Awarded grants by year are available to view. Learn more about the positive impact on the people and organizations receiving grants by visiting Stories of Change.
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors meets monthly to consider grant requests. The Foundation was established in 2005 and is a 501(c)3 organization.
December 2024
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $211,190 in grants during its December meeting, including $207,390 to organizations and $3,800 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Hebron Community Health Center, Inc., Lawrenceville, which offers non-emergency primary care for residents in Barrow and Gwinnett counties who are low income or uninsured for its Direct Patient Care Program to provide medical test processing, specialist consultations, procedures and medications.
- $15,000 to Hope Clinic, Inc., Lawrenceville, which provides medical care to uninsured, underinsured or with limited or no access to healthcare for people in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties for in-person or telehealth mental health services.
- $15,000 to The Salvation Army, Lawrenceville, to provide rental or mortgage assistance for families in Gwinnett County facing homelessness or a disaster, and people with a disability.
- $10,000 to the American Red Cross, to provide immediate and supplemental financial assistance, health assistance for families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties after experiencing a house fire, and for local disaster response.
- $10,000 to Athens Parent Wellbeing, Inc., Athens, which promotes the mental well-being of mothers and families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties throughout pregnancy and postpartum period by providing education, resources and support for psychological evaluations for uninsured and underinsured clients.
- $10,000 to Bethel Haven, which provides help and healing to distressed children, teenagers, adults and families in all counties served by Jackson EMC to provide counseling sessions.
- $10,000 to Community Helping Place, Dahlonega, to provide a community warming center with cots, sleeping bags, storage lockers, food and hygiene supplies, and a storage building for residents in Lumpkin County.
- $10,000 to Eagle Ranch, Inc., which provides a whole-family approach to restoring and renewing relationships for children and families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin and Madison counties, for counseling sessions for clients in its First Step Counseling Program.
- $10,000 to Giving Health, Inc., which supports individuals and families in all counties served by Jackson EMC with affordable access to healthcare services for access to virtual medical and mental health services.
- $10,000 to Home Repairs Ministries, Inc., Duluth, which provides critical home repairs and modifications for vulnerable homeowners, including low-income seniors, widows, veterans, single mothers and people with disabilities in Gwinnett County for its Critical Home Repairs Program.
- $10,000 to the Madison County Rotary Foundation, Inc., Danielsville, to purchase materials to build ramps for handicap residents in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $10,000 to (The) Cottage Sexual Assault Center and Children’s Advocacy Center, Inc., Athens, for therapy sessions for children and adult survivors of sexual abuse and assault in all counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $10,000 to Step by Step Recovery, Inc., Lawrenceville, which provides a safe and structured residential program for men and women in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Hall, Gwinnett, Jackson and Lumpkin counties suffering from homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, and recently-paroled people for its Residential Recovery Program.
- $7,500 to Acceptance Recovery Center, Inc., Athens, which provides peer support recovery services to individuals in all counties served by Jackson EMC recovering from substance use disorders to support the housing fee for 3 parent residents enrolled in its program for almost 2 months.
- $7,500 to Fresh Wind Recovery Ministry, Inc., Athens, which is a residential ministry for men in all counties served by Jackson EMC struggling with substance abuse to support counseling sessions and meals for clients.
- $7,500 to Judy House Ministry, Inc., Lawrenceville, which provides a safe environment for men and women in Gwinnett County facing homelessness for housing for its Transfer Program.
- $7,500 to NSPIRE Outreach Ministries, Inc., Lawrenceville, which helps those in Gwinnett and Hall counties facing a cycle of homelessness, addiction, domestic violence, abuse and neglect for its Launch Program that includes housing, job training, recovery meetings and more.
- $7,500 to Palm House Recovery Centers, Inc., Athens, which helps people in all counties served by Jackson EMC struggling with addiction for client intake fees and rent for individuals in its Helping Hands Program.
- $6,000 to The Salvation Army, Athens, to provide emergency shelter and rental assistance for residents in Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who are homeless or disabled or are disaster victims.
