Focusing for the second year in a row on children, youth and families, The Community Foundation for Newton County has awarded $31,650 in grant funding to 14 local non-profit organizations.
The grant recipients were presented with their checks on Jan. 10 at The Center for Community Preservation and Planning.
According to Tamara Richardson, executive director of the Community Foundation for Newton County, the foundation received a total of 24 applications in 2007 requesting a total of $100,000 in funding.
Last year the foundation awarded $33,000 to 13 non-profits.
Though the $31,650 awarded fell slightly below the amount given out last year, Richardson said she was still very pleased with this year's results.
"It was still our second highest year of grant giving," Richardson said.
Richardson said that all of the grant applications the foundation received this year were for worthy causes.
"The need [in the community] is so great," Richardson said adding that the committee which awarded the grants focused on meeting the most critical needs in the community.
Under the priority area of 'children, youth and families' grant applications could fall under five categories. They are arts and culture, health, community development, education and youth development and human services.
Richardson said grants were awarded in all five program areas. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $4,000.
This is the eighth year the foundation has awarded grants. In its eight-year history the foundation has awarded more than $197,000 in grants to 47 local non-profits.
Any 501(c)3 organization which serves the Newton County community is eligible to apply. Applications for 2008 will be accepted this fall.
This year's non-profit recipients and the uses that they will put the grant money towards are as follows.
AID Gwinnett - to provide medical transportation for clients living in Newton County to travel to the AID Gwinnett office in Duluth.
The Arts Association in Newton County - to provide ballet scholarships, lessons and tickets to minority and at-risk children in the community.
Covington Family YMCA - to provide scholarships for after-school care for at-risk children in Newton County elementary schools.
FaithWorks - to provide operational funding for utility and phone expenses.
Keep Covington/Newton Beautiful - to provide wheeled recycling bins for Newton County schools.
The Learning Center - to provide operational funding.
Newton County Special Olympics - to provide necessary training and safety equipment for all athletes and to provide for the Master's Program for mentally handicapped adults.
Prevent Child Abuse Newton - to help implement additional nurturing parenting programs for fathers and teen parents.
Project ReNeWal Domestic Violence Intervention Program - to provide school-age children with the necessary information to identify, prevent, and deal with family violence.
Repairers of the Breach - to provide low income and homeless residents with assistance.
Southern Heartland Arts- to provide for 10 underserved children to attend a summer art camp.
Washington Street Community Center - to purchase CRCT textbooks and workbooks to assist at-risk students at the center.
Willing Helpers Medical - to assist with operational expenses and equipment purchase.
The money for the grants is raised locally from citizens as well as board members. The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta also provides a $10,000 match each year.
