Charleston, WV- The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (TGKVF) Board of Trustees approved the distribution of 15 grants totaling $522,289.
The loss of two family members, multiple moves, senior year, and an instinct to help care for your younger sisters are more trauma than any young child should face. Applying and attending college seem like a distant dream. Even if accepted how would you play for it and who would care your sisters? This was the reality for Sarah, a recent graduate of Clay County High School and a student enrolled in Mission West Virginia’s Bridge program. Through the Bridge program, which provides one-on-one mentorship to foster youth, Sarah was able to improve her grades, complete financial aid forms, and become excited about the possibility of furthering her education. Sarah was ultimately accepted by three colleges and will begin attending a state university in the fall.
TGKVF awarded one field-of-interest and eight responsive grants totaling $332,245 to Basic Needs and Arts & Culture programs and six grants totaling $190,044 in the Foundation’s proactive priority areas of Education, Health, and Community Economic Development (CED).
Mission West Virginia-The Bridge: $36,635 (Education)
Now in the project’s fourth year, Mission West Virginia strives to create opportunities and support foster youth who are pursuing their dreams and becoming productive members of our community. To accomplish this, the organization collaborates with Clay County Schools in the following ways: educational advocacy; academic coaching; enrichment opportunities; post-secondary education planning; and scholarships. Funding will support staffing, incentives, and college visits.
Pro Kids, Inc.-Charleston Afterschool Learning and Adventures: $40,347 (Education)
This project will support additional afterschool program sites throughout Charleston. This new collaborative effort between Kanawha County Schools and three established afterschool programs including Bob Burdette Center, Step by Step, and Pro-Kids, will help provide academic support to children on the East End and West Side of Charleston. Funds will be used for staffing and supplies.
Just for Kids, Inc.-Fayette Initiative- Changing the Conversation about Sexual Abuse of Children: $16,170 (Health)
This project will establish a collaborative group of organizations in Fayette County for the purposes of preventing sexual abuse of children and implementing prevention programming. This programming follows the recommendations of the WV State Task Force on the Prevention for Sexual Abuse of Children and the mandates of current state laws.
Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine- Sustainable Care Coordination for High Risk Diabetes Patients: $36,392 (Health)
This second year project, is a collaboration with Cabin Creek Health Systems. It supports care coordination of high risk diabetes patients with the help of Community Health Workers. The project will improve outcomes, reduce health care costs, and establish sustained employment for community health workers. Funding will support the care coordinators and their outreach efforts.
Children’s Therapy Clinic, Inc.- Comprehensive Therapeutic Services: $35,500 (Health)
In this fourth year project, Children’s Therapy Clinic will provide comprehensive therapy services for children with special needs who have insufficient insurance coverage and/or no income. The project will also include complementary therapy services like weekly yoga classes.
Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail, Inc.- Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail Marketing and Community Economic Development Initiative: $25,000 (CED)
This new project will utilize Rivers to Ridges Heritage Trail as a catalyst to improve the economy in western Kanawha and northern Putnam Counties by promoting the region as a destination for tourists and bolstering local businesses along the Heritage Trail.
West Virginia University Foundation, Inc.-Children’s Vision Rehabilitation Program (CVRP): $136,955 (Field-of-Interest)
CVRP/SenseAbilities(SA) ensures children with visual impairments, including those with CVI, blindness, and low vision, receive services from knowledgeable providers. Interventions, equipment, and devices are diverse. Children with visual impairment represent less than one percent of the population. Families and providers struggle to acquire information, identify resources, and gain support. Funding will support equipment, supplies, and staffing costs.
Kanawha Valley Collective, Inc.- Centralized Point of Entry and Housing Stabilization: $75,000 (Basic Needs)
The Kanawha Valley Collective (KVC) is the local Continuum of Care, a collaborative network of providers serving Kanawha, Putnam, Clay, and Boone Counties. This project will reduce and prevent homelessness by providing emergency shelter, permanent housing, and job skills to our community’s most vulnerable citizens.
Covenant House, Inc.- Improving Health and Quality of Life for the homelessness and low-income: $70,950 (Basic Needs)
Covenant House, Manna Meal Inc. (MMI), and Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center (RSLWC) are collaborating to fight hunger, homelessness, and poverty in Kanawha County. The three organizations serve an estimated 90 percent of the homeless population in the county.
YWCA Resolve Abuse Program-YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program: $22,250 (Basic Needs)
The Resolve victim and shelter services coordinator and advocates assist domestic violence victims by providing basic needs such as food, clothing, and safe, secure shelter. The coordinator also provides case management, referrals, and on-site classes which empower survivors to build safer, more secure futures for themselves and their children.
Daymark, Inc.- Patchwork: $ 16,500 (Basic Needs)
The Patchwork program provides food, clothing, counseling, transportation, and other support to youth (ages 12 – 21) who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Any young person can call or come to Patchwork at any time day or night and receive services.
Charleston Civic Chorus-The Charleston Civic Chorus 2018 Spring Concert, FestivALL concert, Winter Concert, and two performances on New Year’s Eve for Charleston’s Good Night festivities: $1,000 (Arts & Culture)
This project includes five concerts presented by the Charleston Civic Chorus during the calendar year. It encompasses a broad range of choral works in combination with collaborating musicians for the Winter Concert.
West Virginia Youth Symphony-Outreach through the Performing Arts-Dance, Voice, & Orchestral Music!: $17,000 (Arts & Culture)
This project will fund a collaborative ballet production of Peter Pan at the Clay Center in February 2019, showcasing over 150 young dancers, singers, and musicians. It will promote arts education primarily in Putnam, Clay, and Kanawha counties, leading to more ballet and violin class instruction in the Clendenin area.
West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, Inc.-West Virginia Music Hall of Fame’s (WVMHoF) Music Career Counseling Project and Traveling Museum: $11,000 (Arts & Culture)
The WVMHoF’s Music Career Counseling program (MCCP) introduces 9th graders to performing and non-performing career opportunities in the music industry. The funds will be used towards guest artist stipends and staff expenses for the traveling museum in Boone, Fayette, and Putnam counties.
Appalachian Children’s Chorus-Financial Assistance: $5,000 (Arts & Culture)
This funding will help provide children with the opportunity to join the Appalachian Children’s Chorus by covering 90 percent of the tuition and uniform costs for those families in Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties who qualify. Choristers benefit from artistic and character development. They also develop team building, communication, and leadership skills.
