Charleston, WV – The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (TGKVF) Board of Trustees approved the distribution of 52 grants totaling $1,192,165.
TGKVF awarded $38,370 to Arts & Culture, $111,004 to Basic Needs, and $40,000 to Field-of-Interest projects. Funding awarded in the Foundation’s proactive Community Economic Development (CED), Education, and Health areas, totaled $538,970. In addition, continued generous support from an anonymous donor provided funding to Dental and Emergency Aid projects totaling $286,815. Additional funding awards include $50,000 to Special Initiatives, $35,850 to West Side Initiative 3.0, and $91,156 to Narrative Change.
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 public benefits at school-based clinics and through partnerships with school staff for referrals. LIS also hosts school-based family educational workshops to educate families on issues impacting stability. Funding will support the work of LIS staff across the TGKVF six-county region.
Lincoln County Schools – Lincoln County Schools Project Hope (Afterschool and Summer Enrichment Program): $55,000 (Education)
Lincoln County Schools will implement after-school and summer enrichment programs for Midway Elementary, Hamlin PK-8, and West Hamlin Elementary students. These programs will offer academic support, STREAM activities, and recreational opportunities to enhance student learning and engagement beyond the school day. Funding will support the staffing of certified teachers and bus drivers.
Read Aloud West Virginia, Inc. – Capacity Building and Book Distribution in the Upper Kanawha Valley: $49,120 (Education)
Read Aloud WV will continue its partnership with Sharon Dawes Elementary. It will expand the project to DuPont Middle and Valley PK-8, all in the upper Kanawha Valley, to provide choice-based book distributions to nurture students’ reading habits. Funding will also support providing books and materials for low-income students and staff costs to administer the program.
WV Professional Dance Company – Continental Carousel: STREAMing the Globe: 38,000 (Education)
WV Dance Company serves Fayette, Lincoln, and Kanawha Counties with K-12 educational projects and a community project, including workshops integrating movement communication and exploration with STREAM methodology. This project brings people together to share multigenerational educational experiences. Project funding will support 20 educational presentations across Fayette, Kanawha, and Lincoln Counties.
Poca High School – Rho Kappa and SNHS trip to Washington, DC: $3,000 (Education)
The Washington, DC trip is open to students accepted to Rho Kappa, a social studies honor society, or Poca’s chapter of the Science National Honor Society. While there, students will attend a STEM camp and visit historical sites. Funding will support the cost of transportation and lodging.
CADCO Foundation, Inc. – City Center BID Master Plan Implementation Phase 1 Continued: $25,000 (CED)
Funds will be used to continue Phase 1 implementation of the 2023 Master Plan, which aims to grow the economic and community development opportunities within the Business Improvement District (BID). The funding will also provide beautification enhancements in the BID, including trash receptacles.
Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA Area, Inc. – Goodwill KYOWVA Lincoln County Independent Living/Life Skills Program: $37,000 (CED)
The Independent Living/Life Skills Program creates a space where individuals with disabilities or disadvantages can learn essential skills for greater independence, better quality of life, and lasting employment. The program can reach more participants through partnerships with the Lincoln County Board of Education, Lincoln County Libraries, and the Lincoln County Opportunity Company. Funding will support buying critical supplies and equipment and keeping support staff to help participants achieve their goals.
Institute West Dunbar Pinewood Sub Area Planning Committee – Funding for a Strategic Plan: $8,000 (CED)
Funding will support a strategic plan for operating the William J. Raglin Community Center, which provides services for the local football league and an after-school tutoring program for elementary through high school students.
Keep Your Faith Corporation, Inc. – KYFC Community Development Project: $55,000 (CED and West Side Initiative)
KYFC, in partnership with WV Food & Farm Coalition, is revitalizing a historic building on Charleston’s West Side and sharing a new hire position of Fiscal Coordinator. This project will create a community-centered hub. The first floor will house Miss Ruby’s Corner Market, enhancing local food access. The second floor will include expanded behavioral health services, administrative offices, a workforce development program, and a food systems development initiative.
