Charleston, WV-The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (TGKVF) Board of Trustees approved distribution of 29 grants totaling $970,950. Funding supports programs such as The ACEs Coalition of West Virginia, an organization that seeks to share knowledge and resources of positive and adverse childhood experiences.
“Learning about ACEs truly opened my eyes to the way I perceive a patient encounter,” said Mark Zelmanski. “As a third-year surgical resident, I can use this scoring system to better approach a patient’s needs in order to provide the best treatment. I firmly believe this tool will benefit not only patients, but providers as well.” .
TGKVF awarded 13 responsive grants totaling $274,950 to Arts & Culture, Basic Needs, and Field-of-Interest programs, and awarded eight grants totaling $273,500 in the Foundation’s proactive areas of Community Economic Development (CED), Education, and Health. Funding was also awarded for one Special Initiative grant, one West Side 3.0 grant, and one Nonprofit Capacity Building grant totaling $170,000. Continued generous support from an anonymous donor provided funding for one Dental and four Emergency Aid grants totaling $252,500.
West Virginia Symphony Orchestra (WVSO) – All in for Wild, Wonderful West Virginia Artists: $10,000 (Arts & Culture)
The WVSO connected visual, performing, and culinary West Virginia artists with thousands of potential customers by inviting them to exhibit during MATRIC Symphony Sunday, a free daylong celebration of the arts held on June 5, 2022. The event featured the WVSO, the West Virginia Youth Symphony, and other community bands at the University of Charleston. This festival benefited artists from all West Virginia counties, but specifically Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam by providing participation and exhibition opportunities.
The Norman Jordan African American Arts and Heritage Academy – Summer Youth African American Arts & Heritage Academy: $4,500 (Arts & Culture)
The African American Arts & Heritage Academy is a week-long program that provides 35 teenagers with the opportunity to participate in an artistic interest of their choice. Students choose from vocal or instrumental music, theater, dance, creative writing, or visual arts. In addition to instruction, there are presentations, workshops, and discussions related to African American history and culture. Held at West Virginia State University, students for this project come from Fayette and Kanawha counties as well as other places. Funding will support Fayette and Kanawha County student scholarships.
Multi-Cultural Festival of West Virginia, Inc. – Multifest 32: $9,000 (Arts & Culture)
Multifest is a diversity festival that has been held in Charleston for 32 years and serves the Foundation’s six county footprint of Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. A diverse set of entertainment, artists, and food and clothing vendors will participate in the festival. Funding will support entertainment fees, travel, food, hotel, activities and event costs, and equipment rental.
Charleston Civic Chorus – The Charleston Civic Chorus 70th Concert Season: $1,000 (Arts & Culture)
Funding for this project will support the 2022 Fall Concert performed by the Charleston Civic Chorus. The funds will be applied to the performance fees in collaboration with guest instrumentalists who will comprise a 9-member chamber orchestra to accompany the chorus.
FestivALL, Charleston, West Virginia, Inc. – FestivALL 2022: $24,000 (Arts & Culture)
FestivALL 2022 is a project comprised of performance, exhibition, and learning opportunities in performing and visual arts. Funding will support the hiring of artists and arts groups for FestivALL in June and FestivFALL in October for events such as the FestivALL Art Fairs, Carriage Trail events, Dance FestivALL, special theater performances, and public art projects.
Arts in Action – Arts in Action Student Classroom and Performance Supplies: $19,000 (Arts & Culture)
Arts in Action provides arts education and performance opportunities for more than 400 students from locations in Kanawha and Putnam counties. School-year classes and summer camps provide instruction in dance, acrobatic dance, Appalachian clogging, music, theater, and visual arts. Funding for this project will support classroom and performance supplies.
Tamarack Foundation, Inc. – Emerging Artist Alumni Mural Project: $11,500 (Arts & Culture)
The Emerging Artist Fellowship Alumni Mural Project highlights former Tamarack Foundation for the Arts (TFA) Emerging Artist Fellows as they collaborate with leaders from their home counties to create community-informed mural projects in Clay and Lincoln counties. TFA will partner with the artists, community leaders, and TGKVF to host gatherings to honor the arts, their work, and their communities. Funding will support the purchase of supplies and compensation of artists.
