Wayne County Community Foundation Announces 2020 Spring Grants

The Wayne County Community Foundation (WCCF) Board of Trustees met in May and approved grant awards for the Spring competitive grant cycle. Eighteen organizations were awarded grants totaling $305,691 from some of the Foundation’s named community and field of interest funds:

Buckeye Authors' Book Fair Committee, Inc. received an $8,500 grant from the Florence L. Rice Community Fund for the expansion of the Buckeye Book Fair and Young Authors Conference, contingent on the program being able to move forward as planned or with a revised plan due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Christian Children's Home of Ohio received an $11,200 grant from the Florence L. Rice Community Fund to support the replacement of HVAC units for their Leadership Center.

City of Rittman/Rittman Recreation Center received a $9,022 grant from the Andrew Berkey Fund to  replace weight room equipment and rubber flooring as part of their Rittman Recreation Center Facility Improvement Program.

Friends of Hospice Wayne County Ohio received a $40,000 grant from an anonymous community fund to upgrade the HVAC units of the former Retzler Hardware building prior to relocating NEST by Friendtique.

Habitat for Humanity in Wayne County received a $10,000 grant from an anonymous community fund to replace the Habitat Restore Box Truck that is used to provide pickup services for large donations.

Heartland Education Community, Inc. received a $2,600 grant from the Pearl M. Braham Children’s Fund to provide a 5-day kids’ summer camp in 2020 and 2021. If the summer camp is unable to be held in 2020, then the grant will be adjusted for the 2021 summer camp.

Norwayne Elementary School received a $5,610 grant from an anonymous community fund to purchase a “Serenade” instrument for the Norwayne Elementary Harmony Park.

OHuddle Inc. received a $4,300 grant from an anonymous community fund to partner with Triway Local Schools to increase accessibility of STEAM opportunities for mentees and underprivileged students by adding to available equipment in the Triway STEAM lab to develop life skills.

Orrville Area Development Foundation, Inc. received a $100,000 grant from the Carl E. Congdon, Jr. and Susanna Congdon McIntyre Memorial Fund for Phase I of the Orr Park Gateway Project, a collaborative effort between the Orrville Area Development Foundation and the City of Orrville, to assist with a new walkway, landscaping, a tribute to the founders, and benches. 

Quota International of Wooster Charitable Foundation received a $15,000 grant from the Andrew Berkey Fund, the Margaret Hauenstein Memorial Fund and the Paul Leckrone Memorial Fund to replace amplification systems used in classrooms in the Rittman Exempted Village Schools.

Salvation Army received a $10,000 grant from an anonymous community fund for the Coats for Kids program to purchase brand new coats, hats and mittens for children from eligible low income families in Wayne County.

Summer Stage Wooster received a $20,000 challenge grant from the Nolan and Elsie Hite Community Fund to help build a Stage Storage Building on the grounds of Wooster High School to provide storage and workspace for the productions of the WHS Drama Club and Summer Stage Wooster. To receive the challenge grant, they must raise the remaining $20,000 needed for the project within one year.

Town & Country Fire District (West Salem) received a $4,500 grant from the WCCF General Fund to purchase exercise equipment for the fire station’s first responders.

Wayne County Agricultural Society received a $25,000 grant from the Edward, Arlene and Kaye Maibach Community Fund, the John G. Taggert Community Fund, and an anonymous community fund for electrical work, landscaping, parking and additional equipment for the Wayne County Fair Event Center.

Wayne County Committee for Crippled Children & Adults, Inc. received a $10,000 grant from the Raymond and Pauline Croskey Memorial Fund to provide equipment for Wayne County residents with mobility concerns.

Wayne County Humane Society received a $15,959 grant from the Beaverson Foundation Community Fund, the WCCF General Fund, and the Tug and Alma Maibach Family Fund to repave their parking lot and driveway.

Wooster/Orrville NAACP Unit 3208 received a $4,000 grant from the Florence L. Rice Community Fund to honor Charles Follis through their three initiatives: 1) to replace the Follis Family Memorial stone at the Wooster Cemetery; 2) to create a Charles Follis Trail detailing his life in Wooster and Shelby; and 3) establish the Charles Follis Scholarship.

Wooster Masonic Foundation Inc. received a $10,000 grant from the Earle and Ann Klosterman Family Community Fund, the Lillian Steiner Community Fund, and an anonymous community fund for exterior masonry restoration and repair of the front steps of the Wooster Masonic Temple building.

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 $82 million in the form of grants and scholarships from its 475 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 will increase the amount available for grants each year. 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.