- $6,000 to The Salvation Army, Gainesville, to provide emergency shelter and rental assistance for residents in Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties who are homeless or disabled or are disaster victims.
- $5,000 to the Lilburn Woman’s Club to promote literacy in the community in Gwinnett County.
- $5,000 to The Salvation Army, Toccoa, to provide food, supplies, and emergency rental and mortgage assistance for residents in Franklin and Lumpkin counties.
- $2,890 to Reins of Life, to provide hippotherapy/adaptive riding sessions for individuals with disabilities in Banks and Franklins counties.
Individual Recipient:
- $5,000 to assist with plumbing repairs for a Hall County resident.
October 2024
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $219,995 in grants during its October meeting, including $211,285 to organizations and $8,710 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Ark United Ministry Outreach Center, Inc., Athens, to help support it Eviction Prevention Program for residents in Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties in financial crisis.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett County Public Library, to support its New Start Entrepreneurship Incubator Program for supplies, books, laptops and workshop supplies.
- $15,000 to Interlocking Communities, Inc. (ICI), to support its Ready By Five Program for children in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties to pursue excellence with measurable results, to assist with mastery of life skills, and to network with partner organizations.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society Prince of Peace, Flowery Branch, to fund rent and mortgage assistance for Barrow, Hall, Gwinnett and Jackson County families in crisis.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society, Gainesville, to fund rent and mortgage assistance for Hall County families in crisis.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society, Lawrenceville (Grayson Highway), to fund rent and mortgage assistance for Gwinnett County families in crisis.
- $15,000 to the Tree House, Inc., a children’s advocacy center working to reduce child abuse in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, for its Supervised Visitation Program, which provides a neutral, child-friendly environment for visits between children in foster care and their parents.
- $11,085 to Lydia’s Place, Inc., Athens, for its Elevate Transitional Housing Program, an educational independent living skills program for young adults in Clarke and Gwinnett counties who have experienced foster care or housing insecurity.
- $10,000 to the Ark Family Preservation Center, for its Supervised Family Visitation Program, which provides a safe place for broken families in Banks, Franklin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to complete referral or court-ordered interactive parent training and family therapy.
- $10,000 to Family Counseling Service of Athens, Inc., to provide more than 200 counseling sessions for its Bridging the Gap Program serving residents in Clarke, Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $10,000 to Family Promise of Hall County, a community effort to end the cycle of family homelessness, to support its case manager.
- $10,000 to My Sister’s Place, a shelter for homeless women and children serving all counties in the Jackson EMC service area, for its Empowerment Program.
- $10,000 to the Ark of Jackson County, to provide financial assistance for rent or mortgage assistance.
- $10,000 to Partnership Against Domestic Violence, for its Emergency Shelter for Survivors program for Gwinnett County residents.
- $8,000 to South Enotah Child Advocacy Center, for its trauma-focused therapy for child abuse victims in Lumpkin County.
- $7,500 to Lifewell Ministries, Inc., to provide counseling sessions for its Lifewell Mental Health Program serving residents in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett and Jackson counties.
- $5,000 to Freedom Path Counseling, to provide one-on-one and group counseling services for residents in Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin and Madison counties.
- $6,500 to North Georgia Interfaith Ministries, Inc. (dba, Jeremiah’s Place), Dahlonega, to support 3 clients in its Transitional Housing Program.
- $6,200 to Gateway House, which provides safety, shelter and support for those impacted by domestic violence, to support its Outdoor Therapy Program.
- $2,000 to Tiny Stiches, Suwanee, to provide materials and supplies for its network of volunteers to handcraft a 28- to 32-piece layette of clothing and blankets to keep an infant warm and dry for the first three months of life, donated to mothers in need in Gwinnett, Clarke and Hall counties.
Individual Recipients:
- $4,388 for a dental procedure for a Hall County woman with a disability.
- $4,322 for a service dog for a Gwinnett County child with a disability.
August 2024
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $280,700 in grants to organizations during its August meeting.
Organization Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to the Cancer Foundation, Athens, for its Financial Assistance Program that assists eligible cancer patients in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties with rent and mortgage assistance.