Shawnee Park Foundation, Inc. – Shawnee Sports Complex Development & Community Liaison Human Resource: $30,000 (CED)
The Shawnee Park Foundation works to develop and maintain Shawnee Park, including its continued function as a hub of community recreation, sports, and tourism. Funding for this project will support establishing a Development and Community Liaison position, which will provide additional programming and support for the underserved areas of the community.
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 and 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. This Family Support Specialist directs families to resources and provides educational advocacy and family coaching in evidence-based strategies. Funding will aid in the support of the licensed social worker’s salary, travel, event supplies, printing, accounting, and administrative fees.
Clay County Schools – Panther Wellness Project: $40,000 (Health)
Clay County Schools, in partnership with the student-led initiative Gen C, will create a walking trail to promote the mental and physical health of students, staff, and residents of Clay County. As a central hub for community activities, Clay County High School plays a vital role in local engagement. The addition of this trail will benefit the entire community. Funding for this project will support purchasing materials and equipment for building the trail.
Hamlin-Lincoln County Public Library, Inc. – Yougatta Take Care of
Yourself!: $12,000 (Health)
The Lincoln County Public Library will expand its wellness program in three branch libraries and the surrounding communities. This includes enhancing the walking and yoga programs and the food preservation program, which provides free classes and appliance rentals. A new diabetic cooking class will be introduced in 2025. All training and materials are provided, enabling participants to practice at home. Funding will support the wellness program.
Mountaineer Food Bank, Inc. – Extra Mile: $40,000 (Health)
Mountaineer Food Bank will provide access to healthy, nutritious foods through the Extra Mile Program in Clay County. In partnership with the county Board of Education, school bus drivers will deliver food to children and families facing transportation, financial, or stigma barriers. These deliveries, focused on school breaks when children miss free meals, will also help families in food deserts access nutritious food. Funding will support program operations, including transportation and staffing, and address other needs, such as purchasing refrigerators or stoves and ensuring families receive fresh food and holistic support.
West Virginia University Foundation, Inc. – Kids Market @ the Store: Empowering Young Shoppers: $20,000 (Health)
Kids Market @ the Store, a statewide initiative by WVU Extension Family Nutrition Program (FPN), promotes healthy eating habits in children aged 2-17 by allowing them to “shop” for free fruits and vegetables using tokens. Serving Fayette, Kanawha, and Putnam counties, the program sources produce from local West Virginia farmers when possible. Funding will support the produce, educational resources, and incentives, increasing access to nutritious foods in underserved communities.
West Virginians for Affordable Health Care – Renovation and Maintenance of Ruffner Cemetery and Park: $5,000 (Health)
This project aims to enhance the Ruffner Cemetery and Park in partnership with the City of Charleston’s Municipal Beautification Commission, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Kanawha Garden Club. It will revitalize this historically significant one acre green space, established in 1795, by monitoring the health of existing trees and other plants. Funding for this project will support contracting with a landscaper, examining the health of existing plants, and installing trees, shrubs, and seasonal flowers.
Women’s Health Center of West Virginia, Inc. – WHC Trans Health Equity Project: $49,700 (Health)
This project continues to improve the overall health and wellness outcomes among trans patients by providing access to affordable healthcare and assisting with referrals to gender affirming primary, mental, and behavioral healthcare providers. Funding will be used to maintain the program coordinator position, which acts as a healthcare navigator for WHC’s trans patients, working across the organization to address patient needs, maintain vetted referrals and resources, and promote the program. Additionally, funding will supplement the medical director position, who is the sole provider of gender-affirming hormone therapy at WHC.
Appalachian Community Theatre, Inc. – Sustaining Support for the Arts in Boone County: $10,000 (Arts & Culture)
Appalachian Community Theatre provides a high-quality, popular, entertaining show in Boone County. Because no theater exists in Boone County, this support group has formed relationships with several nonprofits and government agencies to improve the facility’s staging area. Funding will also help replace outdated monitors, lights, and microphone stands and purchase in-house performance items.
