WCCF announces spring community grants
Editor’s note: This is the first of a 2-part report. The second part will be published in the June 29 edition.
The Wayne County Community Foundation (WCCF) Board of Trustees met in May and approved grant awards for the spring competitive grant cycle.
Twenty-nine organizations were awarded grants totaling $520,937.45 from some of the Foundation’s named Community and Field of Interest funds, including:
—Buckeye Authors’ Book Fair Committee, Inc. received a $6,000 grant from the Earle & Ann Klosterman Family Community Fund to facilitate a week-long enrichment camp customized for students in grades 3rd through 8th, to address the pressing need for enhanced literacy skills and a deeper appreciation for books among students.
—Christian Children’s Home of Ohio received a $24,297 grant from the Florence L. Rice Community Fund to upgrade and renovate the outdated kitchen in the little girls cottage to better serve their young residents (ages 6-11 years), including cabinets, countertops, sink, and garbage disposal.
—City of Rittman received an $18,322 grant from the Andrew Berkey Fund and the Marjorie B. Newland Memorial Fundto replace the old Rittman city sign with a new, modern, Rittman sign located at the entrance to their City.
—Dalton Community Historical Society received a $15,000 grant from an anonymous community fund to restore the Eagle Hotel & Tavern building, one of the oldest standing buildings in Dalton, to a more original appearance and assist with other needed repairs.
—Doylestown Community Food Cupboard received a $20,000 grant from the Robert L. & Kathleen M. Polsky Foundation Community Fund to add one commercial cooler and renovate the garage and the present space of the pantry to increase items given to families.
—Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry received a $3,500 grant from the Harold W. Picking Charitable Fund to pay for processing of deer into ground venison. They donate the meat to numerous food banks and ministries throughout Wayne County.
—Girls on the Run East Central Ohio received a $5,000 grant from the Helen A. Sprowls Charitable Fund to provide financial assistance for girls, ages 8-14, to participate in youth development programming from Norwayne, Triway, Wooster City, Chippewa, Rittman and Northwestern school districts.
—Habitat for Humanity in Wayne County, Inc. received a $50,000 grant from the Beaverson Foundation Community Fund to help build five homes while also providing matching funds for other grants.
—Innovated Opportunity received a $990 grant from the Jeanne Heise Adams Community Fund to purchase digital tablets for class instruction.
—Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio received a $10,000 grant from the Beaverson Foundation Community Fund to impact more than 1,900 students in Wayne County with vital financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programming.
—Main Street Wooster, Inc. received a $2,975 grant from the Ruth M. Tieche Community Fund to hire a local artist to design a decorative utility box wrap that would be installed near the Lyric Theater at the corner of Market and South Streets, as part of Main Street Wooster’s initiative to procure artistic wraps for the 15 utility boxes in downtown Wooster.
—OneEighty, Inc. received a $25,000 grant from the Wayne County Community Foundation General Fund for one-time payments to help homeless individuals establish housing and to help those facing eviction to prevent homelessness.
—Orrville City Schools received a $25,700 grant from the Carl E. Congdon, Jr. & Susanna Congdon McIntyre Memorial Fund to purchase supplies over 3 years for each building’s closet as well as a new large capacity washer and dryer for Orrville Middle School.
The WCCF is a not-for-profit charitable community organization established in 1978 to accept contributions, create and administer funds, and make grants for the benefit of the people of Wayne County. Since 1978, the Foundation has awarded more than $112.8 million in the form of grants and scholarships from its 570 separate funds.
Its Community and Field-of-Interest funds permit the WCCF Board of Trustees to be responsive to the changing needs of the community. Donations to these funds by individuals, families, businesses and service organizations help to increase the amount available for grants each year. Contact Melanie Reusser Garcia, WCCF Executive Director, for more information.
Competitive grant applications from nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable organizations should be submitted by March 1 and Sept. 1 each year. The grant guidelines and online application are available on their website, www.waynecountycommunityfoundation.org.