WCCF Announces 2024 Grant Awards from Wayne County Children's Resource Fund

The Wayne County Children’s Resource Fund was established in 2018 by Cheryl and Steve Shapiro to help remove barriers which may impede children's ability to lead meaningful and productive lives. These barriers may include poverty, drug use, bullying, discrimination, learning disabilities, low self-confidence, or a challenging home life.

The Wayne County Community Foundation (WCCF) is pleased to announce the Wayne County Children’s Resource Fund’s grant awards totaling $20,000. Based on the evaluations and recommendations from the Fund’s Advisory Committee, the WCCF Board of Trustees approved the following grant awards:

Catholic Charities received a $4,000 grant for the new Rise Above Prevention Program for at-risk youth in Wayne County which will focus on teaching the essential skills of self-control and anger management, the importance of positive role models and peers, how to recognize and resist anti-social influences, and finding hope and motivation for the future.

Orrville Area United Way received a $4,000 grant for Percy’s Weekend Backpack Program which prepares weekend food to go home with children from Dalton & Orrville Schools who experience food insecurtity at home.

People To People received a $6,000 grant for the People to People Christmas Project to provide gift cards to teens.

Wayne Center for the Arts received a $6,000 grant for a collaboration with Liberty Prepatory School to provide twice weekly artistic programming for at-risk students for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The Wayne County Children’s Resource Fund grant guidelines and online application are available at www.waynecountycommunityfoundation.org. Competitive grant applications from nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable organizations that help to remove barriers for Wayne County children should be submitted by September 1 each year.

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 $115 million in the form of grants and scholarships from its 560 separate funds. Donations to provide greater future grant opportunities can be made to the Wayne County Children’s Resource Fund, a component fund of WCCF, by individuals, families, businesses and service organizations. Contact Melanie Reusser Garcia, WCCF Executive Director, for more information.