Grants Update: Foundation Announces 2023 Fourth Quarter Discretionary Grants

Charleston, WV – The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (TGKVF) Board of Trustees approved the distribution of 43 grants totaling $1,308,992.

TGKVF awarded $135,250 to Arts & Culture, Basic Needs, and Field-of-Interest programs and $568,085 in the Foundation’s proactive areas of Community Economic Development (CED), Education, and Health. In addition, funding was awarded in the amount of $325,000 for Special Initiatives and West Side projects. Continued generous support from an anonymous donor provided funding for Dental and Emergency Aid totaling $280,657.

WV Professional Dance Company – Continental Carousel: STREAMing  the Globe: $38,000 (Education) 

WV Dance Company will provide STREAM education workshops, a 100-page study guide,  movement samples, and community engagement workshops as an innovative way to bring  diverse people in the community together. Funding will support community projects at the  Gateway Community Center, Fayette County Senior Nutrition Center, and approximately  

20 projects in Boone, Fayette, Kanawha, and Lincoln County Schools. 

Read Aloud West Virginia, Inc. – Capacity Building and Book  Distributions in the Upper Kanawha Valley: $40,000 (Education) Read Aloud WV will continue its partnership with three upper Kanawha Valley schools  (Chesapeake Elementary, Sharon Dawes Elementary, and East Bank Middle) to provide  choice-based book distributions to nurture students’ reading habits. They will provide  books and materials for five literacy events serving low-income children and fund partial  staff costs to administer the program. Read Aloud will continue to make the volunteer  reader placement process more efficient. Finally, funding will also support a grant writing  professional to generate revenue for the long-term sustainability of Read Aloud’s growth  and increased capacity. 

The Salvation Army – Readers Are Leaders: $60,000 (Education) Readers are Leaders (RAL) is a comprehensive initiative to promote literacy as a catalyst  for the success of youth across Kanawha County. Led by the Salvation Army Boys & Girls  Club (SABGC) in tandem with other community partners, the effort brings together  evidence-based programs, including virtual tutoring, interactive activities, and a summer  literacy pro-gram. RAL will achieve growth in literacy fluency and interest which results in  life longer learners. TGKVF funding will support the continuation of existing efforts, and  the expansion of the “EDGE Fearless Learning” structured literacy program (EDGE) to  additional members. 

Inspiring Dreams Network – Supporting At-Risk Youth through  Coaching and Community Connections: $20,000 (Education) The project will focus on afterschool program providers in Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam  counties who support the most at-risk youth. Through this project, Inspiring Dreams Net work will provide needs-based training to help frontline staff implement best practices  in success coaching. Staff will receive multiple units of in-person training

Legal Aid of West Virginia, Inc. – Lawyer in the School: $35,000  (Education) 

Lawyer in the School (LIS) stabilizes the lives of school families by providing free legal  assistance on issues like eviction, custody for caregivers, and school-based clinics through  partnerships with school staff for referrals. LIS also hosts school-based family workshops  to educate families on issues impacting stability. LIS is expanding to serve school families  across the six-county region by partnering with more county school systems and hosting  more family educational workshops. TGKVF funding will support the work of LIS staff to  serve families and the costs associated with hosting family workshops in the six-county  region. 

West Virginia Public Broadcasting Foundation, Inc. – Daniel Tiger’s  Little Learners Year 2: $50,000 (Education) 

Piloted in 2022 in two Boone County learning facilities, funding will support expanding the  Daniel Tiger’s Little Learners initiative. Students will be provided with intentional lessons to  regulate emotions while expanding their literacy skills. This includes 23 take-home books  and numerous items to support learning in the classroom. Parents are provided monthly  newsletters and events to attend with their children to celebrate reading with Daniel Tiger.  

