Foundation News

Southeast Ohio Women in Networking (WIN) has donated $8,000 to the Women's Fund of the Athens Foundation.

The purpose of this fund is to promote philanthropy among women, and to establish a permanent fund which will provide support to programs and projects in Athens County  that empower low income women to achieve their full potential.

Mary Anne McClure, past president of the WIN, said that the board of WIN chose to give to the Women's Fund to further WIN's work to create an open, supportive environment that values women and celebrates their achievements. Women in Networking disbanded this year.

The Women's Fund makes a grant each fall to support women in Athens County. In the past few years they have funded projects at My Sister's Place, ATCO, Big Brother Big Sisters and Glouster Girl Power. this year's grant will go to The Birth Circle for their work with teens and their families in Athens County.

Funding totaling $15,000 has been awarded by the Athens Foundation, the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville and the Sisters of St. Joseph Charitable Fund to support a one year food and nutrition planning process at Federal Hocking School District. The school district will investigate current food operations and nutrition curriculum and identify actionable opportunities to improve operations relative to the cafeteria, curriculum, and community resources.

The school will also look at promising practices from across the state and country. In addition, the Sugar Bush Foundation will support programmatic implementation to advance the District's approach to food.

The project will result in a comprehensive report on food in the district, proposals for specific actions (at least 5-7) that the district can take to improve the approach to food and a listing of resources available to implement of the action items.

Rural Action has established a $57,000 organizational endowment with the Athens Foundation. The purpose of the fund is to support the ongoing programs of Rural Action.

Rural Action's work is intensely rooted in a sense of place, building on the natural capital, culture and heritage of the region. It focuses on the unique strengths of the area: incredible biodiversity, area residents deeply committed to their communities and a rich cultural heritage.

Rural Action builds model sustainable development projects and encourages a broad civic conversation around Appalachian Ohio's assets in order to create sustainable development paths for the region.

CEO Michelle Decker says that they wanted to move this portion of their endowment to the Athens Foundation since their headquarters are in Athens County. She says that Rural Action's programs address and build upon the various forms of capital; environmental, economic and community necessary for sustainable communities.

Rural Action is a regional, multi-issue community development organization committed to the preservation of Appalachia Ohio for future generations.

John Kotowski President of Rural Action, and Susan Urano Executive Director of AF

The following grants have been awarded for fall 2012:

The Plains Lions Club

$1,868 for Plains Shelter House Floor Covering

The Birth Circle

$3938 to reach out to pregnant teens, mothers, fathers, expectant families in SE Ohio

John S. Townsend Camp

$3,000 to cast a bronze plaque to commemorate Milton Holland, the only Civil War soldier of Athens to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor

Friends of the Shelter Dogs

$4438 to ensure that all dogs adopted from the shelter are spayed/neutered, thereby slowing the influx of unwanted dogs into the shelter.

Athens County Habitat for Humanity

$2438 to purchase mobile vehicle workshop that allows Habitat to safely and securely transfer pickups from ReUse and building sites along with tools and building materials.

Shade Community Center Association

$4750 to build a playground to provide children from low-income rural families ages 2-12 years a place to play

SE Ohio Sight Center

$2188 to provide electronic magnification to a visually impaired consumer in Athens County

Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center

$6238  to purchase health directed learning materials and equipment .The items would support the Physical and Well-Being Development Standards and allow children of all physical and developmental abilities the benefit of participation

Athens County Board of DD- Beacon School

$3000 To provide Beacon School students with options for physical and recreational activity that will help facilitate a healthy, happy lifestyle.

Atco. Inc

$2500 to create new jobs for disabled individuals in the textile manufacturing area

Health Recovery Services, Inc.

$2857  to support the

Teen Institute program which consists of regular school-based meetings and community prevention events organized and attended by Teen Institute students under the guidance of trained prevention staff.

Last Chance Corral

$2969 to supply 150 orphaned foals from throughout the country, with milk for while they are in the care of our equine neonatal unit

Tomcat Bridgebuilders

$2625 to repair the Glouster Clock, a community fixture located at the train depot, so that it keeps time, is resistant to future weathering and continues to be a symbol of the community.

Appalachia Community Visiting Nurse Assoc.Hospice& Health Services

$2000 to supply patients and staff much needed assistance with new training videos, a new sound system and the community with grief support booklets.