2019-2020 Impact Grants

Investing in our Children (Education)

A total of ten agencies will receive funding in the education category, totaling $90,427.

Funding Priorities

1. Children have access to basic needs 
2. Preschool aged children have access to affordable, high quality, early learning programs that prepare them for kindergarten
3. Students have access to high quality, enriching out of school programs where students have support and encouragement for educational success from engaged parents/advocates and mentors.
4. Junior high and high school students have access to age-appropriate college and career preparation and graduate equipped with skills for success.

Organization

Grant Amount

Purpose

Priority Needs Addressed:

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Harrisonburg & Rockingham

$4,000

To support the expansion of Big Brothers/Big Sisters' school-based mentoring program into Shenandoah County with the goal of matching up to 25 children with volunteer mentors who live or work in Shenandoah County.

3 & 4

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northwest Virginia

$1,800

To support the 2019 Igniting Potential Campaign which strives to increase the number of youth served by 25, focusing on reducing the number of boys who have been waiting for a Big Brother for six months or more.

3 & 4

Clarke County Education Foundation

$5,500

To fund 10 months of service for CCEF's existing Kajeet SmartSpot® devices which allow students to connect to the internet from any of the nation's five leading cellular networks when they do not have access to an internet signal at their home.

4

Community Care & Learning Center

$14,000

To provide high-quality care and enriching activities for 28-30 children ages 2 1/2 to 12 in Shenandoah and Page counties with priority enrollment given to working parents who have struggled to find dependable, safe child care. The center will initially offer care from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the goal of adding 2^nd shift care (until midnight) down the line. Tuition subsidies will be available to reduce the cost for families with documented need (i.e. free/reduced lunch, Medicaid, WIC) and/or more than one child in the program.

1

Fremont Street Nursery

$18,000

Funds five enrichment programs in order to provide high-quality childcare to low-income and single-parents, new caregivers, and at-risk youths. Funded programs include: physical fitness, gardening, summer enrichment activities, music therapy, and early learning assessment.

2

Healthy Families Northern Shenandoah Valley

$12,187

To support the Car Seat Safety Project and Cribs for Kids Service Project which distributes 30 infant car seats and 50 safe sleep survival “kits” annually to families in need in the community through partnerships with the Department of Social Services and the Lord Fairfax Health Department. Also to implement a monthly Parenting Education Class for 50+ parents of children age 0-5 years in Frederick and Clarke counties, and the city of Winchester through a partnership with the Department of Social Services, Virginia Department of Health, and the local school systems.

1

Reading Road Show – Gus Bus

$4,000

To provide structured learning activities, shelf-stable food bags, and book checkout services to the children and families of Page and Shenandoah counties. The Gus Bus will visit the towns of Stanley, Luray, and New Market once a week for one hour at each location.

3

Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum

$7,440

To support scholarships for a summer camp program for up to 50 children in partnership with the NAACP.

3

Winchester Day Preschool

$18,500

To provide scholarships to families who could not afford a quality preschool education.

2

Promote financial stability and independence/Supporting Our Most Vulnerable Neighbors (Income/Financial Stability)

A total of seventeen agencies will receive funding in the income category, totaling $267,133.

Funding Priorities:

Promote financial stability and independence (Income/Financial Stability):

1. Families in our community are self-sufficient and move from financial instability to financial stability.
2. Low or no income individuals acquire the skills necessary to secure and retain self and/or family-sustaining employment
3. Vulnerable seniors are able to access services that improve their quality of life and maintain independence.

Support our most vulnerable neighbors (Basic Needs):

4. Help people in crisis meet their basic needs and become self-sufficient.

Organization

Grant Amount

Purpose

Priority Needs Addressed:

A Farm Less Ordinary

$29,800

To fund the delivery and distribution of more than 3,500 lbs. of fresh, organically grown produce to families in need in Clarke County.

4

Adult Care Center

$5,000

To implement a dementia-specific information and referral arm of the Adult Care Center that will help families access resources they currently need or may potentially need down the road as they care for a loved one with dementia, such as bi-weekly support groups, sharing sessions, and financial planning.

1

Blue Ridge Habitat for Humanity

$37,500

To support the critical home repair program in Winchester, Frederick County, and Clarke County. The program is open to homeowners living at or below 60% area median income, with priority towards aging adults who have mobility and accessibility issues, to help keep homeowners in their homes.

4

Blue Ridge Housing Network

$5,000

Support clients with funding for security deposits and/or first month’s rent to help homeless families secure housing as well as providing financial assistance to cover rent or utility bills during a temporary financial crisis.

1 & 4

Blue Ridge Legal Services

$20,000

Provide free legal assistance to low-income residents of NSV.

