better serve the veterans who visit regularly and make it easier and more comfortable for others to visit and enjoy a meal, or a ballgame, and to get the assistance they need.

The Freedom Foundation is currently located at 609 Center Pt. Road NE. The new location is in the former Local Craft Ale House, near 42nd St. Not only will there be space for games, more TVs, a much larger food pantry, and more available meeting space, but it will have better access to a bus stop and bike trail, making it easier for more veterans to make it in.

According to KCRG, a Freedom Foundation supporter bought the space to lease to the nonprofit and also footed the costs for half of the renovations. The $990,000 grant, comes from the state's Nonprofit Innovation Fund, which is funded by the American Rescue Plan. That money will allow them to purchase the building in full.

In all, the goal is to make a more inviting and even more welcoming space for a group that couldn't deserve it more.

Freedom Foundation executive director Lexi Coberly told KCRG:

We want to draw in the younger veterans, the younger active duty, their family members so we’ll be able to do that here

The target date to have the space open is February 2023.