Established in 2011, Angel Fund is a 501C (3) nonprofit that aims to provide financial assistance to Northeastern Minnesota residents battling cancer. The 13-member board of directors collectively runs the nonprofit with the support of an executive director — all come from diverse career fields: banking, marketing, social work, education, engineering, healthcare, business owner and more.
Current Angel Fund directors are:
- Meghan Hodge, President
- Amber Bretto, Vice President
- Nicole Freeman, Treasurer
- Stephanie Villella, Secretary
- Kari Kilen
- Shannon Petroske
- Morgan Seopa
- Brittany Oberhelman
- Sheri Lee
- Ann Godfrey
- Patti Lemke
- Carolyn Pohjonen
- Alice Prtine
- Kelly Grinsteinner, Executive Director
The Angel Fund Board organizes and hosts a few fundraisers each year in addition to volunteering at other events that benefit the fund. Since inception, the fund has provided more than 2,600 financial gifts totaling more than $966,000 to NE Minnesota cancer patients.
Angel Fund got its start in the fall of 2010 when a Hibbing Chamber of Commerce group called Women’s Innovative Network (WIN) hosted a Girl’s Night Out pajama party. Money raised at this event was placed in a fund to provide financial assistance to local patients diagnosed with breast cancer.
In the spring of 2011, several women structured an organization to oversee the funds and create ongoing fund-raising projects to perpetuate the financial gifts. To this end, the group formed the Angel Fund Board of Directors, created bylaws and established its 501C (3) status under the umbrella of a local foundation to ensure credibility of the fund.
Within the first year of the fund, it expanded to include ALL individuals with ANY FORM of cancer – not just breast cancer. In 2016, Angel Fund was granted its own 501C (3) status and has since operated as its own nonprofit.
