Grants Update: 2025 Third Quarter Discretionary Grants

Charleston, WV – The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (TGKVF) Board of Trustees approved the distribution of 31 grants totaling $973,835.

TGKVF awarded $24,500 to Arts & Culture projects, $188,500 to Basic Needs projects, and $268,785 to projects in the Foundation’s proactive areas of Community Economic Development (CED), Education, and Health. In addition, continued generous support from an anonymous donor provided funding to Dental Health, Emergency Aid, and Equity projects totaling $392,050. Additional funding included $ 100,000 to Field-of-Interest projects.

Star Club, Inc. – Strengthening STAR Club’s Sustainability: $42,000 (Education)

Since its inception, STAR has operated primarily with a volunteer staff. The board of directors is creating a sustainability plan to secure the future of this after-school tutoring and mentoring program for middle school students in St. Albans, WV. Most of the funds will be used to contract with a qualified full-time Co-Program Manager, whom the current program manager will train to begin directing the program for the 2026–27 school year. The 2025–26 school year will be challenging since 731 students will be consolidated into one building. STAR Club will play a positive role in helping students acclimate to their new surroundings.

Inspiring Dreams Network, Corp. – Supporting At-Risk Youth through Coaching and Community Connections: $26,000 (Education)

Inspiring Dreams Network (IDN) will continue to provide positive youth development training to the seventeen afterschool providers in Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties in 2024, aiming to enhance their capacity to better support at-risk youth. The Salvation Army after-school program in Kanawha County will be added. This project provides needs-based training to help frontline staff implement best practices in success coaching, mentoring, and youth development. Staff will receive multiple units of in-person training, and student outcomes such as attendance, academics, and behavior will be measured. Funding will support project coordination, travel, and training units.

Honeysuckle Hill Nature Discovery Center, Inc. – Discovering the Love of Learning in an Outdoor Classroom: $25,000 (Education)

Honeysuckle Hill Nature Discovery Center provides nature and garden-based educational programs that offer an outdoor learning environment promoting STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) education, as well as reading and history. Honeysuckle Hill, with its eight gardens and exhibits, provides weekly afterschool experiences for students from PK–8 in Fayette County. Programs include science experiments, nature stories, exploring history, recycling, composting, and hands-on horticulture projects. Funding supports instructors, supplies, preparation, development, and maintenance of horticultural exhibits and nature programs, and school busing costs.

The Marshall University Foundation, Inc. – Building a Brighter Future: Expanding the Reach and Promise of DPIL of West Virginia: $40,000 (Education)

The June Harless Center for Rural Education aims to provide every child aged 0–5 in Kanawha and Lincoln counties with equitable access to high-quality, professionally selected, developmentally appropriate literary material before they enter kindergarten. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) delivers books to each child monthly for up to five years at no cost to families. Funds will be used to purchase and mail books to qualifying children and to provide resources to increase enrollment access for eligible children in targeted low-SES zip codes in both counties, grandfamilies in Lincoln County, and at-home visits through partnerships with clinics, libraries, WVSU Healthy Grandfamilies, and TEAM for WV Children.

NTD Inc. (DBA New Triangle District) – New Triangle District: District Skate & Future Multigenerational Activities Center: $15,000 (CED)

Funding for this project will enable NTD to procure the services of Tripp Umbach, a national leader in feasibility and economic analysis, to determine the feasibility and economic impact of a proposed skating rink in Charleston, West Virginia. The skating rink (phase 1) is a major component of the Multigenerational Activities Center (MAC). The MAC itself will assist in the revitalization of the community with a skating rink and play areas for family-focused activities that promote healthy lifestyles. The MAC will primarily serve Kanawha County but will also serve as a critical center for tourism.

Regional Intergovernmental Council – Funding for a Comprehensive Plan in Clendenin, West Virginia: $4,000 (CED)

Funding for this project will aid in creating a comprehensive plan for the Town of Clendenin, West Virginia. During the comprehensive planning process, the Regional Intergovernmental Council will collaborate with the town to analyze current conditions and develop a realizable and actionable plan to bring the vision to fruition.

Coalition for a Tobacco Free West Virginia – McDowell County Commission on Aging, Inc. – Working Towards Tobacco Free Communities: $7,000 (Health)

Working Towards Tobacco Free Communities will focus efforts on reducing tobacco use and the initiation of nicotine-based electronic vapor devices in West Virginia, specifically in Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. The project will strive to increase awareness of tobacco and vaping-related issues by involving local advocates and organizations in education and will support prevention efforts through community outreach, organizing, and strategic planning. The program will also leverage existing partners and stakeholders in this region and throughout the state to achieve its goals.