Charleston Ballet, Inc. – Charleston Ballet 2022-23 Season including DRACULA and NUTCRACKER: $20,000 (Arts & Culture)
The Charleston Ballet’s 2022-23 season will present three mainstage performances including DRACULA and NUTCRACKER, both with live music from West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and a mixed-bill with BEO STRING QUARTET. Smaller performances will take place throughout the season at various venues. All performances exhibit educational and cultural diversity components including BALLET FOR ALL and 21st Century After-School programs. Funding for this project will aid in support of guest artist rehearsal and performance fees, travel, housing, new costumes, and sets.
Rea of Hope Fellowship Home, Inc. – Rea of Hope Utilities: $23,000 (Basic Needs Multi-Year)
Funding for this project will support Rea of Hope’s mission to help West Virginia women suffering from alcohol and or drug addiction. This is done through teaching the life skills and self-sufficiency required to reach sustained recovery while providing safe, affordable, and supportive housing for women and their children.
BackpackBuddy.Org – Summer BackpackBuddy.Org Program: $30,000 (Basic Needs Multi-Year)
BackpackBuddy.Org works closely with school staff in Boone, Clay, Kanawha, and Putnam counties to identify at-risk students who need nutritional, personal care, and educational items during their summer break from school. This is achieved by mailing boxes of support to the participating students multiple times during the summer. Funding for this project will support the postage costs of the boxes being mailed to participating students.
Facing Hunger Food Bank – Lincoln County Child, Family, and Senior Food Resource Support: $45,000 (Basic Needs)
This project will address the hunger needs of those living in Lincoln County where the poverty rate is 25.1% versus an overall rate of 17.8% in West Virginia. The program will provide hunger relief activities to three populations: unemployed and underemployed families, children participating in the backpack program, and senior citizens. All planned activities will be specific to the purchase and distribution of fresh, frozen, and shelf stable food products to meet the needs of these most vulnerable groups.
Coal River Group – Supporting Outdoor Recreational Economic Growth and Growing Organizational Capacity: $40,000 (Community Economic Development)
The Coal River Group (CRG) began 19 years ago to clean up rivers for environmental and economic benefits; it now attracts an estimated 18,000 users annually who patronize local businesses. TGKVF funding will support critical training, visitor services, and materials to maximize community economic development impacts in Kanawha, Boone, and Lincoln counties.
Inspiring Dreams Network (IDN) – Supporting At-Risk Youth through Coaching and Community Connections: $22,000 (Education)
This project will provide training and resources to build the capacity of youth-serving adults to better support youth by providing training in mental health social-supports, career development, and resource connections. IDN is expanding training and support partnerships with Putnam County youth organizations such as 4-H, Camp Appalachia, Girl Scouts, Mission WV, and DHHR Child Care Facilities to include youth serving organizations in Clay and Kanawha Counties. Funding will support project coordination, training expenses, and participant resources.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-state – BBBSTS Expansion to Putnam and Kanawha Counties: $29,500 (Education)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-state (BBBSTS) is expanding its service area to include Kanawha and Putnam counties. Funding will support the professionally supported mentorship program through staffing support, partnership development, mentor and mentee engagement, as well as with marketing and recruiting costs.
Faith in Action of the Greater Kanawha Valley, Inc. – Serving Seniors, Neighbor to Neighbor: $50,000 (Field-of-Interest)
Through recruitment, training, and retention of volunteers, Faith in Action of the Greater Kanawha Valley (FIAGKV) aids seniors who lack basic services like transportation and grocery access but who want to age in place despite these challenges. FIAGKV becomes their neighborhood, ensuring they are not alone. Funding for this project will support volunteer management programs and direct services such as the Honey Do Crew projects, which assist seniors with minor home repairs.