Kanawha County Board of Education – Riverside High School Fine  Arts Department/ Show Choir: $3,000 (Education) 

Funding will support the purchase of equipment that will increase capacity for public  performance opportunities and will increase student participation with hands-on  application of real-world skills in the logistics of fine arts presentation. As well as serving  the choral program with outreach to the community and with the portable equipment it  can be used for many different organizations throughout the school, including theatre, band,  and dance. This project allows the fine arts department to serve eastern Kanawha and  neighboring counties with live performances in venues that may have been underserved in  the past.  

Kanawha County Board of Education – Kenna Elementary Library  Book Expansion: $2,900 (Education)  

Funding will support Kenna Elementary in Kanawha County to expand the selection and  contents of their library. Grades K-2 will add options for emerging readers and nonfiction  books on this level. Intermediate grades 3-5 will increase popular series in the genres of  science fiction, fantasy, and realistic fiction, which are favorites of students. 

Putnam County Board of Education – Winfield Middle School Generals  Production Studio: $3,000 (Education)  

Funding will support the Generals Production Studio, a multi-disciplined approach for  students to experience a simulated workplace in the area of Technology Education and  prepare for jobs of the future. Students will learn to use and apply their skills to create  products to be placed in a school store they develop, run, and manage. Students will learn  3D printing, embroidery and textile arts, laser cutting and engraving, robotics, website  design and management, and daily store operations. The store will become self-sustaining  over time. 

Kanawha County Board of Education – Dupont Middle Stem Lab:  $3,000 (Education) 

Funding will support Dupont Middle School’s purchase of a variety of STEM-based learning  materials to work with existing technology, as well as the purchase of new technology that  increases the capacity for a STEM-based classroom that serves 6-8th grades. The lab will  pro-mote engagement, collaboration, and expansion of current operating programs of  which 160 students will benefit. The expansion will serve more students and give students  greater access to technology. Funding will also be used to purchase additional 3D printers  and required materials. 

Putman County Board of Education – Elementary Choir Attends  Performance of a National Broadway Tour: $3,000 (Education) Funding will support Rock Branch Elementary School’s choir to attend a national Broadway  tour of Disney’s The Lion King in Dayton, Ohio. Seeing a performance of this caliber will  demonstrate the arts in a professional setting and prompt higher levels of pride and quality  in students’ performances. 

Coda Mountain Academy – Coda Tutoring, Growth, and Program  Support: $64,685 (Education) 

A seventh year of support from TGKVF enables Coda to continue its innovative after school tutoring program as well as contribute toward the stabilization of existing programs  and capacity building as Coda moves toward Phase 1 of building The Coda Center: an  educational training and enrichment center in Fayette County. 

Kanawha State Forest Foundation – Improving Access and Usage for  the Middle Ridge Trail System: $30,000 (Health) 

This project will expand access to and usage of the Middle Ridge Trail in Kanawha  State Forest. Funding will support completing the north end of the trail, updating maps,  encouraging usage of trails across the entire park, and developing a master trail plan.  

Mountaineer Food Bank, Inc. – The Extra Mile Program: $35,000  (Health) 

Mountaineer Food Bank will go the “extra mile” to provide access to healthy, nutritious  foods through a home delivery service program called the Extra Mile Program in  Clay County. Through a partnership with the Clay County BOE, local drivers will  deliver emergency food to children and their families to increase access to those with  transportation, financial, or stigma barriers and who live in a food desert where access to  healthy, affordable foods is limited. These distributions will be targeted when school is not  in session, and children miss free meals provided throughout the day. Funding will support  the program’s operations. 

Women’s Health Center of West Virginia, Inc. – WHC’s Trans Health  Equity Project: $32,500 (Health) 

The Trans Health Equity Project will continue to work within the Foundation’s service  area to help improve the overall health and wellness outcomes among trans patients by  providing access to affordable healthcare and helping with referrals to gender-affirming  primary, mental, and behavioral healthcare providers. Funding will support maintaining the  LGBTQIA+ Health Coordinator position.  