Children’s Theatre of Charleston – Beyond the Stage (BTS): $5,000 (Arts and Culture)
BTS is a tuition-free extracurricular theatre education program for high school students to grow in leadership, communication, and public speaking. The program accompanies participation in Children’s Theatre of Charleston (CTOC) productions throughout the school year. Funding will support staff time, program materials, and registration fees for students participating in regional competitions after the program.
Historic Fayette Theater, Inc. – John Henry, the Musical: $8,870 (Arts and Culture)
This project, a musical, tells the story of West Virginia legend John Henry and aims for historical accuracy. It highlights the elements of racism and inspires acknowledgment, understanding, and healing. The July 2025 performances will take place in Fayette County, primarily featuring local musicians, actors, and technicians.
West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History – Reviving a Rare Folk Arts Collections: $10,000
West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History has a series of audio and video interviews with – and performances from – traditional musicians, artisans, craftspeople, and other makers across the state. Virtually unknown, these recordings are available only upon request in their original, aging formats. Funding will support the work to digitize and organize the collection and to hold events and other community engagement efforts to ensure these stories are shared as the planners intended.
womanSong Chorale, Inc. – womanSong 2025 Performances: $4,500
(Arts and Culture)
womanSong 2025 performances will serve Kanawha and Putnam counties and include two main concerts: the Spring Concert in April 2025 and Comfort and Joy in December 2025. In addition, womanSong will perform during “Music Before Midnight” at St. Mark’s United Methodist and Symphony Sunday in June 2025. Other activities include collecting non-perishable goods for donations to local food pantries and outreach opportunities with Hospice House. Funding for this project will support music purchases, concert technical support, and scholarships.
Facing Hunger Food Bank – Lincoln County Child, Family, & Senior Food Resource Support: $45,000 (Basic Needs)
This project will address the hunger needs of those living in Lincoln County. The poverty rate for Lincoln County is 20.6% versus an overall rate of 14.8% in West Virginia. The food insecurity rate is 17.6% in general and 26.6% for children. This 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 purchasing and distributing fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable products to meet the needs of these most vulnerable groups.
Fayette County Family Resource Network (FRN) – Basic Need Fulfillment: $26, 000 (Basic Needs)
Fayette County FRN operates a Basic Needs Fulfillment program, purchasing items for Fayette County residents. Items can include furniture, clothing for adults or children, and household items. Direct service providers complete a referral for the individual needing assistance, validating the need and ensuring they can focus on other aspects of their life once their basic needs are met. After a thorough review, the FRN Director arranges purchases, communicating with the referring agency for quick delivery. Funding will support purchasing these items.
Mountain Mission, Inc. – Mountain Mission’s Emergency Assistance Program: $40,004 (Basic Needs)
Mountain Mission’s Emergency Assistance Program serves low-income residents in Kanawha County by helping with various housing and utility needs, food insecurities, personal hygiene, baby and children’s needs, and other items. The program also offers delivery of fresh, perishable, and non-perishable food and various basic needs items to qualifying homebound seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. A new program will provide qualifying elementary school children with quick, healthy food items when school is not in session. Funding will support client services.
West Virginia State University Research & Development Corporation – Healthy Grandfamilies: $40,000 (Field-of-Interest)
Healthy Grandfamilies support grandparents in raising grandchildren. The program is an 8-week education series that offers social and emotional support. Foundation funding will provide meals for grandparents during sessions and meals and activities for children while grandparents are in class. Funding will also allow the on-site food pantry to be stocked and immediately available for grandparents reporting food insecurity. Additionally, funding will provide aid for November and December holiday expenses.
Mountain State Spotlight – Mountain State Spotlight Empowering West Virginians: $10,000 (Special Initiatives/Narrative Change)
Mountain State Spotlight envisions a future where all West Virginians have access to the information they need to understand the state’s challenges. Funding will support a movement towards a future in which residents of all 55 counties feel more optimistic and better prepared to take a role in improving their communities and the state.
