A new van, instruments and snowshoes.

They might sound like everyday items, but thanks to two significant grants handed out by the Women's Gift Alliance on Thursday, local nonprofits will be able to obtain this equipment to serve children and special needs individuals in the community.

The WGA, a women's charity organization, handed out its two annual Pooled Grants of $22,000 at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library, one to Lakes Magnet Middle School and the other to Special Needs Recreation.

The group was confident the funds were going to passionate recipients, said Debra Stoenner, grant committee co-chair.

"It does take dollars to do these projects, but it's the people who make them happen," she said.

Special Needs Recreation Services, which helps special needs individuals socialize and learn independent living skills, will use the grant to purchase a new van.

The group calls its current blue van the "rust bucket," said Kathy Kelly, program coordinator.

"The blue van is literally falling apart," Kelly said. "Whether we're going to camp, or out to dinner with friends, the panels are falling off the doors. We can only have 10 kids in the van because some seat belts are broken."

Jon Ingalls with the city of Coeur d'Alene, which originally funded SNR and still supports the organization, pointed out that mobility is vital for the organization.

Between SNR's pizza nights, prom nights, bowling nights and day camp, Ingalls said, ferrying individuals to and from the events is an important piece of the group's service.

"They can't have activities without mobility," he said.

The group serves 500 special needs individuals, and likely touches about 4,000 individuals between family and other community members, Kelly said.

Participants learn to interact both with casual acquaintances and with authority figures, as well as learn independent living skills like cooking.

"It gives them something to look forward to," said Secretary Charlene Hoffman. "They get so excited about being with their friends."

The other grant went to Lakes Magnet Middle School, which applied to use the dollars for new instruments for band and orchestra and magnet classes.

"You're going to make a huge difference for a lot of students," music teacher Mark Sorensen told the WGA members. "It is wonderful to have this opportunity to have more instruments so more students can participate."

Many of the school's students are low income, added Vice Principal Lana Hamilton, and can't afford instruments on their own.

"Students who have an opportunity to get engaged in a meaningful activity have a greater chance of staying in school," Hamilton pointed out.

The school will also use the funds to purchase snowshoes for the Outdoor Sports, which she said is one of the school's most popular magnet programs.

"Our hope is to provide opportunities for students to participate in activities that will give them lifelong success," she said.

This is the seventh year WGA has distributed Pooled Grants.

The grants are funded by the organization's members, who pay $1,000 membership each year.

Of that, $500 goes to the Pooled Grants, $250 goes to a charity of the individual's choice, and the other $250 to an endowment fund.

The group has given out $250,000 in Pooled Grants between 2005 and 2010, said President Janet Robinette.

She has seen nonprofits applying for WGA grants expanding their ideas, she added.

"They're thinking bigger, outside the box," Robinette said. "That's one of the great benefits of being able to pool our funds. Not many of us can write a check for $22,000, and we just did it today, twice."