Sisters Health Foundation awards grants to nonprofits

May 20, 2023

(Photo Illustration/MetroCreative)

PARKERSBURG — Forty-eight nonprofit organizations in the Mid-Ohio Valley were awarded grants by the Sisters Health Foundation.

The funding supports the foundation's vision of "healthy people in healthy communities." The Board of Directors approved a total of $635,955 in funding for the grants cycle.

"Life continues to be challenging for many residents of the Mid-Ohio Valley and we are grateful to so many organizations that respond to needs," Senior Program Officer Sr. Molly Bauer said.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 passed by Congress ended emergency allotments after February, Bauer said. As of March, all S.N.A.P. households’ benefits returned to normal amounts without the added supplement she said.

"This creates challenges for families as food costs continue to increase. Many food pantries report an increase in those requesting assistance," Bauer said. "This cycle, nine Basic Needs/Direct Service grants and eight Responsive grants provide food assistance and have nutrition and healthy eating components."

Sixteen organizations providing direct services, such as food and emergency assistance, received $50,900 from the Basic Needs/Direct Service Grants Program.

They are:

* Beechwood Presbyterian Church, Parkersburg, $2,500 for fresh food for its emergency assistance program.

* Bethel Baptist Church, Given, $2,000 to support the purchase of fresh produce and meat as well as a new refrigerator for its pantry.

* Caring Connection, Marietta, $4,500 for emergency assistance for utilities, housing, and prescriptions.

* Crossroads United Methodist Church, Waverly, $3,500 to purchase food for Williamstown Elementary weekend Bee Bags.

* First Baptist Church of Parkersburg, Parkersburg, $1,100 to purchase clothing racks, undergarments, and socks for its men's clothing closet.

* First Lutheran Church, Parkersburg, $4,500 for fresh food and hygiene items for the pantry and bus tickets for walk-in clients needing transportation home.

* Logan Memorial United Methodist Church, Parkersburg, $2,500 to purchase food for hot meals and other food items for people experiencing homelessness, poverty, and/or substance use disorder.

* Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio, Worthington, $4,000 for non-perishable food and fresh produce to support its mobile food pantries in Athens and Meigs Counties.

* Ohio University Office of the Dean of Students, Athens, $3,000 to provide emergency microgrants to Ohio University students who are having difficulty meeting its basic needs.

* Ohio University Diabetes Institute, Athens, $3,300 to cover housing costs for campers and its families from the Mid-Ohio Valley who attend a diabetes camp.

* Parkersburg Urban Ministries, Parkersburg, $5,000 to assist Wood County residents with utility payments.

* Pay It Forward Committee, Friendly, $3,000 to purchase single-serving size, staple food items for Pleasants County elementary and middle school students’ weekend food packs.

* St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, Elizabeth, $2,000 to prevent utility shut offs and assist with vehicle repair needed to obtain or retain employment or to access medical care.

* The Wirt County Missional Group, Elizabeth, $5,000 for food and supplies for its pantry.

* Welcome Home SIS, Byesville, $2,500 for food, clothing, hygiene, and garden items.

* Westbrook Health Services, Parkersburg, $2,500 to purchase hygiene and household items to stock the Paper Plus Pantry.

* Thirty-two organizations received support totaling $585,055 for its efforts addressing the health needs of its communities in the priority areas of Healthy Eating, Active Living, Thriving Neighborhoods, and Mental Health and Addiction.

Healthy Eating, Active Living Priority Area

* Amputee Center, Parkersburg, $18,000 for operating support for programming and classes for amputees and community members and training by a physical therapist liaison.

* City of Spencer, Spencer, $5,000 to improve the Bens Run hiking trail.

* Community Food Initiatives, Athens, $75,000 for multi-year flexible operating support to help foster equitable access to healthy local food in Athens and surrounding communities.

* Henry J. Kaiser Elementary PTO, Ravenswood, $5,000 to support the purchase of outdoor music making equipment for a creative, accessible outdoor playground experience for elementary students.

* Jackson County Commission on Aging, Ripley, $5,000 to provide operating support for its pool.

* Memorial Health System (Sistersville General Hospital), Sistersville, $15,000 to support the purchase of produce, delivery, and oversight for the FARMacy program for Tyler and Pleasants County residents.

* Ohio State University Extension of Washington County, Marietta, $5,000 to support the purchase of food and materials for school-based farmers’ markets for Washington County fourth graders.

* Pleasants County Parks and Recreation, St. Marys, $20,000 to support the construction of an outdoor health complex at Pleasants County Park.