Partners in Health Network, Inc. – CATCH My Breath vaping  prevention in middle schools: $40,000 (Health) 

This grant will support the delivery of the evidence-based CATCH My Breath (CMB)  vaping prevention curriculum to over 2,000 students in 12 middle schools in Clay, Fayette,  Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. Twelve health teachers will complete a 6-hour  certification for CATCH My Breath. This is part of a coordinated “WV’s Clear Feature”  program by the Department of Health and Human Resources and the West Virginia  Department of Education to bring CMB to all 55 counties over the next three years.

CARES – Community Autism Resources and Education Systems –  CARES Family Programming and Support Services: $48,000 (Health) CARES provides monthly sensory-friendly and inclusive events for autistic, neurodiverse  children and their families in Kanawha and Putnam Counties, and a licensed social worker  who serves as a Family Support Specialist in multiple counties. The Family Support  Specialist directs families to resources, provides educational advocacy, and directs family  coaching in evidence-based strategies to help children and provide emotional relief for families. Funding for this project will support the licensed social worker’s salary, travel, event  supplies, printing, accounting, and administrative fees.

Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA Area, Inc. – Goodwill of KYOWVA  Lincoln County Independent Living/Life Skills Program: $37,000 (CED) Goodwill KYOWVA’s holistic Independent Living Program offers an environment where  those with disabilities or disadvantages can learn various necessary life skills to work  toward a higher level of independence, an improved quality of life, and a path to sustained  employment. Collaborators include Lincoln County Opportunity Company, Lincoln County  Board of Education, and Lincoln County Libraries to reach new participants and give the  best training possible. Foundation funding will assist in providing supplies, equipment, and  personnel support to achieve the Program’s goals.  

Coalfield Development Corporation – West Side Restoration: Phase  II of Transforming Blight Through Workforce Development: $23,000  (CED) 

Through Coalfield’s workforce development model WRAPS (Workforce Readiness and  Professional Success), low-income and underserved people will be employed to begin  transitioning deconstructed plots and properties that have been salvaged and upcycled  into new community assets. Graduates of this program may become full-time crew  members with three-year contracts and a commitment to obtain higher education, or will  be supported in their efforts to obtain other employment. 

womanSong – womanSong 2024 Performance: $4,500 (Arts and  Culture)  

womanSong 2024 performances will serve Kanawha and Putnam Counties and include  two main concerts: Spring Concert in April and Comfort and Joy in December of  2024. Other performances include attending Music Before Midnight at St. Mark’s United  Methodist Church and Symphony Sunday in June. Funding will support the purchase of  music, concert technical support, and scholarships.  

Film Futures Foundation – Community Film Equipment Project:  $7,750 (Arts and Culture) 

Film Futures Foundation is dedicated to democratizing filmmaking. The mission is to em power the community by providing access to essential filmmaking gear, alongside hands-on  classroom and paid onset training. The project will serve Fayette, Kanawha, and Putnam  counties. Funding will support the purchase of equipment for training and gear rentals.  

Multi-Cultural Festival of West Virginia, Inc. – MultiFest: $5,000 (Arts  and Culture) 

MultiFest is the largest diversity festival in West Virginia and has been held annually for the  last 32 years. The festival, held in Charleston, serves the six counties of the Foundation’s  footprint over four days. Entertainment each day will be provided by local, regional,  and national artists. Funding will support entertainers’ fees, travel, meals, hotel rooms,  equipment, festival activities, and event costs.  

Charleston Ballet, Inc. – Charleston Ballet 2023-24 Season: $7,000  (Arts and Culture) 

Funding for this project will support Charleston Ballet’s 2034-24 season by supporting  local and guest artist rehearsal and performance fees, travel, housing, and new costumes.  All performances exhibit educational and cultural diversity components, including BALLET  FOR ALL and 21st Century After-School programs.

Fayette County Family Resource Network – Basic Needs Fulfillment:  $26,000 (Basic Needs) 

The Fayette County Family Resource Network (FRN) operates a Basic Needs Fulfillment  pro-gram. The program receives requests from direct service providers, such as DHHR, the  school system, and other local agencies. Items requested can include furniture, clothing, or  household items. The FRN Board of Directors reviews all referrals and determines funding  amounts. The program arranges for the purchase and delivery of all items to the individual.  Funding for this project will support the purchase of basic needs items.  