The Real WV – Elaborate on The REAL WV: $10,000 (Special Initiatives/ Narrative Change)
Founded in 2020, the mission of The Real WV is to touch the heart of Appalachian identity. All content is free. This statewide publication has a local focus on Greenbrier Valley. Funding will support expansion into the Foundation’s six-county area, providing free and unique cultural content.
Tamarack Foundation, Inc. – West Side Ripple Media Project: $9,800 (Special Initiatives/Narrative Change)
West Side residents and partners as they participate in the one-year Ripple community and economic development program designed to bridge the gap between arts and business in their community. Participants will identify a community challenge where the arts can be used as part of the solution, then design and implement the project with Foundation funding. Tamarack Foundation will document the process through video, articles, and photographs to amplify the community through multi-media pathways.
West Virginia International Film Festival, Inc. – Caring Bobbie: $9,036 (Special Initiatives/ Narrative Change)
Caring Bobbie examines the life of legislator Barbara “Bobbie” Hatfield and her fight for healthcare, gender equality, the environment, and the livelihood of everyday West Virginians in the 1980s and 1990s. The film is a tribute to the work of Bobbie Hatfield and her co-legislators, an antidote to the dominant narrative about the political will of West Virginia women, and an invitation to imagine the world differently. Funding will support travel funds, research, sound designer, archival producer, software, hard drives, and film festival submission fees.
Marshall University Foundation, Inc. – Rewriting the Narrative with West Virginia Role Models: $9,000 (Special Initiatives/Narrative Change)
Voices of West Virginia was created to help West Virginians easily connect with the state’s writers, counteract negative stereotypes, and build enthusiasm for writing. In 2023, West Virginia writing and education professionals constructed a teacher-friendly educational website, www.voicesofwv.org. Funding will support 2025 Stage 2 to expand the free materials offered by the state and spotlight additional West Virginia writers and young writers, adding a quarterly newsletter, finalizing a home base with Marshall Libraries, and expanding library reading groups.
West Virginia Can’t Wait – Black By God Operating and Project Support Funding: $9,000 (Special Initiatives/ Narrative Change)
BBG Operating and Project Support Funding will support Black By God’s (BBG) endeavors in Fayette and Kanawha counties and other West Virginia counties with substantial Black populations. Narrative change is foundational to BBG, a community-led news and storytelling organization based in West Virginia. Funding will support operating expenses and continued support of the Black on the Map project. BBG’s mission is to provide a nuanced portrayal of the Black and BIPOC Experience in the Appalachian region.
West Virginia University Foundation, Inc. – Grow This: The Documentary: $8,600 (Special Initiatives/ Narrative Change
Grow This: The Documentary follows five families participating in The Grow This Throwdown, a statewide gardening competition to reduce food insecurity in West Virginia and increase physical activity. Each family receives a camera kit and a crash course in documentary filmmaking from an award-winning documentarian. Families collect footage of planting, tending their garden, and completing Throwdown challenges. This footage and more are compiled into a 15-minute film about the program, told through the eyes of the participants.
Masque Informed, Inc. – On the Record: Spinning New Narratives for the Kanawha Valley: $6,500 (Special Initiatives/ Narrative Change)
On the Record: Spinning New Narratives for the Kanawha Valley is a new program created and produced by WTSQ 88.1FM. Leveraging the station’s unique alternative perspective on culture, arts, music, and people throughout the region, funding will support the station’s narrative change efforts through multimedia content generation, the launch of a newsletter, audience measurement, and offering various media platform opportunities to other Narrative Change partners. All content is free and available to the public.
West Virginia Humanities Council, Inc. – West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Support in Kanawha County: $5,200 (Special Initiatives/ Narrative Change)
The biennial West Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program supports expert traditional artists statewide as they pass on their knowledge to an apprentice. The West Virginia Humanities Council program provides stipends and collaboratively presents participants’ work through in-person showcase events and multimedia blog posts. Funding will support the 2024-25 program, which will welcome the pairs and include stipends and hiring specialized local contract support to better document the apprenticeship program.
