Contact:
Lori Ristau
Senior Vice President, Strategic Communications & Media
800-422-3106
lori@iowahealthcare.org

IHCA Foundation Announces John W. & Kimberly D. Grubb Registered Nurse Scholarship Endowment

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (May 10, 2023) – The Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA) Foundation is pleased to announce a new registered nurse (RN) scholarship endowment to help Iowa long-term care employees advance their nursing skills, thanks to the generosity of the John R. and Zelda Z. Grubb Charitable Foundation. This is the first scholarship endowment received by the IHCA Foundation, whose mission is to support Iowa’s long-term care workforce.

“Our nursing education scholarship endowment is vital to aid individuals seeking an education that they would otherwise not have an opportunity to pursue. These scholarships benefit those who have the desire, diligence and commitment to achieve this goal. It is our honor to be able to award these scholarships to such individuals,” said Kimberly and John Grubb of the John R. and Zelda Z. Grubb Charitable Foundation.

The endowment was made possible by a $100,000 donation from the John R. and Zelda Z. Grubb Charitable Foundation, which will be invested through an endowment fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines. One $3,000 scholarship will be awarded each year from the fund in perpetuity to an Iowa long-term care employee committed to securing an RN degree and continuing to work in long-term care.

In addition to the John W. & Kimberly D. Grubb RN Scholarship endowment, the Grubb Charitable Foundation is supporting nine more RN scholarships that will be awarded in 2023. Each scholarship is $3,000 and is for employees of IHCA-affiliated member organizations who are pursuing an RN degree and committed to retaining employment in long-term care.

“John and Kim Grubb have been founding supporters of the IHCA Foundation and long-time advocates for our mission of building a strong long-term care workforce. The IHCA Foundation would not be in the position it is today to support Iowa’s long-term care workers without the Grubb Charitable Foundation’s unwavering faith in our mission and steadfast support. Nurses are critical to providing access to long-term care in Iowa, and the need for nurses in long-term care is fierce. The John W. & Kimberly D. Grubb RN Scholarship is critical to meeting that need. It is an honor to be able to create a lasting legacy recognizing the Grubbs and to protect access to this scholarship for future long-term care workers with this endowment,” said Lori Ristau, executive director, IHCA Foundation.

The IHCA Foundation is currently accepting applications for the John W. & Kimberly D. Grubb RN Scholarship, in addition to five other health care education scholarship programs. In total, the IHCA Foundation is offering 51 scholarships totaling nearly $100,000 in 2023. Scholarship eligibility requirements, application guidelines and materials are available online at iowahealthcare.org/foundation. Completed applications are due by May 31. Scholarship recipients will be announced in July.

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Pictured right to left are John and Kim Grubb with 2022 John W. & Kimberly D. Grubb RN Scholarship recipients.

About the Iowa Health Care Association Foundation
Founded in 1988 by Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), the mission of the IHCA Foundation is to foster excellence in long-term care for Iowans by building a stronger workforce. The IHCA Foundation carries out this mission by empowering individuals to reach their career goals in the long-term care profession through scholarships, career education and career access programs. IHCA Foundation programs help support career opportunities available in the long-term care continuum, including nursing facilities, assisted living programs, residential care facilities, senior living communities and home health agencies.