Community Foundation grants to nonprofits total close to $53,000

Contact: Maryhelen Chadwick ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
For Release:  4/30/2010 

The Community Foundation of Wabash County awarded $52,969 through its Good Deeds competitive grants program. In the first of three grant cycles in 2010, the grants went to 16 nonprofit to fund the following programs in Wabash County: 

Second Harvest Food Bank ($15,000) Tailgate Program – The Second Harvest Food Bank Tailgate provides Wabash County's needy residents with an additional source of food as they struggle daily to make ends meet. During the past 12 months, Second Harvest Food Bank provided 162,308 pounds of fresh produce, dairy and dry food products to the area's low-income residents through 13 stops in Wabash and North Manchester. 

Wabash County Council on Aging (WCCoA) ($5,925) Food Pantry Equipment – The Food Pantry at the Winchester Senior Center will purchase one three-door refrigerator/cooler and two frost-free freezers. The coolers will accommodate fresh produce year-round. The freezers will store meat and bread. The Food Pantry serves all ages of low-income households in Wabash County. WCCoA covers the overhead expenses and the food is provided with funding from donations and grants. Adding this equipment will increase services to needy families.  

American Red Cross ($1,144) Community Education – The American Red Cross provides basic aid training (BAT) to county fourth graders in their schools.  Topics covered include first aid, poisoning, breathing emergencies, fire safety and more. 

Learn More Center (LMC) ($7,500) Math & Science Program –The LMC plans to expand its math and science classes by providing instruction and materials for Pre-GED and GED students. This grant is funded, in part, by the Galley Family Charitable Endowment and the David D. & Jane C. Grandstaff Charitable Endowment. 

Charley Creek Foundation ($3,000) Charley Creek Arts Fest – The third annual Charley Creek Arts Fest June 25-27, 2010 will bring top performers to Wabash and showcase young talent. The festival will include a string double bass concert, Best of the Best Art Show, Fine Art Show, Shakespeare drama performance, pianist concert and vocal concert. Many events are held free of charge. The festival was created to provide both economic and intrinsic rewards to the county. This grant is partially funded by the Beauchamp & McSpadden Charitable Endowment and David D. & Jane C. Grandstaff Charitable Endowment.

Education for Conflict Resolution ($2,500) Peace Learning Connection for MCS — This grant will partially fund the fourth year of this program for the Manchester Community Schools. The Peace Learning Connection includes a day of intensive education in practical skills for fourth graders to learn to respond to "fouls" such as name-calling, blaming, teasing, harassing, etc. in a way that moves from conflict to cooperation, plus three follow-up lessons in the classroom to refresh the learning and extend the practice of the skills. The goal is to train for five consecutive years in order to observe any changes in behavior. The fourth year will include follow-up and review of numbers of fights reported. This grant is funded, in part, by the David D. & Jane C. Grandstaff Charitable Endowment and the North Manchester Fine Arts Club Endowment. 

Wabash Area Community Theater ($2,500) Cinderella – The Wabash Area Community Theater (WACT) offers an opportunity for Wabash County Residents to participate in all areas of producing Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella." Volunteers will work on set design, costumes, producer, marketing, stage manager, props, acting and all other activities involved in a large theater production. This grant is partially funded by the North Manchester Fine Arts Club Endowment. 

Wabash County 4-H Council ($1,000) Technology Upgrade – The Wabash County 4-H Council Inc. will purchase equipment and software to help coordinate the 4-H Auction and maintain year-round financial records. 

WCS-Wabash City Schools (VPA) ($3,000) Summer Youth Theater – Funds will support a three-week summer program for Wabash County students in grades three through 12. The play "Oliver" is chosen because it can use students from the wide age-span. This grant is receiving additional funding from the North Manchester Fine Arts Club Endowment. 

WCS-Wabash City Schools (VPA) ($2,000) Summer Art Classes – Wabash County students in grades three through 11 will have access to summer art classes. Students must submit two drawings for review by a panel of art teachers. A panel will select a limited number of students to attend. The instructors will teach two and three-dimensional art projects based on the theme of Egyptology. Students will study customs, art, hieroglyphics, culture, and Pharaohs.

Roann Paw-Paw Township Public Library ($3,000) Technology Update – The Roann Paw Paw Township Public Library will purchase an updated microfilm reader/copier for researchers who want access to its microfilm collection, which chronicles Roann history back to 1902. This grant is partially funded by the Paul L. Speicher Foundation Good Deeds Endowment. 

Kids First Registered Child Care Ministry ($240) Dining and Food Service – Funds will be used to purchase six high chairs.  

Kids First Registered Child Care Ministry ($870) Staff Education – Kids First staff members will attend 2010 conference in early childhood education that is hosted by the IAEYC (Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children) to fulfill continuing education requirements.  

Manchester Community Child Care (MELC) ($1,288) Outreach Grant 2010 –This grant will help promote awareness of the services available from the only licensed child care facility in Manchester. MELC is a nonprofit child care center that can provide care for up to 55 children between the ages of two months and 12 years from families of all income levels. The curriculum is designed to target all developmental skills. Activities implement art, reading, writing, math, science, and both gross and fine motor skills. This grant is partially funded by the Strauss Family Charitable Endowment. 

MCS-Manchester Jr/Sr High ($990) Rosewater Reading Program – This grant will continue to fund and help expand the Rosewater Reading Program, which is sponsored by the Indiana Library Foundation to encourage reading for pleasure. Through this program, the students of Manchester High School are exposed to a variety of new, quality young adult literature that encourages reading outside of academic requirements. This grant is funded, in part, by the Paul L. Speicher Foundation Good Deeds Endowment, the Strauss Family Charitable Endowment and the A. Blair & Patricia Kennedy Helman Charitable Endowment. 

MSD-Northfield Jr/Sr High ($472) Running With Robotics – Mr. Higgins's CAD II class will use this grant to invest in robotics equipment for the Elementary Enrichment Program. Approximately 20 participants from Metro North and Sharp Creek will learn advanced subjects such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  

Reins & Rainbows ($1,500) Becoming a Non-Profit Agency – This grant will provide funds for fees associated with the completion, submission, and revisions of the IRS application for 501 (3) status. 

Special Olympics of Wabash ($1,000) Special Olympics of Wabash County –The grant is for equipment consisting of a Dell Laptop Computer with projector and carrying case. Equipment will be used by primary clientele (athletes) and mentors attending ALPS University in Indy. It also will be used for promotion and recruitment of the local program, as well as the main data base for athlete information and other communications. This grant is funded, in part, by the A. Blair & Patricia Kennedy Helman Charitable Endowment. 

TenderHearts Daycare Ministry ($539) Rock-A-Bye Baby – This grant will be used to purchase three new rocking chairs.

The next grant application deadline is July 15, 2010. A free Write it Right workshop will be held June 15. Application updates will be discussed. All potential applicants are encouraged to attend. For information about applying for a grant or attending the workshop, call 260-982-4824, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , visit our web site at www.cfwabash.org, or stop by our office at 218 East Main Street, North Manchester.