Mountain Mission, Inc. – Mountain Mission’s Emergency Assistance  Program: $30,000 (Basic Needs) 

This ongoing program provides low-income individuals and families the financial assistance  to meet various catastrophic housing, medical, and nutritional needs to sustain the  participants until they are stable or become self-sustaining. Funding will aid in serving  individuals and families in Kanawha County to meet any of those needs. 

Teays Valley Community in Action – Shoe Purchases for 2024: $15,000  (Basic Needs) 

The Shoe Purchase Program provides new, good-quality shoes to Putnam County children  in need within the school year. These children are identified by principals and counselors.  Funding will be used to purchase shoes for Pre-K through 8th grade children.  

West Virginia State University Foundation – Healthy Grandfamilies:  $40,000 (Field-of-Interest) 

Founded in 2015 on the campus of West Virginia State University, Healthy Grandfamilies  supports grandparents raising grandchildren. Funding will be used to provide direct services  to Grandfamilies in Kanawha County and to expand the program to include educational  workshops, activities, events, and support groups for Grandfamilies at WV Health Right’s  West Side Clinic in Charleston.  

West Side Neighborhood Association – West Side Clean, Safe, &  Engaged: $38,175 (Westside Initiative)  

West Side Clean, Safe, and Engaged is an effort to tackle challenges identified by the West  Side Together outreach. The West Side Neighborhood Association (WSNA) will focus on  re-fuse education and clean-up, safety and security, volunteer activation, and organizational  development. These initiatives will build on community engagement and citizen-led efforts.  WSNA serves the largest neighborhood in Charleston.  

Bible Center – The Maker’s Center: $11,825 (Westside Initiative) The Maker’s Center will connect participants with community members who will motivate  creativity and hope using cutting-edge technology, a fully-equipped workshop, and an art  studio. Kanawha County students, state-wide foster youth, those in recovery programs, and  residents will enjoy the unique atmosphere, hands-on opportunities, and technology to  “Dream, Learn, Innovate, and Create.” Funding will aid in providing next-level technology  and purchasing supplies for classes and activities.  

KVCOP – West Side Community Initiative: $25,000 (Westside  Initiative) 

The Kanawha Valley Council of Philanthropy currently focuses its Community Initiative  efforts on the West Side of Charleston. As a place-based initiative, this requires a targeted,  strategic approach to help with the variety of needs in the communities served. Through  this approach, the Council’s combined resources have supported several projects on  Charleston’s West Side and have seen encouraging progress, with partner organizations  growing in capacity, regional and national funders providing local support, and increasing  engagement among members of the Council.

Bream Memorial Presbyterian Church – Bream Neighborhood S.H.O.P  (Showers, Healthcare, Outreach Program): $24,500 (Emergency Aid) Bream Neighborhood SHOP (Showers, Healthcare, Outreach Program) works to meet  the daily needs of the homeless and underserved in the Kanawha Valley and surrounding  area in West Virginia by providing resources including food, shower and laundry facilities,  clothing and hygiene products, and direct, immediate assistance for needs assessment and  sub-stance abuse. The funds will specifically be used to grow and expand food distribution  and lunches that are currently provided. At present, two types of groceries are provided  for the unsheltered and low-income housed clients. The decrease in food stamps has  dramatically increased the program’s clientele to over 1,000 grocery bags distributed per  month.  

Clay County Health Department – Equality in Accessing Prescription  Medication in Clay County: $15,000 (Emergency Aid)Equality in Accessing  Prescription Medication in Clay County will continue to address the gap between  individuals being prescribed medication and access to them. Many individuals in Clay  County live below the poverty line, and although some citizens may have insurance, they  still may be unable to afford the co-insurance or co-pay of the medication. Funding from  TGKVF will continue to assist with providing financial assistance to citizens to allow them  to access medication to improve their quality of life and health outcomes. 

