The Chilkat Valley Community Foundation awarded more than $10,000 in grants to local organizations Friday for projects ranging from new sound equipment for the Chilkat Center to a music program at the Chilkat Valley Preschool.

Past grant recipients described how the foundation’s financial assistance has aided their organizations, while current grantees explained how they will use the funds.

Sierra Jimenez, program director for Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL), spoke twice: her organization received $1,500 last year for its Last Resort Consumer Fund, and another $1,500 this year for the same project.

The fund is used to help seniors and people with disabilities with services that otherwise “fall through the cracks,” Jimenez said. For example, acquiring assistive technology like a magnifier or making home modifications through the installation of a ramp.

“It’s a little bit of everything. It’s an emergency fund for seniors and people with disabilities,” she said.

SAIL aided 13 individuals through the fund last year, surpassing its goal of 10. Jimenez also used the foundation’s grant to leverage additional donations from community members.

Barb Blood, chairperson for Friends of the Library, accepted the $1,900 grant for the library’s “A Glass Act: Letting Light In and Patrons Out” project, which will install a door for easy access to the patio behind the library.

“This door is going to go out of the reading room area and right into the patio area — and it will be a glass door – so it will make it so accessible,” Blood said.

A window also will be installed in the door near the newspaper and magazine rack to allow more natural afternoon light in the building, she said.

Other grants awarded at the reception included $1,300 for the Alaska Arts Confluence “Art on Main Street” project, $750 for the Chilkat Valley Preschool’s “Music and Movement” project, $2,150 in operating support for the Haines Dolphins Swim Team, $2,300 for the Jilkaat Kwaan Heritage Center’s Northwest Coast Textile Arts Workshop and $600 for the purchase of new sound equipment for the Chilkat Center.