1 & 3

CHOICES

$9,000

To assist victims of domestic violence to become financially stable. This includes assisting with childcare expenses to help women find and maintain employment, helping with car repairs or registration fees, and providing clothing and food to women and children fleeing domestic violence.

1

Faithworks

$5,000

To supplement the emergency financial assistance program (Pay it Forward) available to families experiencing temporary crisis. Funds will support ALICE families in paying rent/mortgage, utilities, or utility payments when an unexpected emergency occurs.

4

Family Promise of Shenandoah County

$9,000

To provide support services to homeless families in crisis towards financial stability including child care assistance, required document assistance, and rental assistance.

4

Highland Food Pantry, Inc.

$7,500

To fund the Special Delivery Project, which reduces food insecurity among senior citizens by providing bags of nutritious food to identified persons-at-risk each month.

4

Horizon Goodwill

$5,000

To support and expand the Get Onboard! Job Readiness Program through the purchase of a license to the NorthStar Digital Literacy Platform, which would allow those in the course to participate in assessments and training to further their digital literacy, as well as complete Microsoft Office certifications at no cost to them. 

1 & 2

Literacy Volunteers Winchester Area

$20,974

To expand computer classes via increased support to instructors and the purchase of three desktop computers for student use; as well as to support citizenship/naturalization test preparation courses; and to continue working with Winchester Rescue Mission clients on resume development, interview skills, and case management.

1 & 2

Page One of Page Co.

$14,500

To assist low income families of Page County with emergency financial needs, such as fuel and electricity.

4

Shenandoah Alliance for Shelter

$14,000

To support the management of Centralized Housing Intake (CHI) and help establish a coordinated entry process in order to respond more quickly and effectively to the calls received.

1

Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging

$11,500

To provide the local cash match for one of the four vans applied for in the FY 19/20 Department of Rail and Public Transportation Van Replacement Grant.  This van is needed to replace a 2004 van with 139,590 miles on it.

3

The Laurel Center

$24,359

To support the 24/7 emergency shelter as it feeds, clothes, and houses its residents along with providing protection, and services and resources that enable women and their children to recover from violence

4

The Salvation Army

$38,000

To support the food costs to serve 3 meals a day to residents and the community, as well as to fund utility assistance for low-income families, and to fund bus tickets to provide residents with the transportation necessary to become more self-sufficient.

1 & 4

Winchester Area Temp Thermal Shelter

$11,000

To provide safe, reliable bus transportation of homeless guests to temporary shelter locations in the mornings and evenings for at least 13 weeks, going between Winchester’s downtown and 13 locations operated by partnering host organizations in Winchester, and Frederick and Clarke counties.

4

Building Healthier Communities (Health)

A total of ten agencies will receive funding in the health category, totaling $163,440.

Funding Priorities

1. Families and individuals are able to access quality and affordable health care which includes: physical, dental, mental health, and wellness.
2. Children and Youth have access to emergency and ongoing mental health and counseling services. 
3. Aggressively address the substance abuse crisis in our community.
4. Prevent and respond to domestic violence.

Organization

Grant Amount

Purpose

Priority Needs Addressed:

Child Safe Center CAC

$24,000

To provide child abuse assessments, trauma screenings, and mental health treatment services for abuse victims and their non-offending caretakers at both the Winchester and Shenandoah County locations.

1, 2 & 4

Dental Clinic of NSV

$7,000

To provide dental services to individuals without insurance or that cannot pay for services and to provide dental screenings during the Healthy Living Events in exchange for a healthy food voucher.

1

Faith In Action

$6,000

To provide non-emergency medical transportation to residents living in the City of Winchester and Clarke, Frederick and Shenandoah counties.

1

Healthy Families Shenandoah and Page County

$13,000

To provide free in-home health and wellness screenings and education to families who are ALICE or in poverty and lack the transportation needed for medical and prevention services.

1 & 2

LFCC Education Foundation

$4,500

To provide mental health evaluation and therapy/counseling services to students in need to prevent situations that escalate a crisis.

1

Northern Shenandoah Valley Substance Abuse Coalition

$20,000

Provides funding to continue the Peer Support Specialist Program which provides assistance and support to those suffering with addiction.

3

PACA

$12,940

To assist with the costs of random drug screenings for student athletes and drivers at the two Page County high schools in order to deter youth in Page County from using substances.

3

Shenandoah Dental Clinic

$22,000

To provide one day of dental care monthly to uninsured children and adults with incomes below the ALICE threshold.

1

Shenandoah Free Clinic

$30,000

To provide 20 hours per week of counseling services for students in Shenandoah County Schools by a professional counselor.

1 & 2

Sinclair Health Clinic

$24,000

To enhance services for diabetes care by implementing a comprehensive Diabetes Care Clinic within the clinic to offer diabetes management services and access to the tools needed for monitoring and self-care.

1