Community Care of West Virginia – 2024 Social Determinants of  Health Fund: $30,000 (Emergency Aid) 

Community Care of West Virginia will utilize Foundation funding to reduce health  disparities by offsetting the negative impacts of social determinants of health. Utility and  prescription assistance will be provided to patients demonstrating a need who qualify for  aid on a sliding fee program. Patients from all of the Foundation’s service area are eligible  but the majority will be from Clay, Fayette, and Kanawha counties.  

Manna Meal – So the Hungry Can Eat- Mobile Pantry: $57,957  (Emergency Aid) 

When the primary grocery store for many food-insecure residents on Charleston’s West  Side closed due to a 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. Providing 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 and then transported to a distribution site on the West Side. Funding will  support 18 mobile pantry events, all held in Kanawha County. 

Mission West Virginia – Carry On: $30,000 (Emergency Aid) Mission West Virginia assists relative and foster caregivers in covering the costs of  necessities for youth in their care in Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam  counties. Caregivers often receive little or no financial assistance to provide care for  additional children and may already have a fixed income. Funding will be used to provide  emergency assistance for immediate youth needs and will alleviate some of the strain on  the caregiver’s household budget. A secondary outcome will be the relief of household  stress and the confidence of the children that their needs will be met.

Morgantown Sober Living, Inc./West Virginia Sober Living (WVSL)  – Implementation of Supportive Services for Justice-Involved  Individuals: $38,000 (Emergency Aid) 

West Virginia Sober Living (WVSL) proposes to improve success in justice-involved  populations through the utilization of Peer Recovery Support Specialists (PRSS) to  engage people suffering from Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), Substance and Stimulant  Use Disorders, and co-morbid conditions that are currently in correctional facilities or  the reentry process. This program will serve Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and  Putnam counties. WVSL PRSS will interact with individuals in the community through  community outreach and Quick Response Teams to engage them in treatment and serve  as a resource for information and referrals.  

Rea of Hope – Rea of Hope, Inc., Automated External Defibrillators:  $3,050 (Emergency Aid) 

Rea of Hope (ROH) provides safe, affordable, and supportive long-term sober living for  West Virginia women suffering from alcohol and/or drug addiction, and their children.  Priority is given to women living in Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam  counties. Funding will support the purchase of two Automated Electronic Defibrillators  (AED) for use in the Charleston locations.  

United Way of Southern WV, Inc. – Bridging the Gap: $7,000  (Emergency Aid) 

Through the 211 Hotline, United Way of Southern West Virginia (UWSWV) is aware  of the need for utility assistance and medical prescription assistance for many vulnerable  or at-risk citizens. Through the Bridging the Gap program, citizens of Fayette County are  offered direct assistance. Citizens without the ability to call or visit multiple agencies, such  as older adults or those with special needs can be assisted directly from UWSWV. 

West Virginia Oral Health Coalition – Smiles Across West Virginia:  $30,150 (Dental) 

For adults with a Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD) living in rural Appalachia, the ability  to access essential dental services can be extremely difficult. This population can be faced  with stigma associated with their socioeconomic status, as well as the stigma associated  with having an SUD. This program will support private dentists and programs by providing  preventive and restorative care to adults in substance use recovery in Boone, Clay, Fayette,  Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. 

New River Health Association – New River Health Dental Grant:  $15,000 (Dental) 

New River Health Association will continue to provide dental services within the Boone,  Fayette, and Kanawha counties for low-income and underinsured patients. Funding will also  aid veterans and people in recovery programs.  

Charleston Area Medical Health Education & Research Institute, Inc. –  Dental Assistance for CAMC Cancer Patients: $30,000 (Dental) The CAMC Cancer Dental Assistance grant will link low-income, uninsured, or  underinsured adults in TGKVF’s six-county service area with Ghareeb Dental where  patients receive dental clearance before beginning cancer treatments. Without dental  clearance, patients are unable to receive cancer treatments. Patients in need of extractions,  fillings, dentures, and partials will receive dental clearance to receive chemotherapy and  radiation. Cancer patients will also be provided incentives in the form of transportation  and dental hygiene supplies.

