At its recent meeting, the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation voted to award grants, totaling $62,000, to sixteen (16) community-based organizations serving Glynn, Camden and McIntosh counties. The 2016 competitive grant cycle focused on programs serving at-risk youth and their families.
In addition to donor-advised and field of interest grant-making throughout the year, the Community Foundation annually conducts a competitive grants cycle which targets specific areas of need and opportunity across the three-county region. Strengthening the services and partnerships of local, not-for-profit service organizations is part of the mission of the Community Foundation, and the grant process is designed to further this mission. Four (4) of this year’s 16 grant recipients are first-time awardees. This year’s grant funding is being provided from the Foundation’s Community Impact Fund with supplemental support from board members through their Donor Advised Funds.
A brief description of the grant recipients and programs follows:
Camden County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Program, Kingsland
A grant of $1,362 will support technology upgrades of computers and software, increasing the efficiency of staff and volunteers who advocate for safe, permanent homes for abused and neglected children.
Camden County Health Department, St. Marys
A grant of $5,000 will help purchase a Vision Screener to aid in the early detection of vision disorders in children from six months of age. Early detection of vision problems increases the likelihood of effective treatment. Less than 22% of preschool children currently receive some type of vision screening.
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Glynn, Inc., Brunswick
A grant of $2,900 will support training of staff and advocates in a new Educational Advocacy program to improve the educational outcomes for children in the Foster Care system.
Children In Action Sports Club (CIA), Brunswick
A grant of $4,500 will support the Summer Outreach program and Barnabas Club. CIA utilizes sports and activities as a vehicle to help at-risk children and youth build confidence, develop character, strive for excellence, and engage in teamwork while incorporating Christian values.
Communities In Schools of Glynn County, Brunswick
A grant of $5,000 will support high school students in their professional development with tools that include the Birkman Personality Assessment, Interview Coaching, First Impressions, Self Leadership, and Communication/Customer Service Training. Forty qualified junior and senior CIS high school students who are seeking job and/or college opportunities will be selected to participate.
The Gathering Place, Brunswick
A grant of $4,000 will support The Gathering Place’s summer college tour, which provides rising high school seniors the opportunity to tour a wide range of academic and technical colleges across Georgia. The program also assists these students with the preparation of college applications and provides ongoing support during their college years.
Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Inc., Serving Glynn and McIntosh County*
A grant of $4,946 will support the delivery of “I am a GIFT (Gorgeous, Intelligent, Fabulous, and Talented) You Will Not Abuse Me”, a dating/domestic violence prevention program for girls and their mothers/guardians. The day long training will be reinforced throughout the year in troop activities and learning programs.
Glynn County Board of Commissioners/Juvenile Court, Brunswick*
A grant of $5,000 will allow Kidsnet Glynn program to serve more participants. The diversion program provides behavior management, family advocacy and parent education to youth and families involved with the Juvenile Court, with the goal of reducing commitments and recidivism.
Golden Isles Youth Orchestra, Brunswick
A grant of $2,400 will support String-On, which provides fifth graders with exposure to music and orchestra strings. The program is designed to strengthen musical outreach and enrich students through music.
International Seafarers Center/Port as a Classroom, Brunswick*
A grant of $1,500 will purchase a video camera and voice recorders for Port as a Classroom, which is a specialized curriculum for middle and high school students delivered by staff and volunteers from the Center. Port as a Classroom engages students in learning about maritime shipping, geography, the sciences, and the global trade system.
Marshes of Glynn Libraries, Brunswick
A grant of $4,992 will continue the Targeted Early Literacy Parental Involvement Initiative across Glynn County. Building from the Community Foundation’s successful Baby Steps initiative, Marshes of Glynn Libraries educates parents and caregivers on the importance of developing early literacy skills for their children.
McIntosh County Extension/4-H, Darien
A grant of $3,400 will support 4-H Sprouts (youth, ages 9-11), a horticulture program with activities promoting positive experiences for youth while they learn about growing plants, gardening practices, healthy lifestyles, and the environment.
Morningstar Children and Family Services, Inc., Glynn County*
A grant of $5,000 will support the Art Therapy program for these youth in residential foster care. Most youth at Morningstar have suffered with abuse and neglect. Through art, they are provided the opportunity to safely express thoughts and emotions while increasing self-awareness and self-esteem.
Safe Harbor Children’s Center, Inc., Brunswick
A grant of $5,000 will support the purchase of much needed case management software, with the goal of increasing efficiency and performance monitoring. The software will significantly improve the capture of valuable data and free staff for more hands-on work with the children.
STAR Foundation, Brunswick
A grant of $5,000 will support the creation of a Community Outreach Coordinator position to work with local nonprofits, schools and human service agencies to expand the reach of STAR’s workforce training program.
YMCA of Coastal Georgia, Inc., Serving Glynn and McIntosh Counties
A grant of $2,000 will purchase books for the Y Summer Camp Readers of the McIntosh County and Golden Isles YMCAs. The program is designed to mitigate learning losses during school breaks, by encouraging children to read during the summer.
*denotes first-time competitive grant recipient