First Choice Services – Sustaining Health Coverage Enrollment Support in the Greater Kanawha Valley Region: $35,000 (Health)

West Virginia Navigator, operated by First Choice Services, will continue to provide free health insurance enrollment and education in Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. With funding, Navigators will provide fast-tracked Medicaid applications—often within 48 hours—for people entering substance use treatment. They will also help families enroll in Medicaid and Marketplace plans and deliver Coverage-to-Care education to ensure people understand how to use their health coverage. Over 12 months, the project will assist 500 individuals, complete 400 applications or renewals, and hold 15 outreach events to ensure residents can access and maintain coverage.

Parents Auxiliary, Inc. – Ken Ellis Memorial Park Walking Track Rehab: $8,000 (Health)

The Ken Ellis Memorial Park Walking Track Rehab will restore and preserve the walking track, serving residents of Kanawha County. The project includes removing a damaged section of the track and sealing the remaining surface to improve safety, accessibility, and longevity. Funding will be used for demolition, surface preparation, materials, and sealing. This popular track provides a free, safe space for walking, wheelchair use, exercise, and community wellness for people of all ages.

SHIELD – Better Together Schools, Professionals, and Faith Community Child Abuse Prevention: $26,785 (Health)

The Better Together Schools, Professionals, and Faith Community Child Abuse Prevention program is a regional initiative for Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties in West Virginia. The program advances three goals:
• Strengthen school systems’ ability to deliver age-appropriate, evidence-based child sexual abuse prevention education to middle and high school students.
• Expand community partnerships by recruiting volunteers and conducting train-the-trainer events to raise awareness, empower victims, and support survivors.
• Build capacity in faith communities through presentations, consulting, and development to prevent, recognize, and respond to child abuse.

This multi-sector approach promotes a coordinated, community-wide commitment to children and survivor support.

Cabin Creek Health Systems – Cabin Creek Health Systems, Trusted Access Program: $40,000 (Health)

Cabin Creek Health Systems (CCHS), Trusted Access Program (TAP), will maintain and expand the access points and support the community’s most vulnerable. Community members want and need support, but healthcare can be intimidating and hard to navigate. Additionally, other service providers in the community do tremendous work for their clients, but navigating healthcare systems is overwhelming for most. The TAP allows CCHS to put boots on the ground and directly engage patients and partners about available services. It helps decrease the barriers from the community to the clinic, where patients can receive any services offered by CCHS, thus continuing the positive work of the Mobile Team.

River City Youth Ballet Ensemble, Inc. – River City Youth Ballet Youth Ensemble 2025-2026 Season Production and Clendenin Outreach: $9,500 (Arts & Culture)

The River City Youth Ballet (RCYBE) will be celebrating its 30th season with two original productions – A Christmas Carol, in collaboration with the Appalachian Children’s Chorus, and Snow White. RCYBE will also offer outreach classes in ballet instruction in Clendenin for underserved children. The main objectives for the productions and classes are to educate and raise awareness of the arts within the community and bridge the need for a concrete correlation of the arts in education. Counties served include Clay and Kanawha. Funding will support tuition assistance, instructors’ salaries, space rental fees, promotional materials, and materials such as stage props and costumes.

West Virginia Humanities Council – Sustaining the Humanities in West Virginia: $15,000 (Arts & Culture)

The mission of the West Virginia Humanities Council is to promote a vigorous program in the humanities statewide, incorporating all six counties within TGKVF’s footprint. The Council does this through grantmaking and direct programs, including History Alive!, traveling exhibits, the West Virginia encyclopedia, the West Virginia Folklife Program, and others. Funding for this program will support utilities and service fees during a time of uncertainty.

American Red Cross: Central Appalachia Region – Disaster Cycle Services: $31,500 (Basic Needs)

The American Red Cross serves everyone impacted by disasters, whether down the street, across the country, or around the world. TGKVF funds provide financial assistance to help local families recover locally in a six-county jurisdiction in West Virginia, serving Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. The Red Cross responds to disasters, meeting each family’s emergency needs for food, clothing, shelter, replacement prescriptions, and other necessities. Meeting disaster-caused needs helps stabilize families, helping them avoid homelessness and move towards economic self-sufficiency.

Daymark, Incorporated – Patchwork: $ 24,000 (Basic Needs)

The Patchwork program provides free, confidential, voluntary, and licensed services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for youth 12 and older. Residential and non-residential services include individual, group, telephone, and walk-in counseling; information and referral; emergency services such as food and clothing; advocacy; outreach; community education; and follow-up services. Patchwork also provides crisis support services for youth in the custody of the state of West Virginia and serves more than 600 youth per year. Services are provided in Kanawha County and are available to children throughout West Virginia. Funding will support staff salaries, food, and utilities.

