WCCF Announces 2016 Spring Grants

The Wayne County Community Foundation (WCCF) Board of Trustees met in May and approved grant awards for the Spring competitive grant cycle. Seventeen organizations were awarded grants totaling $135,539 from some of the Foundation’s named community and field of interest funds:

The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank received $5,000 from an anonymous community fund to provide food for the 2016 Wayne County Food Distribution Program.

The Apostolic Christian Home Inc. received a $6,000 2-1 challenge grant from the Andrew Berkey Fund to renovate the 200-wing of the Apostolic Christian Home in Rittman.  

Aultman Orrville Hospital received $16,500 from the Carl E. Congdon, Jr. and Susanna Congdon McIntyre Memorial Fund to acquire a NeoNatal Transport Monitor, to assist high-risk and critically ill babies, and a Hospital Grade Breast Pump with cart, for Amish mothers to use for their infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Green Elementary School (Green Local Schools) received $5,000 from the John Kaylor Memorial Fund to purchase a permanent wall mural that would run the length of the entry hallway to enhance the entrance of the elementary building, as part of their building beautification project.

Heartland Education Community, Inc. received $6,639 from the Carl E. Congdon, Jr. and Susanna Congdon McIntyre Memorial Fund for three summer camps in 2016.

Invent Now Inc. received $10,000 from the Florence L. Rice Community Fund and the General Fund for their Camp Invention-Wayne County program, a week-long summer program for youth, in grades 1-6.  

The Kidron Community Historical Society received $5,000 from the Margaret Hauenstein Memorial Fund and the Marjorie B. Newland Memorial Fund to install lights in the parking lots adjacent to the Sonnenberg Village Welcoming Center and to run electricity to the neighboring village blacksmith shop.

Meals on Wheels of Stark & Wayne Counties received $5,000 from the General Fund to support “Feeding Wayne County Seniors” to underwrite meal costs for Wayne County individuals, who are unable to pay the requested donation amount.

The Norwayne Athletic Boosters received $2,500 from the Edward, Arlene and Kaye Maibach Community Fund to construct a Norwayne Training Building, an indoor training area for their athletes and students.

O’Huddle in partnership with OneEighty received a $7,500 challenge grant from the General Fund to continue mentoring services to area youth through the Summer and Fall of 2016.

OneEighty, Inc. received $4,800 from the Nolan and Elsie Hite Community Fund to provide a new and updated website for all of their newly consolidated agencies and programs.

The Orrville Public Library received $7,500 from the Carl E. Congdon, Jr. and Susanna Congdon McIntyre Memorial Fund to purchase an additional 15 “Hotspot” mobile devices to loan out to patrons.

The Rittman Recreation Center/City of Rittman received $18,600 from the Andrew Berkey Fund and the John G. Taggert Community Fund to purchase LED pool lighting equipment to upgrade current lighting in the pool area.  

Trinity United Church of Christ received $9,000 from the General Fund and an anonymous community fund to upgrade electrical and plumbing systems to become more energy efficient, reduce operating costs, and provide a safe meeting place for the Wooster community, including their Breakfast program.

The Triway Local School District received $15,000 from an anonymous community fund for the purchase of 6 new sousaphones and a new Yamaha piano, as part of their campaign to provide new instruments for the Band and a new piano for the Choir.

Wayne College-University of Akron received $6,900 from the John Kaylor Memorial Fund to provide fitness equipment for the Wayne College Exercise Science Technology program and their fitness room.

Wee Care Center, Inc. received $4,600 from an anonymous community fund for a dishwasher and freezer.

The WCCF is a not-for-profit charitable community organization established in 1978 to accept contributions, create and administer funds, and make grants for the benefit of the people of the greater Wayne County area. Since 1978, the Foundation has awarded more than $62 million in the form of grants and scholarships from its 390 separate funds.

Its Community and Field-of-Interest funds permit the WCCF Board of Trustees to be responsive to the changing needs of the community. Donations to these funds by individuals, families, businesses and service organizations allow for greater future grant opportunities. Contact Sara Patton, WCCF Executive Director, for more information.

Competitive grant applications from nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable organizations should be submitted by March 1 and September 1 each year. The grant guidelines and online application are available on their website, www.waynecountycommunityfoundation.org.