‘Favorite day:’ Nonprofits get $84K in Community Grants
Nonprofits get $84K in Community Grants
Photos by Michelle Dillon Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley Resource Development Associate Ammie Rasmussen (left) smiles as she receives a check for grant funds from Marietta Welfare League Vice President Cathy Rees (center) and President Susie Warman (left) to buy building supplies to build homes in Beverly during a grant reception on Tuesday.
The Rev. Patricia Vargas (center), a pastor at United Church Homes’ Harmar Place Community, shows off residents’ artwork while Marietta Welfare League Vice President Cathy Rees (left) and President Susie Warman (right) look on during a grant reception on Tuesday. The Harmar Place Community was awarded a grant to help with its Opening Minds Through Art program which is for residents with dementia.
Photos by Michelle Dillon Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley Resource Development Associate Ammie Rasmussen (left) smiles as she receives a check for grant funds from Marietta Welfare League Vice President Cathy Rees (center) and President Susie Warman (left) to buy building supplies to build homes in Beverly during a grant reception on Tuesday.
The Rev. Patricia Vargas (center), a pastor at United Church Homes’ Harmar Place Community, shows off residents’ artwork while Marietta Welfare League Vice President Cathy Rees (left) and President Susie Warman (right) look on during a grant reception on Tuesday. The Harmar Place Community was awarded a grant to help with its Opening Minds Through Art program which is for residents with dementia.
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The Marietta Welfare League awarded $83,854.09 to 30 nonprofits on Tuesday as part of its Community Grants Program.
"This -- I think I can speak for the entire Marietta Welfare League -- is our very favorite day, the day that we get to award money out into the community to help our community whether it be children's services or pets or food insecurity, also just community support," Marietta Welfare League President Susie Warman said of the grant reception. "We so appreciate everything everyone in this room does and we are so happy that we are able to support you back with our community grants program."
According to the organization's website, any nonprofit that directly benefits Washington County can apply for a community grant. Grant funds are project-based and cannot be used for salaries or general operating expenses.
The community grant program gets most of its money from the League Shop that the Marietta Welfare League runs at Marietta Memorial Hospital, according to Warman.
Marietta Welfare League Vice President Cathey Rees Vice handed out the grant checks to organizations with a variety of programs Tuesday.
One group that received grant funds at the reception was Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley. Resource Development Associate Ammie Rasmussen accepted the grant check for the organization.
Warman said the grant funds awarded to Habitat will be used to buy supplies to build homes on Center Street in the Village of Beverly.
Rasmussen said they are currently building their 116th home in the Mid-Ohio Valley and that is is one of three homes they are building in Beverly.
Habitat is taking applications for anyone who wants to apply for one of the Beverly homes, she said.
Another group that received grant funds is United Church Homes' Harmar Place Community.
The Rev. Patricia Vargas accepted the funds.
Warman said the grant money will be used for the Opening Minds Through Art program. The program is for residents with dementia and pairs them with employees and trained volunteers on art projects. The program encourages participants to rely on their imagination instead of their memory and to focus on their remaining strengths, Warman said.
"We work with residents who have Alzheimers, and they do abstract (art)," Vargas said about the program.
She thanked the Marietta Welfare League for the money.
Matamoras Emergency Squad received grant funds as well. Jared Farnsworth, a continuing education instructor and EMT at Matamoras EMS, accepted the grant funds.
Farnsworth said the grant funds will be used by Matamoras EMS to purchase a baby mannequin to be used as a training tool for emergency medical services.
"This is going to be great for us to make perfect practice for when a pediatric emergency does come," Farnsworth said.
Other organizations that received grants at the reception were the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 389, American Red Cross of the Ohio River Valley, Artsbridge Inc., Belpre Area Ministries, Boys and Girls Club of Washington County, Caring Connection, Chuck Wagon Backpack Program, Community Food Initiatives, Daily Bread Kitchen, For Goodness Snakes 8 Rescue and Rehab Center, Friends of the Sternwheel, GoPacks, Greater Marietta Community Food Pantry, Harvest of Hope, Hervida 4-H Camp, Humane Society of the Ohio Valley, Marietta Community Foundation, O'Neill Senior Center, Perfect Purpose Inc., Pioneer Pilots, The Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley, The Gospel Mission, The Right Path, Wasco Inc., Washington State Community College and Zonta Club of the Mid-Ohio Valley.
Warman said the current grant cycle is open until Feb. 15. To learn more about the Community Grants Program at the Marietta Welfare League visit https://www.mariettawelfareleague.org/community-grants.
The Marietta Welfare League has plans to give out even more grant funds in the future.
"Our goal with our 100th anniversary in 2026 will be to donate $100,000 to the community," Warman said.
Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com