Housing & Innovation Corporation – Meeting the Needs of Older Adults in Our Community: $27,950 (Field-of-Interest)
This project will help seniors in Kanawha County who are living in public housing. Funding will support pantry items, welcome baskets, and assistance with acute emergency needs such as transportation, utilities, medical expenses, rental deposit assistance, and housekeeping or bed-bug treatment preparation. Funding will also aid providing farmer’s market vouchers and supplies for social and emotional wellness, allowing residents to increase their physical and mental health, decreasing the risk of becoming homeless or being admitted to a higher level of care.
Sprouting Farms – Fortifying Farm to School in Fayette County: $37,000 (Health)
New Roots Community Farm (NRCF) is an agricultural resource center working towards a more equitable food system in the New River Gorge region. NRCF will work with the Fayette County Board of Education (FCBOE) to solidify local food procurement allowing the FCBOE to increase the amount of locally grown produce served in pK-8 feeding programs. This project will also increase NRCF’s capacity to provide agricultural experimental learning opportunities to improve nutrition education for FCBOE students and refine strategies to bolster farm to school programming throughout West Virginia.
West Virginia Free, Inc. – Love Your Birth Control: $35,000 (Health)
Funding for this project will support the “Love Your Birth Control” campaign, focusing on increasing access to the full spectrum of contraceptive options. WV FREE addresses the lack of access and education around these issues in a three-prong approach: intensive community outreach and education; shared decision-making training on contraceptive counseling for health care providers and social emotional wraparound-service professionals; and post training support of those trained. This covers the full state of West Virginia with funding from TGKVF assisting with the service counties of Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam.
ACEs Coalition of WV – Applying the Knowledge of Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences: $30,000 (Health)
The ACEs Coalition of WV will share knowledge and resources about positive and adverse childhood experiences by educating and engaging three primary target audiences to prevent trauma-related experiences. These audiences include healthcare providers, WV DHHR – Bureau of Social Services – Child Protective Services and Youth Services, and ACEs Coalition membership in Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties.
Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Disorders Association Inc., WV Chapter – Expanding Services and Improving Care for Families Touched by Dementia: $40,000 (Health)
In the third year of this project, the West Virginia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will increase its presence and outreach in Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam Counties. This will happen by increasing equity in accurate diagnosis and effective care through collaboration with healthcare systems and physicians, with a focus on increasing the number of families who access free services and receive high-quality care and support for living better with Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. The program will also expand its reach through volunteers, enabling the offering of more programs and increased access to care and support programs in underserved areas.
Mountaineer Food Bank, Inc. – Fresh Initiative Kids Markets: $40,000 (Health)
Mountaineer Food Bank will increase access to fresh, locally grown produce to elementary school students in Boone and Clay Counties through a farmers market style distribution during the school day. Funding will support each child receiving 7-10 pounds of produce to take home and prepare with families, as well as educational materials on nutrition, producing and growing produce, and recipes provided through a WVU Extension partnership in each county served.
West Virginia Health Right, Inc. – Dental Care for Improved Adults: $125,000 (Dental Health)
Funding for this project will support the West Virginia Health Right’s on-site dental clinic in Charleston and its Mobile Dental Unit work to eliminate financial and transportation barriers often faced by West Virginia adults seeking dental care. Services provided by the Mobile Dental Unit include preventative, restorative, and education services to impoverished adults in Boone and Clay counties while serving residents of Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties at the onsite dental clinic.
Manna Meal, Inc. – So Hungry Can Eat Mobile Pantry: $45,000 (Emergency Aid)
When the primary grocery store for many food-insecure residents on Charleston’s West Side closed due to fire in February 2021, Manna Meal quickly addressed the need for food in that community and established its first Mobile Food Pantry to ensure individuals have access to food. The Mobile Food Pantry provides fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, grains, meats, and shelf stable items to help improve the lives of vulnerable citizens. Pantry bags are prepared at Manna Meal then transported to a distribution site on the West Side. Funding will support eighteen mobile pantry events held in Kanawha County.
Kanawha County Commission – Kanawha County Juvenile Drug Court Needs: $32,500 (Emergency Aid)
Kanawha County’s Juvenile Drug Court is a court-led and community supported program of early intervention to address the specific needs of its substance-abusing youth participants. The objectives of juvenile drug court are to improve the youth’s functioning by reducing internal and external problems and to increase family self-sufficiency and ability to cope with life’s difficulties. The Program sees to divert non-violent juvenile offenders from the traditional juvenile court process to intensive, individualized treatment with the goal of reducing future court involvement for these youth. Funding will support serving youth participants and their families in Kanawha County.
