After-school meals, mentoring young men, a critical phone system upgrade — these are a few of the initiatives coming to various Columbus organizations thanks to United Way of Lowndes County Venture Grants totaling almost $30,000.
Venture Grants differ from United Way’s annual allocations to agencies currently under their umbrella. Venture Grants are smaller and may be provided to any nonprofit, whether funded by United Way or not. Applications must be for a new program, expansion of an existing program, or a capital improvement that will enhance service to the community.
“As the economy shifts and needs increase, we are proud of the agencies who step up with new and improved ideas on how to meet those needs in our community,” said United Way of Lowndes County Executive Director Patricia Brock.
Seven grant recipients include United Way agencies Boys and Girls Club (for a student meal program in Columbus), The Father’s Child Ministry (college visits for high schoolers), Contact Helpline (upgrade phone system), Lowndes County 4H (expansion of current community sewing program), Recovery House (implementation of new therapy program), Safe Haven (staff training for new domestic abuse initiative), and the YMCA (support for a new youth camp).
At the Boys and Girls Club in Columbus, the grant will facilitate initial start-up of a food service program providing healthy after-school snacks and meals for children when school begins.
“We know we have some children in after-school hours that need these, and now we’ve gotten with the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Mississippi Department of Education to do it,” said Nadia Colom, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of the Golden Triangle.
Contact Helpline handles more than 9,000 telephone calls yearly, for everything from suicide and crisis intervention to daily reassurance calls to seniors and shut-ins.
“All our services are over the phone, so it’s very vital that we have a tenable system,” said Director Katrina Sunivelle of the upgrade the Venture Grant will fund. “We’re so grateful that they gave us this grant.”
At the Frank P. Phillips YMCA, a new program to benefit young men will be led by Tyson Lee and supported by other volunteers.
“We thank the United Way for supporting the Y with the Venture Grant, to specifically engage young men in our gym,” said Andy Boyd, Y executive director. “United Way has always supported the Y in our efforts to build and strengthen our community.”
Information about these and other United Way agencies is found at uwlc-ms.org/agencies. For more about the United Way and Venture Grants, visit the website or call 662-328-0943.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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