Heart + Hand Outreach Ministries – The Essential Project: $24,500 (Basic Needs)

Funding for this project will support the delivery of critical Basic Needs Assistance – food, clothing, household items, and emergency financial help for utilities and housing to low-income families in Kanawha and Putnam counties. By meeting urgent needs with compassion and dignity, Heart + Hand helps stabilize households and connect them to long-term support.

Manna Meal – So the Hungry Can Eat: $31,500 (Basic Needs)

Manna Meal Community Kitchen, a 365-day-a-year feeding facility, is a safety net for the food- insecure population in Charleston and surrounding areas. The mission of ensuring that none of our neighbors go hungry is a lifeline for those suffering from food insecurity. The need for the program’s services has skyrocketed, evidenced by the dramatic increase in meal recipients and requests for emergency pantry bags, alongside a decrease in the number and amount of donations. TGKVF funding will be used to purchase food to help meet the demand for meals and support recipients.

The Kanawha Valley Fellowship Home, Inc. – KVFH Transitional Sober Living – Structure, Action, and Accountability: $22,500 (Basic Needs)

KVFH, Inc. is a safe, sober living transitional home that focuses on structure, action, and accountability. KVFH residents are primarily from Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. The funding will assist KVFH in providing a safe, sober home with meals for residents, individual case management, and counseling by a certified addiction counselor who is a program graduate. Referrals are made for needed medical and dental care in collaboration with the community. KVFH staff also work with clients to identify and overcome other barriers to recovery, such as paying fines, making restitution, obtaining driving privileges, and continuing education.

YWCA of Charleston – YWCA Sojourner’s Shelter for Homeless Women and Families: $30,000 (Basic Needs)

YWCA Sojourner’s Shelter for Homeless Women and Families serves single women, women with children, men with custody of their children, and intact families in Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. The program provides 24-hour, seven-day-a-week emergency shelter, frontline staff, residential support, medication monitoring, and trauma- informed support services. Participants receive three nutritious meals and two healthy snacks daily, a safe refuge, transportation assistance, and help meeting medical, employment, and housing needs. TGKVF funding will support these critical services.

YWCA of Charleston – YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program 2025: $24,500 (Basic Needs)

Funding for this project will support a portion of the salary of the Youth Services Awareness Coordinator for the Resolve Family Abuse Program. It will also contribute to the travel and training for Resolve domestic violence advocates working towards their Domestic Violence Certification through the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, as well as other training requirements. In addition, the funds will support client needs that are not met by other federal or state funding. Resolve expects to serve approximately 1,800 victims and survivors per year in Boone, Clay, and Kanawha counties.

West Virginia University Foundation, Inc. – Children’s Vision Rehabilitation Program: $100,000 (Field-of-Interest)

The mission of the Children’s Vision Rehabilitation Program (CVRP) is to foster the growth of blind and low vision children into and through adulthood by providing the tools they need to Become independent and employable members of the community. This program’s reach spans across West Virginia and far beyond. Through direct services, the program reaches the children of West Virginia, while mentoring and education extend its reach to professionals, community members, and children on a worldwide scale. Funding will provide for low vision clinics, institutes of learning, mentoring, and a lending library in TGKVF’s service area.

YWCA of Charleston – YWCA Katherine “Kitty” Dooley Community Enrichment Center: $38,000 (Equity)

YWCA of Charleston is dedicated to the mission of “eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.” The Katherine “Kitty” Dooley Center for Community Enrichment is a vibrant and accessible hub at the YWCA that fosters enrichment through education, advocacy, and social connection. TGVKF funding will support serving individuals of Boone, Clay, and Kanawha counties with diverse monthly programming meant to break down barriers to human connections. Funding will also support the staff position that coordinates this programming.

Cabin Creek Health Systems – Cabin Creek Smiles!: $75,000 (Dental)

The Cabin Creek Smiles! Program provides individuals of all ages with appropriate oral health care designed to improve their quality of life and restore their smiles. This program operates out of the Sissonville Health Center, Westside Health, and Clendenin Health Centers and is open to any resident in The Greater Kanawha Valley service area.

FamilyCare Health Centers – FamilyCare Health Centers Smiles for All Ages Dental Access Program: $70,000 (Dental)

The Smiles for All Ages Dental Access Program will serve Boone, Kanawha, and Putnam counties, providing essential preventative and restorative dental care to underserved children and adult patients, regardless of their ability to pay. FamilyCare’s Mobile Dental Unit and School-Based Health will serve children at 33 area schools, as well as individuals in addiction recovery. Patients will also receive care at the Patrick Street location in Charleston. Funding will support direct dental services, equipment, and communication and satellite services to ensure comprehensive care for these vulnerable populations, improving oral health and overall well- being in these communities.