* Rio Grande Community College, Pomeroy, $4,000 to purchase items for a community garden for students.

* Roane County Commission, Spencer, $15,000 to purchase and install a mid-size commercial play structure at Camp Sheppard, Roane County's 4-H Camp.

* Rural Action, The Plains, $17,000 to support the transition of the Live Healthy Kids Program (LHK), from Live Healthy Appalachia.

* The Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley, Parkersburg, $5,000 for operating support for the People First CafÈ, where people with different abilities gain employment and vocational skills.

* Washington-Morgan Community Action, Marietta, $5,000 to support its summer program which provides hot nutritious lunches to children in New Matamoras, Beverly, Lower Salem and Lowell.

* Wirt County Committee on Aging, Elizabeth, $5,000 to upgrade old exercise equipment in the fitness room of the Wirt County Senior Center.

* WVU Parkersburg, Parkersburg, $20,000 to support the purchase of a greenhouse for its agriculture program.

Thriving Neighborhoods Priority Area

* Boys and Girls Club of Pleasants County, St. Mary's, $15,000 for supplies for an Outdoor Learning Center for club member youth and community members located within Pleasants County Park.

* Camden Clark Medical Foundation, Parkersburg, $15,000 to support the purchase of mechanical compression CPR devices.

* MOV Regional Council, Parkersburg, $4,000 to support transportation for seniors to medical appointments and grocery stores enabling them to maintain its independence in its own homes.

* O’Neill Senior Center, Marietta, $15,000 to support the purchase of an economic vehicle for medical transportation services for seniors.

* Pleasants County Emergency Ambulance Authority, St. Marys, $15,000 to assist in purchasing a Power-Pro Lift Cot.

* Southeastern Ohio Legal Services, Columbus, $37,520 for high-quality, free legal information, advice, and representation at on-site eviction prevention clinics in Athens and Washington Counties.

* Tyler County Family Resource Network, Middlebourne, $5,000 to purchase eye screening equipment that will check children's vision health.

* Wood County Technical Center, Parkersburg, $28,035 for the purchase of one full Juno patient simulator for its nursing program.

* WVU Extension – Wood County/Energy Express, Parkersburg, $4,000 to support the purchase of meals for volunteers and children's books focusing on diversity and inclusivity.

Mental Health and Addiction Priority Area

* Calhoun County Schools, Mt. Zion, $20,000 for tobacco prevention classes and trauma-informed, suicide prevention learning opportunities for the school and surrounding community.

* Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Mid-Ohio Valley, Parkersburg, $5,000 to support its financial literacy program helping people in recovery.

* Field of Hope, Vinton, $25,000 to provide mental health and trauma counseling for people recovering from substance use disorder and first responders in Meigs County.

* Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center, Grantsville, $40,000 to support a case management position for mental health services in Calhoun County.

* North Star Child Advocacy Center, Parkersburg, $70,000 for multi-year flexible operating support to help provide services to children who experience abuse.

* SW Resources, Parkersburg, $35,000 to support a training and employment program for people in recovery.

* Washington County Homeless Project, Marietta, $18,000 for operating support for the drop-in center to expand summer hours.

* Women for Recovery, Athens, $4,500 to support women residents in a sober living environment with healthy eating habits and a sense of community.

* Wood County Board of Education, Parkersburg, $10,000 to support the implementation of the Project TRAIN program to teachers at four middle and elementary schools in Wood County. In partnership with WVU Extension, this program addresses reducing stigma among families struggling with substance use disorder.

For the upcoming grant cycle, the due date for requests under the priority areas of mental health and addiction, thriving neighborhoods, and healthy eating, active living is by midnight of July 19, 2023. There is a new process for those interested in applying to the Basic Needs/Direct Service Grants Program. Nonprofits inquiring to submit a basic needs grant application are encouraged to contact Associate Director Marian Clowes at [email protected] or 304-424-6080 to begin the process. Letters of inquiry for the Responsive Grants Program may be submitted online at www.sistershealthfdn.org without scheduling a prior phone conversation.

The foundation serves 11 counties in the Mid-Ohio Valley in West Virginia and southeast Ohio: Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wirt, and Wood counties in West Virginia, Athens, Meigs, and Washington counties in Ohio. For more information on our grantmaking and eligibility requirements, visit our website www.sistershealthfdn.org.

The Sisters Health Foundation promotes healthy and sustainable communities by providing resources, strengthening collaborative relationships and supporting initiatives that impact people in the Mid-Ohio Valley. Since 1996, the Sisters Health Foundation has awarded over $22 million in grants.

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