WV Community Development Hub – Building Community Resilience and Narrative Power on the West Side: $5,000 (Special Initiatives/Narrative Change)
This project will highlight the community building work happening on the West Side of Charleston by community members in the Accelerate West Virginia program. By amplifying community wins and successes through a video documentary and community case study, community leaders can build narrative power to catalyze momentum and leverage additional resources.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting Foundation, Inc. – Us & Them WV News Desert Project 2025: $4,500 (Special Initiative/ Narrative Change)
Us & Them is a podcast and radio show exploring American divides through customs, beliefs, and worldviews. It aims to foster understanding and emphasize shared humanity. Funding for this project will support an episode examining the decline of local news organizations and reliable information in the Foundation’s six-county area, followed by a live public event in Charleston addressing the concerns of the six counties becoming a news desert.
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission – Appalachian Care Chronicles: $4,250 (Special Initiatives/Narrative Change)
Appalachian Care Chronicles shares stories of folks working in every corner of West Virginia’s health sector. This podcast offers insight from the storyteller’s perspective and offers wisdom and advice to those entering the field of health care sciences.
Invest Appalachia – 2024 Invest Appalachia Catalytic Capital Proposal West Virginia Sub-Pool: $50,000
Funding for this project will provide flexible, non-extractive catalytic capital to support investment-worthy projects in the Foundation’s geographic footprint and throughout West Virginia. Using Invest Appalachia’s blended capital impact investing model, funding will support recoverable grants, credit enhancements, loan guarantees, and technical assistance to leverage investments from the Invest Appalachia Fund and other regional lenders.
Kanawha Valley Council of Philanthropy – West Side Community Initiative: $25,000 (West Side Initiative)
As a place-based initiative, the Council’s Community Initiative requires a targeted, strategic approach to help with various needs in the communities served. In recent years, this effort has been on Charleston’s West Side. Through this approach, the Council’s combined resources have supported several projects 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.
West Virginia Oral Health Coalition – Smiles Across West Virginia:
$28,000 (Dental)
For adults with a Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD) living in rural Appalachia, the ability to access essential dental services can be difficult. This population can be faced with the stigma associated with their socioeconomic status, as well as the stigma associated with having a SUD. Funding will support providing preventative 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 Association Dental Grant: $33,767 (Dental)
Funding for this program will support providing dental services in a multi-county area for low-income and underinsured patients. Priorities for 2025 will include expanding dental care for school-age children and providing funding for services to veterans and people in addiction recovery programs.
Charleston Area Medical Center – Dental Assistance for CAMC Cancer Center Patients: $25,000 (Dental)
The Charleston Area Medical Center Dental Assistance program links low-income, uninsured, and underinsured adults with Ghareeb Dental to ensure patients can receive dental clearance before beginning cancer treatment. Patients needing extractions, fillings, dentures, and partials will receive dental clearance for chemotherapy and radiation. In addition, cancer patients will be provided with transportation support.
Lincoln County Primary Care Center, Inc. – SWVHS Dental Services Project 2024/2025: $28,770 (Dental)
Southern West Virginia Health System seeks to expand current dental programming in Lincoln County by purchasing a panoramic X-ray machine for Lincoln High School’s school-based health center. This high-quality piece of medical equipment will advance current dental services and allow for the implementation of additional services.
FamilyCare – FamilyCare Health Centers Smiles for All Ages Dental Access Program: $20,000 (Dental)
The Smiles for All Ages Dental Access Program will serve Boone, Kanawha, and Putnam counties, providing preventive 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 Clinic will serve children in thirty-three area schools. Individuals in recovery will also be serviced. Patients will also receive care at the Patrick Street location. Funding will support direct dental services, equipment, communication, and satellite services to ensure comprehensive care while improving these communities’ oral health and overall well-being.