- $20,000 to Nothing But the Truth, Inc., Dacula, to purchase food for its Weekend Food Program, which serves children in need in Barrow and Gwinnett counties.
- $15,000 to Adventure Bags, Inc., Winder, for its One Bag at a Time Program, to create comfort bags and distribute to displaced children through local DFCS offices, domestic violence shelters, fire departments, group homes and children’s shelters in Barrow, Banks, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $15,000 to BackPack Kids to purchase food for its Backpack Feeding Program that will serve 75 children in Jackson County for 40 weeks.
- $15,000 to The Block Community Outreach, Inc., Sugar Hill, to purchase fresh produce and shelf-stable foods for its Weekend Food Program for children in need in Gwinnett County.
- $15,000 to Buford First United Methodist Church for its Sack Kids Hunger relief program that provides weekend food bags for children in need in Gwinnett and Hall counties.
- $15,000 to Family Promise of Athens, Inc., a community effort to end the cycle of family homelessness, for its Homeless Shelter and Stabilization Program provides emergency shelter and vital services for families with children experiencing homelessness in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $15,000 to Family Promise of Gwinnett, Inc., which provides shelter, meals and support services to families without homes in Gwinnett County through a network of local congregations for its Promise Haven Shelter Program.
- $15,000 to Food to Kids Madison County, Inc., Danielsville, to purchase food for its Weekend Backpack Program, which provides food for the weekends to families who have been identified by counselors in four Madison County elementary schools as food insecure.
- $15,000 to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, Athens, for its Food Access Initiative Program, which serves residents in Clarke, Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $15,000 to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, Inc., Gainesville, to purchase fresh produce boxes for residents in Hall and Lumpkin counties.
- $15,000 to iServe Ministries, Inc., Jefferson, to purchase food and bags for its Bags of Love program, which delivers a backpack full of food for families in need in Jackson and Madison counties.
- $15,000 to New Path 1010, Inc., Bethlehem, to purchase food for its Weekend Food Bag program to serve children in need in Barrow County.
- $15,000 to Straight Street Revolution Ministries, Inc., Gainesville, to purchase food for its Backpack Love Program, which gives Hall County students in need a backpack filled with food for each weekend.
- $12,700 to the Rotary Club of Banks County, Inc., to purchase food for its Food2Kids Backpack Program to serve children in need in Banks County.
- $12,000 to Neighborhood Meals on Wheels, Inc., Norcross, for a walk-in refrigerator and freezer to store food that will be served to senior adults in Gwinnett County.
- $10,000 to the Hall-Dawson CASA Program, Inc., Gainesville, which provides trained and supervised volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children requiring court intervention for its volunteer training and technology upgrades.
- $10,000 to the South Hall Community Food Pantry, Oakwood, to purchase food for its food pantry program.
- $7,500 to Athens-Oconee CASA, a nonprofit volunteer organization that provides advocacy for approximately 300 children in foster care in Clarke and Oconee counties for its volunteer training program.
- $6,000 to Lumpkin County Family Connection, Dahlonega, to purchase food for its Backpack Buddies program, which provides meals, snacks and drinks each week to children and families in Lumpkin County identified by Family Advocacy as food insecure.
- $2,500 to Cornerstone Assembly of God (previously Spirit of Joy Food Bank), Oakwood, for its food pantry program to purchase a commercial refrigerator.
June 2024
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $179,740 in grants, including $169,740 to organizations and $10,000 to individuals, during its June meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $18,000 Boys & Girls Clubs of Winder-Barrow, for its Goals for Graduation program that uses goals for school attendance, homework completion and positive study habits to promote academic achievement in middle and high school-aged members.
- $17,340 to Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, Inc., to provide rehabilitation services for adults from Gwinnett County who are permanently disabled due to a traumatic brain injury.
- $15,000 to Center Point GA, Inc., Gainesville, which strengthens students and their families through education, counseling, mentoring, substance abuse prevention and youth development for its Mentoring Program serving Hall and Jackson counties.
