Over $190K in grants awarded by the Central Alabama Community Foundation

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The Central Alabama Community Foundation (CACF) awarded $191,856.95 in grants to 25 River Region nonprofits.

The nonprofits support family and wellness initiatives in Montgomery, Lowndes, Macon, Autauga and Elmore counties. The family, food and medical Grants being awarded are part of the Family Wellness and Education Grant Cycle that CACF manages.

Funds from these grants will go directly toward assisting many within these communities.

For over 35 years, the Central Alabama Community Foundation has been a valued community partner and resource for nonprofits and students in the River Region and Wiregrass. The foundation provides over $5 million in grants and scholarships each year that meet diverse community needs, supporting programs and projects in education, human services, health, cultural arts, and other civic concerns.

Below is a full list of the organizations that received grants from CACF and its two affiliates, the Autauga Area Community Foundation and Elmore County Community Foundation, at the May 16 ceremony:

Central Alabama Community Foundation ($95,482)

$6,000 to CASA of the River Region – to support costs of CASA’s recruitment, training, and retention of volunteers to pair as advocates with children referred by the Montgomery County Family Court
$9,400 to FBC Community Ministries, Inc. – to support staffing costs for the Nehemiah Center’s summer and after school programs serving families in the Chisholm and Highland Gardens neighborhoods
$6,390 to First Choice Women’s Medical Center – to support the costs of group classes on health and wellness for mothers and their babies
$7,560 to Ostara Initiative – to provide six doula visits for nine pregnant women in Tutwiler Prison
$9,000 to Tuskegee Macon County Community Development Corporation – to provide five desktop computers, two laptops, software subscriptions, and printer supplies to establish a computer lab for use by Macon County families
$5,000 to Fathers of St. Edmund Southern Missions, Inc. – to purchase two portable refrigeration units to store produce from Lowndes County farms to increase the farmers’ capacity and the volume and diversity of fresh produce distributed to Lowndes County families through the agency’s food pantry
$10,000 to Montgomery Area Council on Aging – to support the meal costs of six senior citizens participating in the Northern Route Meals on Wheels
$5,000 to Montgomery Pride United – to support the food costs of the Mobile Food Pantry that addresses needs of homeless persons in Montgomery County
$8,566 to Motherly Care (Pounds of Care) – to support the food costs for weekly delivery of meals to over 200 homebound senior citizens in Montgomery County
$5,000 to The Learning Tree – to purchase therapy supplies and stimulating recreational equipment for use in providing Applied Behavioral Analysis treatment for children with autism at the outpatient clinic based at Easter Seals Central Alabama
$12,066 to Medical Outreach Ministries – to support the costs of providing free medications and at-home monitoring supplies for uninsured, low-income adult clients in Montgomery County
$5,250 to Sight Savers America – to provide follow-up eyecare services for 70 preschoolers in Lowndes, Macon, and Montgomery counties who fail the free vision screening provided through Head Start and other daycare centers by program partner FocusFirst
$6,250 to The Wellness Coalition – to support the costs of the case manager position for Heartlink, a free wellness program for uninsured and under-insured clients in Lowndes, Macon, and Montgomery counties to learn how to manage and prevent chronic health issues, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and arthritis

Autauga Area Community Foundation ($14,900)

$2,500 to Family Sunshine Center – to support the costs of delivery of evidence-based counseling services for Autauga County children experiencing trauma from abuse, sexual assault, or witnessing domestic violence
$2,500 to Autauga Interfaith Care Center – to purchase food for distribution throughout the year to Autauga County residents in need
$2,500 to Alabama Lions Sight – to provide low-cost mobile eye clinics in Autaugaville and Prattville
$2,500 to Medical Outreach Ministries – to support the costs of medication and home monitoring supplies for Autauga County clients
$2,500 to Sight Savers America – to provide a high-tech low vision/blind aid and case management services to one child in Autauga County
$2,400 to Smile-A-Mile – to provide the annual cost of serving two Autauga County families impacted by pediatric cancer

Elmore County Community Foundation ($22,400)

$2,400 to CASA of the River Region – to support the costs of CASA’s recruitment, training, and retention of volunteers to pair as advocates with children referred by the Elmore County Family Court
$2,500 to Elmore County Family Resource Center, Inc. – to support the costs of the Smart and Secure Children Parent Leadership curriculum that will provide Hispanic ESL parents with training materials in Spanish to enhance their participation in the Center’s Strengthening Families program
$2,500 to Family Sunshine Center – to support the costs of delivery of evidence-based counseling services for Elmore County children experiencing trauma from abuse, sexual assault, or witnessing domestic violence
$2,500 to Church of the Epiphany – to purchase food for the Beans and Rice Ministry that is distributed to needy families in Elmore County
$2,500 to W.E.L.C.O.M.E., Inc. – to purchase food to distribute to Elmore County residents through its food pantry
$2,500 to Alabama Lions Sight – to provide low-cost mobile eye clinics in Elmore County
$2,500 to Medical Outreach Ministries – to support the costs of medication and home monitoring supplies for Elmore County clients
$2,500 to Service Dogs Alabama – to support costs of a service dog placement for a U.S. Army veteran living with a seizure disorder in Elmore County
$2,500 to Sight Savers America – to provide a high-tech low vision/blind aid and case management services to one child in Elmore County

CACF Technical Assistance Grants ($9,950)

$2,500 to Boys and Girls Ranches of Alabama – to purchase and implement GiveSmart, a marketing and customer relationship management software platform
$2,500 to Family Sunshine Center – to support costs of monthly leadership development training for staff
$2,450 to First Choice Women’s Medical Center – to provide seven staff members with Sexual Risk Avoidance Certification to enhance client care in testing and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases
$2,500 to Kid One Transport – to develop a new strategic plan with a focus on the expansion of services for WIC clients

CACF Field of Interest Grants ($49,124.95)

CACF Group Homes for Children Grant ($7,328) to Teens Empowerment Awareness with Resolutions (TEARS) – to support the costs of temporary housing for female youths with an end goal of family reunification or transition to a stable living space
ECCF Margaret & Auston Bridges Fund for Arts Education Grant ($496.95) to Wetumpka High School – to purchase supplies for the art program’s printmaking curriculum including Japanese gyotaku prints
CACF Mental Health Grant ($1,300) to Mental Health America, Montgomery to support transportation costs for participants in the Psychosocial Clubhouse, which provides clients with a serious mental health diagnosis with a support system and social opportunities
CACF Merle S. & Mack C. Hunt Diabetes Grant ($40,000)
- $20,000 to Medical Outreach Ministries – to support salary costs of a nurse practitioner, medical assistants, and patient advocate for the free one-on-one diabetes education program and to provide annual medications and diabetes testing supplies for all participants
- $20,000 to Southeastern Diabetes Education Services – to provide $800 scholarships to Camp Seale Harris for 25 children in Montgomery County where they will learn how to manage their diabetes

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