Bream Neighborhood SHOP – SHOP Food and Supply: $24,500 (Emergency Aid)
The SHOP offers two types of groceries, one for housed families and individuals and one for unhoused families or individuals, each targeted to meet families’ needs. The program also includes a county-wide outreach team that goes each night to senior living facilities, low-income apartment complexes, and encampments to deliver items for the SHOP, including groceries. Also, there is a partnership with local schools to provide most of their food pantry items. Funding will support Kanawha County and soon an expansion into Clay and Putnam counties.
Clay County Health Department – Equity in Accessing Prescription Medication in Clay County: $15,000 (Emergency Aid)
Equity in Accessing Prescription Medication in Clay County will continue to address the gap between individuals being prescribed medication and access to receiving it. Many individuals in Clay County live below or near the poverty line, and although others may have insurance, they are unable to afford the co-pay for the medication. Funding for this project will support assistance with providing financial assistance to citizens for medication, leading to improved quality of life and health outcomes.
Community Care of West Virginia – 2025 Emergency Aid for Social Determinants of Health: $40,000 (Emergency Aid)
This project will directly serve the immediate needs of families in the rural and underserved areas of Boone, Clay, Fayette, and Kanawha counties. Community Care of West Virginia will support families below the federal poverty level through emergency utility assistance, prescription assistance, and food insecurity to ensure families are in safe living environments, maintain their health with continued prescriptions, and have access to food.
Mission West Virginia – Carry On: $30,000 (Emergency Aid)
Mission West Virginia will assist relatives and foster caregivers in covering the costs of necessities for youth in their care in Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties. Some caregivers receive limited or no financial assistance to care for additional children and may be on a fixed income. Funding for this project will be used to provide emergency assistance for immediate youth needs and help alleviate strain on the caregiver’s household budget. A secondary outcome will be the relief of household stress and the children’s confidence that their needs will be met.
Morgantown Sober Living, Inc. – Supportive Services for Justice Involved Individuals: $38,000 (Emergency Aid)
West Virginia Sober Living (WVSL) Solutions supports justice involved individuals by offering referrals to treatment and recovery housing and enhancing access to community resources throughout a six-month re-entry period. Peer staff will assist clients across the Greater Kanawha Valley footprint of Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Putnam counties through phone and in-person interactions. In addition to referrals, they will provide emotional support and mentorship based on lived experience. Communication with peers will reduce barriers and improve connections with the professional justice community, including day report offices, drug courts, and probation offices.
BARN Community Group – Basic Needs/Operating Expenses: $3,778 (Emergency Aid)
The BARN Community Group provides Boone County with an accessible food pantry and basic needs closet to stabilize residents who need essential items. Funding will help Boone County residents meet these basic needs, alleviate stress on families, and help build a stronger community base.
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 2024 are supported by the following funds: Anonymous Dental; Anonymous Emergency Aid; Mary Frances Bannerot; F. Waldo Craig, James F. Duncan Charitable; Lloyd and Margaret B. Erhard Jr Trust; Goldman Sachs, Mr. and Mrs. William L. Goldsmith Memorial; George and Patty Herscher; J.W. and Gabrielle P. Hubbard, Jr.; Bernard H. and Blanche E. Jacobson; Blanche E. Jacobson; Dorothy M. and Charles N. Jardin; Raleigh and Rita Jimison #2; 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; Dr. Charles and Margaret White Kniseley Memorial; F. B. Lamb; The Norman Shuck Levy Bequest; Della R. P. Lewis General; Loewenstein #1; Loewenstein #3; Lillian M. Mairs; Alfred and Lucy W. McClung; Lillian Walker McGurl; Harry S. and Mary Ellen Moore; Charles Edwin Mottesheard Memorial; Maragaret Ann Moyer; Lillian Ostrin; Katherine Poe; Potesta Family; Nancy Gay Randolph; Leo Leslie Rimmer, Jr.; George and Josephine Rogers; Ann Bond and Thomas R. Stephens Charitable; L. Newton and Katherine S. Thomas General; and Mabel W. Walker.
You must be logged in to post a comment.