NORTHWOOD, Iowa — The Worth County Development Authority awarded $7,442 to the Salvation Army food bank in Albert Lea.

It gave another $7,442 to the Salvation Army food bank in Austin, and another $7,442 to the one in Winnebago County, Iowa.

The WCDA’s donations were announced Monday night during its biannual awards banquet at Diamond Jo Casino Event Center. The nonprofit co-licensee for Diamond Jo Casino awarded nearly $1 million in grants.

A total of $67,092 was divided up among eight food banks in the region. Manna Food Bank of Worth County, Iowa, was granted $15,000.

Twice a year, the WCDA distributes money from the Diamond Jo Casino to organizations and individuals locally and regionally. On Monday, the WCDA distributed $904,598.

According to WCDA Executive Director Kim Koenigs, 30 organizations in Worth County, Iowa, received a total of $867,017.

Northwood received $67,500 for a new dump truck, the Northwood VFW was awarded $56,203 for a kitchen remodel and the Northwood fire department was given $32,216 for a new air compressor/fill station.

Northwood Mayor Randy Severson said the grants are “an awesome thing” for Northwood.

He said the city had budgeted about half the cost of a new dump truck and the matching grant will pay for the remainder of the cost.

“A town our size doesn’t have the privilege of buying new equipment,” he said. “This really saves our taxpayers because the money’s not coming out of the city budget and we don’t have to raise the tax levies.”

Nine regional awards were also given out totaling $37,581. Of these, the Lake Mills Area Historical Society received $2,550 for bathroom updates.

According to Koenigs, the grants were awarded based on an application process.

“There are many, many applications handed in each grant round,” she said. “It is hard to choose.”

Grants were distributed in the areas of community development, tourism, culture and recreation, arts, emergency services, health and human services.

Since 2006, Diamond Jo Casino has distributed more than $15 million to the WCDA for local nonprofits in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota.