“You look at recycling in a whole different way when you actually see it being put to good use, as is now the case with our program,” Grossi said.

A similar fundraising campaign for a Novelis grant of $ 5,000 held last fall was very successful, Jelinek said.

“When we started recycling aluminum cans, it was in 2001 and there were grants associated with it then,” she said. “Our community has worked really well and we’ve won several national grants, but when the money for that grant ran out, people kind of forgot about it. Having grants as an incentive really stimulates our recycling.

There is a great need in the Grand Island area for access to affordable housing and loans for low income families.

“Some of the situations where people come from are not very good,” Grossi said. “We have seen a lot of unfortunate life circumstances. You see where some of these real families are coming from and it’s very sad. Seeing living spaces and homes that are much better for them is an amazing feeling to be a part of it.

There are five donation sites for aluminum cans on Grand Island.

The Pump & Pantry locations on Hwy 81 and North Capital Avenue, Hwy 281 and Stolley Park Drive, Shady Bend Road and Bismarck Road and South Locust Street have drop-off sites, as well as Ace Hardware on Third Street.