Tiny News Collective, Inc. / Black By God – Black on the Map-The  Black Business Map Project: $10,000 (Special Initiatives – Equity) The Black on the Map project will primarily serve Fayette and Kanawha counties while  including other counties with substantial Black populations including Berkely, Cabell,  Jefferson, Marion, McDowell, Mercer, Monongalia, and Raleigh. Funds will be used  to support Black-owned businesses, foster economic empowerment, and promote  community connection. Specifically, the funds will be allocated for CRM software, AI tools,  staffing, design, advertising, Black business features, administrative expenses, a map maker,  and marketing outreach. This project addresses economic disparities and builds a network  of support and sustainability within West Virginia’s Black communities.  

Charleston Creative Placemaking Council – newly rebranded Arts  Amplified: $240,000, payable over three years (Special Initiatives) The purpose of the Arts Amplified initiative is to assist in Charleston’s community and  economic revitalization through more intentionally supporting artists. One of the  primarycrite-ria for success is to help local businesses and nonprofit organizations advance  their enterprise goals (e.g., increase profits, enhance public services, etc.) by making  transactions with artists an ongoing part of their operations. More specifically, the initiative  will serve as 1) a source of technical assistance helping businesses, nonprofit organizations,  and artists see opportunities to make profitable offers to each other; 2) a “matchmaker”  connecting specific entities and artists where a mutually profitable relationship seems  possible; and 3) a small scale “investor” supporting the early stages of such a relationship  to reduce the startup costs for the entity and the artist. The Arts Amplified Managing  Director helps entities follow through on their inclination to work together in mutually  beneficial ways. With the dedication of additional paid contractors to help cultivate these  relationships, we can better integrate arts and community, further educate businesses on  the value of art and how it benefits their bottom line, and assist artists in pursuing more  paying opportunities.  

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 fourth quarter  of 2023 are supported by the following funds: Anonymous Dental; Anonymous West Virginia  Emergency Aid; Mary Frances Bannerot; Cyrus J. Barton, Jr. Memorial; Christ Life Fellowship  Benevolence; Waldo Craig; J. Horner Davis I; James F. Duncan Charitable; Lloyd and Margaret B.  Erhard, Jr. Trust; J.W. and Gabrielle P. Hubbard, Jr.; Blanche E. Jacobson; Raleigh and Rita Jimison;  Charles T. and Mary Ellen Jones- General; George W. Jones, Jr. Memorial; Walter and Jillian Judy;  Frank and Opal Keffer Memorial; Nancy Chilton Nelson Knapp Memorial; F. B. Lamb; Delta R. P.  Lewis General; Loewenstein #1; Loewenstein #3; Lois McDaniel Smith Memorial; Dora Elizabeth  Thompson Memorial; Harry S. and Mary Ellen Moore; Charles Edwin Mottesheard Memorial;  Margaret Ann Moyer; Robert A. and Mary E. Nickell; Lillian Ostrin; Katherine Poe; Potesta Family;  Prichard #2; Irenaeus J. and Minnie Putney Stanley Trust; Nancy Gay Randolph; Shirley C. Rawlins;  Leo Leslie Rimmer, Jr.; George and Josephine Rogers; Harry and Marion M. Shaperio Memorial;  Ruth E. Shepherd #1; Ruth E. Shepherd #2; Edward L. and Dolly Sherwood; Pauline G. Sisson;  John D. Smallridge Memorial; Fannie and Morris Steiger; Ann Bond and Thomas R. Stephens  Charitable; Mary F. Thomas Memorial General; L Newton and Katherine S. Thomas General;  Stephen C. and Adeline J. Voorhees; Gene T. and Bonnie K. Gift Waggy; Mable W Walker; Lillian  Walker McGurl; Dr. Charles and Margaret White Kinseley Memorial; and Walter R. and Zeneth  W. Young.