Kanawha County Dental Health Council, Inc. – Kanawha County Dental Health Council: $50,000 (Dental)

Through a partnership with Kanawha County Schools, the program provides dental services for children of low-income families who do not have a private dentist. A team of school-based dental hygienists educates and screens all children of Kanawha County schools, while the clinical staff of dentists and dental hygienists provides much-needed dental treatment. Providing a continuance of care for these children is essential to the program’s mission: No child within Kanawha County will ever go without dental services or education.

Common Grounds Food Pantry – Sustaining Common Grounds – Outreach Food Program: $24,000 (Emergency Aid)

Funding for this project will provide food boxes to all eligible participants living in Kanawha County, between the 35th Street Bridge in Kanawha City and east to Montgomery, on both sides of the Kanawha River. Last year, 3,130 food boxes were distributed, providing three days of meals each month for eligible low-income participants and 300 food boxes to homeless individuals. The project served approximately 1,300 eligible participants and 150 homeless individuals.

FamilyCare Health Centers – FamilyCare Emergency Assistance Program: Bridging the Gap for Needy Patients: $20,600 (Emergency Aid)

This project will provide emergency food, hygiene products, medication, and medical supply assistance to 200 patients located in Boone, Kanawha, and Putnam counties who have an immediate need for these products. Patients will be identified as needing at the time of their medical visit. Once identified, patients will be offered emergency shelf-stable food, a hygiene kit, and assistance with medication or medical supplies. Participants will also be referred to other services or programs within FamilyCare, such as a social worker, an eligibility specialist, and other medical services to meet their needs.

Heartbeat of the Valley, Inc. – Heartbeat of the Valley Shoes Program: $12,000 (Emergency Aid)

Heartbeat of the Valley will serve children primarily in Putnam County, but also the borders of Boone, Kanawha, and Lincoln counties. Funding will support the purchase of approximately 250 of the 800 new shoes for children from Head Start through high school for the coming school year, with referrals from school counselors.

Hope for Appalachia – HOPE Closet Program: $ 17,500 (Emergency Aid)

The HOPE Closet Program gives students access to toiletries that they do not have at home consistently. Partner schools are given a cabinet filled with toiletries, which is restocked throughout the school year as needed. The goal of the HOPE Closet Program is to relieve the stress that students experience due to hardships or inconsistencies in their home life, and to attend school confidently and prepared to learn.

Mountain State Educational Services Cooperative – Communities in Schools (CIS) – Partnering to Meet Students’ Needs: $60,000 (Emergency Aid)

CIS On-Site School Coordinators based in schools work with a school support team and school leadership to identify and prioritize the needs of specific students struggling to attend school. Students are connected to community resources to engage them in their learning and ensure they work towards graduation. This project will support Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties by providing coordinators with the means to quickly acquire resources such as food, hygiene products, clothing, and utility bill payments for students in extreme need and emergencies.

Risen Lord Catholic Church Food Pantry and Backpack Program – Risen Lord Catholic Church Food Pantry and Backpack Program: $24,950 (Emergency Aid)

Risen Lord Food Pantry, Backpack Program, and Utilities Assistance program works to alleviate hunger in Clay County, to foster the human dignity of all recipients and volunteers, to provide hands-on opportunities for neighbors to help neighbors, and to improve the health and well-being of Clay County residents in need by providing access to food and other related resources. Funding for this project will support the purchase of food from Mountaineer Food Bank and other community resources, such as Kroger and Sam’s Club.

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 third quarter of 2025 are supported by the following funds: Anonymous- Dental; Anonymous- Emergency Aid; James F. Duncan Charitable; Glen (Fritz) and Lois Wingett Howard Memorial; George and Patty Herscher; Grace S. Herscher Memorial; Robert Crawfor Hieronymus; Charles Hopkins; John Hopkins; J.W. Jr. and Gabrielle P. Hubbard; Bernard H. and Blanche E. Jacobson; Blanche E. Jacobson; Raleigh and Rita Jimison; Charles T. and Mary Ellen Jones General; George W. Jones Jr. Memorial; Frank and Opal Keffer Memorial; Nancy Chilton Nelson Knapp Memorial; Dr. Charles and Margaret White Kniseley Memorial; F. B. Lamb; Stanley Loewenstein Memorial; Alfred and Lucy W. McClung; McJunkin-Jones Family; Nancy Gay Randolph; George and Josephine Rogers; Newton and Katharine S. Thomas, General; and F. Waldo Craig.