PASADENA, CA – Finlandia Foundation National (FFN) announces confirmation of its purchase of two buildings that were formerly a part of Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan.
FFN is now the owner of the structures that house the Finnish American Heritage Center at 435 Quincy Street and North Wind Books store at 437 Quincy Street. The acquisition is the next step in FFN’s mission to preserve the Finnish cultural institutions that faced an uncertain future when the school announced its closure in March 2023. These include the Heritage Center and bookstore, as well as the Finnish American Historical Archive, Finlandia Art Gallery, Finnish American Folk School, Price of Freedom Museum and The Finnish American Reporter.
To be successful in this effort, FFN launched a $3 million campaign to preserve these entities. Thanks to the support of donors, FFN has been able to purchase two buildings, the archival material, artwork, artifacts, inventory and the resources related to the folk school. FFN has also secured the positions of the six staff members responsible for the ongoing programs, operations, and conservation of and care for the material assets.
“With the acquisition of these cultural institutions, FFN moves into the next phase of its overall plan to make them more accessible to the general public, including the digitization of many of the archival records and creating touring exhibitions of the contents,” says FFN Executive Director Thomas Flanagan. “Additionally, the organization will create an endowment to ensure the future health of the FAHC and entities.”
FFN is a non-profit founded in Pasadena, California in 1953 to support and promote Finnish-American interests and offer related programming, scholarships and grants.
A short video about this project is at the FFN YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hAexPq7WW4
Further information is available at the FFN website, FinlandiaFoundation.org.
About Finlandia Foundation National, Inc.
Fiercely Finnish since 1953, we champion our culture and heritage across the United States by supporting educational opportunities and promoting diverse, relevant, and enriching programs.
Finlandia Foundation National, Inc. (FFN) aims to connect, inspire and strengthen the Finnish-American community through a network of 60 chapters across the United States. FFN raises funds to build its endowment and ensure the continuation of its programs, which highlight outstanding contributions and achievements of Finnish-American artists and academics.
FFN awards dozens of grants and scholarships each year, and provides critical funding to maintain cultural traditions that represent the heritage of Finlandia and the diverse interests of Finnish America.
