2023 Healthy Communities Initiative
APPLICATIONS DUE MARCH 3, 2023
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The funding initiative is open to eligible organizations with programs that support residents in counties within the Foundation’s service area:
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West Virginia: Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, western Putnam, and Wayne
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Kentucky: Boyd, Carter, Floyd, Greenup, Johnson, Lawrence, Martin, and Pike
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Ohio: Gallia, Lawrence, and Scioto
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We've had such a a great time over the past few
months meeting with organizations throughout our region
to learn about needs in their communities and to spread the word about our grant opportunities. We've hosted informational meetings in Lawrence County in Ohio and
Pike and Carter counties in Kentucky. We are looking forward to hosting more meetings later this year!
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We have had an incredible response to our series of free "Introduction to Nonprofit Grant Writing" workshops in Logan and Cabell counties. Our first workshop in Huntington on Feb. 3 filled up almost instantly with 75 people registering and 20 on a waiting list! As a result, we added a second workshop on Feb. 17 in Huntington, which reached capacity within one week.
This response demonstrates the great need nonprofits
in our area have to build their own organization's capacity
to help others. We are planning to offer another grant writing workshop in Pike County, Kentucky, in March and
we hope to offer more trainings this year in other
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Welcome to Our
Board of Trustees
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Doug Korstanje
CEO, Huntington YMCA
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COUNTY-LEVEL
RESEARCH DATA
These sources provide valuable
data regarding health outcomes, health factors and demographics in counties throughout West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky.
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Youth who age out of the foster care system often experience homelessness, poverty, addiction, and incarceration resulting from a lack of support during their transition to independent living. According to the National Foster Youth Institute, 20% of children in foster care will instantly become homeless at age 18, and one of every two will develop substance use disorder. Less than 3% will earn a college degree, and 60% of males will be convicted of a crime.
The team at Stepping Stones, Inc., in Lavalette, West Virginia, has been working for nearly 50 years to reduce these numbers by helping young men living on their campus successfully transition from the foster care system to lead productive, independent lives. The organization provides a safe, nurturing environment where residents have access to comprehensive services and a team of dedicated staff to support their physical and mental health.
“Nationally, youth who age out of foster care at 18 have often been in care for three years or more,” said Susan Fry, Executive Director of Stepping Stones. “Many do not have the support or skills that are learned in family systems, such as how to cook, drive, budget, or apply for a job or educational opportunity. They may not know how to access housing or navigate complex systems to take care of their basic needs, and they often experience education deficits due to being moved from one placement to another.
“These issues are challenging for most 18-year-olds, let alone youth that lack parents, mentors and other sufficient support systems,” she continued. “All of these issues set up insurmountable barriers that just continue to perpetuate negative cycles.”
Fry said these young adults often do not realize their potential or contribute to the community, which can overwhelm resources. That’s why it is important to invest in youth before they leave foster care by giving them the tools needed to become productive members of the community.
Youth Transition Project: Tiny Home Village
To help its youth address barriers and reach their full potential, Stepping Stones launched the Youth Transition Project, which includes a Tiny Home Village where young men can learn to live independently while retaining access to valuable resources and support. The on-campus village provides more than just a safe, affordable place to live. Residents receive mental and behavioral health treatment, life skills training, employment assistance, crisis support, education, transportation, and opportunities for community involvement.
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“Living in the tiny homes has taught me how to manage my time and keep my home clean,” said Scott, a Stepping Stones resident. “It also taught me how to be a good neighbor, and I have learned things like how to fix my own food too. The most important thing I am responsible for is paying my rent and writing checks. I’m very grateful to be in this program. It has taught me so much in such a short time.”
The Tiny Home Village consists of eight houses, six of which were constructed with grant funding from a 2020 Core Priorities Initiative award from the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington. The $289,947 grant provided for labor costs, materials, aeration/septic systems, waterlines, and electrical connections.
“This grant turned dreams into reality and hopelessness into hope for the transitioning youth we built the tiny home village for,” Fry said. “Without the grant funding and the technical assistance and support from the Foundation, this dream would have struggled to become a reality.”
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CLICK HERE to read the full story and to see more photos from the project!
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David, Kentucky
St. Vincent Mission received a $12,000 Healthy Communities grant in 2021 to purchase healthy food items for medically indicated food boxes to be distributed to clients with chronic diseases.
St. Vincent distributed monthly food boxes that included frozen fruits and vegetables, fresh produce, lean and less processed meats, and healthy snacks.
The project served 2,010 adults and 543 children during its one-year grant period.
Kimberley Castle, Assistant Director at St. Vincent, provided this story of how the program has impacted a family it serves.
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“Being approved for $12,000 in funding to purchase healthier food choices for our pantry participants has been one of the most impactful benefits we have been able to provide to date.
One family in particular stands out in my mind when I ponder upon about the success of this project. St. Vincent Mission has served this family through several of our programs and they have always given back to the Mission through volunteer service. This family has been abundantly blessed through the addition of healthier food pantry items. I say this because among this family of three adults and four children, four of them have special dietary needs. The mother and one daughter have Type 1 diabetes and the father has heart disease and suffered a mild heart attack just last year. They also have one young son who has Spina Bifida and has had multiple surgeries due to his condition.
When we began stocking our freezers with frozen fruits and vegetables and offering fresh in season produce choices in our pantry, this family was more than elated. Being able to afford these healthier options was near impossible on their limited income and family size. Feeding a family of seven with limited resources is a task in itself, but fitting fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables in the monthly food budget was especially daunting for this family. The parents have been so thankful and have spoken with our staff about how happy they are to have been given the opportunity to provide more nutritional, diet specific meals for their family.
St. Vincent Mission staff and Board are grateful for the opportunity granted us to enhance the impact our food pantry has on food insecurity and proper nutrition.”
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Learn more about our grant opportunities |
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Through the support of transformative health initiatives that empower all individuals to lead lives
of optimal health, self-reliance, and self-respect, the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington strives
to foster systemic change and collaborative impact in our community.
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