PARKERSBURG — Twenty-eight nonprofit organizations in the Mid-Ohio Valley were awarded grants by the Sisters Health Foundation in support of its vision of “healthy people in healthy communities.”
The foundation board has approved $422,075 in funding.
“What struck me most this grant cycle was the variety of ways organizations are responding to substance use disorder related needs,” Executive Director Renee Steffen said. “Various organizations are focused on connecting people in recovery to employment opportunities, providing transportation to recovery programs, and providing stable housing. All of this contributes to a whole, healthy person, and we are eager to support people on their recovery journey.”
Eight organizations providing direct services, such as food and emergency assistance, received a total of $29,000 from the Basic Needs/Direct Service Grants Program.
They were:
* Belpre Area Ministries, $3,000 to purchase food and food vouchers for their food pantry.
* GFWC Parkersburg Woman’s Club, $4,000 to provide weekend nutritious snacks to students at Jefferson Elementary School.
* Pregnancy Resource Center of Athens County, $1,500 to provide free transportation for pregnant mothers to medical appointments and to support the purchase of maternity clothing.
* Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh and Morgantown, $2,000 to supplement the cost of guest family stays for Mid-Ohio Valley residents while their children are in the hospital.
* South Parkersburg United Methodist Church-Backpack Food Ministry, $5,000 to purchase food for students at Gihon, Martin and Fairplains Elementary Schools for the backpack ministry program.
* The Salvation Army of Marietta, $5,000 to support night stays at hotels for people without adequate shelter during the winter in Washington County.
* West Central Regional Drug Court, Parkersburg, $5,000 to assist drug court participants with clothing, toiletries, and rental assistance to help maintain safe, sober living.
* Wood County Society, $3,500 to assist in the purchase of assistive technology that enables people with disabilities to live healthy, independent lives.
Twenty organizations received support totaling $393,075 to address the health needs of communities in the priority areas of healthy eating, active living, thriving neighborhoods and mental health and addiction.
* Healthy Eating, Active Living Priority Area:
* Catholic Charities WV, $35,000 to support the purchase of a box truck with a refrigeration unit to provide more fresh food for the mobile pantry.
* Fort Frye Local Schools, $5,000 to support the renovation of the tennis courts in Beverly.
* Lewis County Family Resource Network, Weston, $19,000 to support Try This mini grants for healthy lifestyle projects in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
* River of Life Care Closet, Rutland, Ohio, $5,000 to support the purchase of a refrigerated box truck.
* Roane County PATCH, Spencer, $9,800 to support the expansion of educational facilities for students and volunteers to learn about healthy, sustainable living.
* Wirt County Missional Group, $6,500 to support the maintenance and fuel costs for the truck used to pick up food donations.
* Village of Beverly, $20,000 to support the maintenance of the community pool.
Thriving Neighborhoods Priority Area:
* American Red Cross of the Ohio River Valley, Parkersburg, $45,000 for multi-year support to promote blood donations toward fighting cancer and for the collection and distribution of vital supplies.
* Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley, Parkersburg, $50,000 for multi-year support of the building of an accessible home for a person living with a disability and for a home repair program.
* Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Council, Parkersburg, $4,000 to support seniors in maintaining their independence in their own homes.
* Nazareth Farm, Salem, W.Va., $4,000 for home repair equipment for homes in Ritchie County.
* WV Health Right, Charleston, $70,000 for multi-year support in assisting the purchase of dental supplies and in providing dental services for low-income uninsured and underinsured adults for their mobile dental clinic in Roane County.
Mental Health and Addiction Priority Area:
* Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, Athens, $16,450 to support staff working with individuals in recovery who are in a pilot job training and employment program.
* Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Mid-Ohio Valley, Parkersburg, $5,000 to support its financial literacy program helping people in recovery.
* Cornerstone Gospel Church, Vienna, $1,500 to transport individuals to and from recovery programs.
* Ely Chapman Education Foundation, Marietta, $20,000 for multi-year support for the position of the Health and Wellness Facilitator who will help foster children’s mental and physical health and well-being.
* Fourth Circuit Public Defender Corporation, Parkersburg, $5,000 to support the outreach coordinator who assists attorneys and their clients in child abuse and neglect cases.
* Hope House, Ravenswood, $30,000 to support operating costs as it expands space and services for women in recovery.
* Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, La Plata, Md., $1,000 to assist in purchasing supplies for a program which supports the mental health of disabled veterans in Parkersburg and surrounding areas.
* SW Resources, Parkersburg, $30,000 to support participants in recovery attending their training and employment program.
* Wirt County Recovery, Elizabeth, $10,825 to assist with health expenses and transportation for people in recovery.
The next applications for funding under the priority areas are due by midnight Jan. 19, 2022. For more information contact Sr. Molly Bauer, senior program officer, at 304-424-6080 or mbauer@sistershealthfdn.org. Letters of inquiry for the Responsive Grants Program may be submitted online at www.sistershealthfdn.org without scheduling a prior conversation.
The foundation serves 11 counties in the Mid-Ohio Valley in West Virginia and southeast Ohio: Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wirt, and Wood counties in West Virginia; Athens, Meigs, and Washington counties in Ohio. For more information on grantmaking and eligibility requirements, visit the website www.sistershealthfdn.org.
The Sisters Health Foundation promotes healthy and sustainable communities by providing resources, strengthening collaborative relationships and supporting initiatives that impact people in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Since 1996, the Sisters Health Foundation has awarded over $20 million in grants.
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