Heart and Hand Outreach Ministries, Inc. – Building Roof Replacement: $35,000 (Emergency Aid)
The Heart and Hand Outreach Ministries building located in South Charleston, WV is in need of a new roof. Due to age and deterioration the current roof is leaking water in several different areas of the building. Funding will support the organization’s continued, uninterrupted basic needs assistance by assisting in a roof replacement project for Heart and Hand’s facility in Kanawha County.
Rea of Hope Fellowship Home, Inc. – Rea of Hope Van: $15,000 (Emergency Aid)
Funding for this project will support the replacement of a stolen van. The van will be used for transportation of adults and children in the programs to work, recovery meetings, doctor’s appointments, and grocery shopping. Access to transportation is necessary to meet program requirements and a critical service to enable residents to care for their selves and their children.
West Virginia Community Development Hub – Mobilizing Mini-grants for BBLI Cohort Development: $110,000 (Special Initiatives-Capacity Building)
This project will build capacity and develop leadership within the nonprofit sector in the footprint of TGKVF. The unique partnership between TGKVF and the Hub will activate the Hub’s experience in developing leadership capacity through a mini-grant application and implementation process that will actualize the learning for participants in TGKVF’s Building Bridges Leadership Institute from Fall 2022 through Spring 2023. Funding will support up to 20 mini-grants and project administration.
Charleston Regatta Inc. – Charleston Sternwheel Regatta: $25,000 (Special Initiatives)
The Charleston Sternwheel Regatta is a five-day music festival that includes music, food, river events, and activities for all ages. Main events are held on Kanawha Boulevard and Magic Island. Other activities occur at City Center Slack Plaza. Funding for this project supports the costs of entertainment and activities.
Appalachia Service Project, Inc. – ASP Westside Housing Revitalization Initiative, Continued: $35,000 (Westside Initiative)
Appalachian Service Project (ASP), working with volunteers, provides home repair and replacement in Central Appalachia. ASP West Side Housing Revitalization Initiative will continue to make homes warmer, safer, and drier and will contribute to neighborhood revitalization on the West Side of Charleston. Activities include providing critical home repairs for ten West Side families and homeowners through volunteers, staff, and subcontractors ensuring quality construction. The project also strategically collaborates with local community organizations to provide a renewed sense of safety, pride, and hope for underserved citizens.
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation is grateful to our community of generous donors who make these and other grants possible. The programs and work approved for the second quarter of 2022 distributions are supported by the following funds: Bernard H. Jacobson Cultural; Alice Ann Koontz; J. Hornor Davis II; Mr. and Mrs. William L. Goldsmith Memorial; Blanche E. Jacobson; James F. Duncan Charitable (Homeless); James F. Duncan Charitable; Les and Verna Evans Memorial; Leopold K. and Elizabeth F. Marmet General; Britt and Judy McJunkin; Prichard (#1); L. Newton and Katherine S. Thomas General; Paul and Opal Vaughan Robert Lytle Anderson; Marian H. Angell Memorial; John C. and Ada K. Arter Memorial; Frank W. and Joan Allison Badger; Beatrice Bell Memorial; Juanita M. Boll Memorial; Mary Lewis Dickinson; Kenneth H. Bowyer Memorial; Cabot Foundation; Miriam Duling Carter
Memorial; Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Chilton, III; Nelle Chilton Family; Senator William E. Chilton, Sr.; Morton F. Hess Memorial; Woody and Helen Hunsinger; Lois and Lawrence C. Kaufman, Jr.; Lloyd and Margaret B. Erhard Jr. Trust; Alfred and Lucy W. McClung; Nancy Gay Randolph; Zelma Drennan Memorial; Mary S. Moses Memorial; Anonymous/Dental; Anonymous/Emergency Aid; Goldman Sachs; and J. W. and Gabrielle P. Hubbard, Jr.
