Youngstown Foundation Awards More than $910,000 in Third-Quarter Grants - Vindicator


The Youngstown Foundation awarded more than $910,000 in third-quarter grants to 33 organizations.

That includes $646,171 by the distribution committee from its unrestricted fund, the Hine Memorial Fund, Mahoning Valley Sports Charities, donor advised and restricted funds.

Additionally, nearly $264,000 was awarded through the support fund, a program which provides approved local charities the opportunity to receive an additional 5 percent grant for contributions received for their organization, said Janice Strasfeld, foundation executive director.

The single largest grant, $232,786, went to the Potential Development Program for costs associated with housing its Operation Search and Help Program. The grant is restricted for the medical needs of children with special needs in Mahoning County and Liberty, Girard and Hubbard in Trumbull County.

Of the 33 grants awarded, four area organizations committed to serving children with diagnosed disabilities received funds from the Hine Memorial Fund. They are: SMARTS, $27,440, to support the Beats Drum program; The Paula & Anthony Rich Center for Autism, $18,000, to update the sensory room; Eastern Gateway Community College, $5,500, to install two exterior automatic door openers, and Potential Development, $232,786.

Youngstown Foundation unrestricted fund grants are: ACTION, $5,000, to support its Integrated Voter Engagement Program; Big Brothers/Big Sisters, $7,500, to support its site-based Mentoring Program, and $28,000, toward implementation of the Year of the Teen programing; Catholic Charities, $10,000, to help purchase desk cubicles; Easter Seals, $60,190, for its new LED lighting project; Heart Reach Ministries, $33,255, to replace the boiler system; Hope House Visitation Center, $30,000, to support its Healthy Child Development/Parent Access Program; Turning Point Counseling, $20,000, for building renovations; Youngstown Area Goodwill, $15,000, toward costs for upgrading its security and safety systems; Youngstown Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program, $20,000, for after-school programming and academics at Youngstown City Schools’ Martin Luther King Elementary School; Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., $11,000 for equipment for the REVITALIZE Program Sustainability Project; Youngstown State University, $20,000 to support implementation of the university’s Academic Encouragers Program, and the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber Foundation, $10,000, for the Jobs Now Workforce Development.

The donor-advised fund awarded a total of $85,000 to the following organizations: Beatitude House, Rescue Mission of Mahoning County, the YMCA’s Camp Fitch, Pregnancy Help Center, Inspiring Minds, Protestant Family Services, YSU Encouragers, Mercy Health Foundation Mobile Health Clinic, Potential Development, Teen Challenge, Veterans Resource Center, Brody’s Bunch and Operation Christmas Child.

Mahoning Valley Sports Charities awarded $7,500 to Trumbull Mobile Meals.

For information on creating a charitable fund, donating to existing funds, grant application guidelines, applying for a grant, or the Support Fund charities, visit www.youngstownfoundation.org or call 330-744-0320.

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