- $15,000 to the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, Inc., to pay for eye surgeries for uninsured individuals in Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $15,000 to J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA, Lawrenceville, to sponsor 250 youth in Gwinnett and Barrow counties for its Afterschool Program, Clubs, and More Program.
- $15,000 to Junior Achievement of Georgia, Inc., for program materials and supplies for the JA Biztown and JA Finance Park interactive programs that teach the concepts of financial literacy, business, entrepreneurship and career readiness to middle school students in Gwinnett and Hall counties.
- $15,000 to Project Adam Community Assistance Center, Inc., an organization focused on the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug dependency for men in Barrow, Banks, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to provide food for its residential treatment center.
- $15,000 to Sleep in Heavenly Peace GA-Belmont Chapter, in Gainesville, for supplies to build and furnish 80 beds for children ages 3-17 who sleep on floors or other inadequate situations without beds in Hall and Jackson counties.
- $14,900 to Diamond in the Rough Youth Development, Inc., Snellville, whose mission is to prepare, inspire, nurture, and provide knowledge to girls 4-18 in Gwinnett County through a variety of preventive programs and activities for its Clusters Mentoring Program.
- $12,000 to Latin America Association for its emergency rental assistance program for Gwinnett families in need.
- $10,000 to ConnectAbility, Inc., Dahlonega, for its Sidekicks Community Events Program for children and adults with disabilities and their families in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties.
- $5,000 to the Burn Foundation of America, Inc. to provide patient and family services for burn victims throughout Jackson EMC’s service area.
- $2,500 to the Southeastern Railway Museum, Duluth, to support its Special Needs and Disadvantaged Students Fund for its Educational Classroom Modules Program.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 for a HVAC unit for a Gwinnett County senior citizen.
- $5,000 for concrete walkway and driveway repairs to help improve accessibility and safety for a Hall County senior citizen.
April 2024
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $284,757 in grants, including $270,000 to organizations and $14,757 to individuals, during its April meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia, Homer, to provide 39 underprivileged third through eighth grade Banks County students referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camp program that uses positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills, and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 to Camp Kudzu, to sponsor 15-20 children in a camping program for children and teens with diabetes who live in the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC to attend a weeklong overnight summer camp.
- $15,000 to Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization offering year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programming for children facing serious illnesses and other challenges, to help 27 children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its fully accessible camp.
- $15,000 to Extra Special People, Watkinsville, to provide an opportunity for individuals with disabilities in the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC to attend a highly-specialized, individualized summer camp experience.
- $15,000 to Gainesville Housing Corporation, which provides working low-income families of Hall County affordable living environments, improved quality of living, economic opportunities and fair housing, to provide materials for its curriculum-based RISE summer education program for at-risk youth of Gainesville and Hall County.
- $15,000 to The Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, Inc., an emergency food bank for residents of Lawrenceville and Dacula in Gwinnett County, for its Emergency Assistance Program to purchase food from local food banks and/or local grocery stores.
- $15,000 to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia, Suwanee, to allow rising 10th and 11th grade students in Gwinnett County area high schools to attend its Opportunities Academy Program.
- $15,000 to University of North Georgia Foundation, Inc., for its Steps to College Program, which provides summer high school courses for English learners in Hall and Banks counties to earn credit toward graduation.
- $15,000 to Rachel’s Gift, Inc. an organization providing specialized bereavement care for parents who have lost a child to miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death, for its pregnancy and infant loss grief support program in all counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $15,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, Inc., Suwannee, a parent-run nonprofit group that provides Gwinnett and Hall county families with support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to help disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 attend its weeklong summer camp program, with daily activities that teach social skills.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent De Paul Society of Jefferson, for its Emergency Financial Assistance to Families in Crisis Program providing funds for rent and mortgage payments to families in Jackson and Banks counties in crisis.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent De Paul Society of Winder, for its financial assistance program providing funds to Barrow County families in crisis for rent and mortgage.
- $15,000 to YMCA of Athens, Inc., to help enable children in Clarke, Barrow, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to participate in its nine-week summer day camp program, which offers supervised sports and other activities, as well as teaches math, reading and values.
- $15,000 to Young Women’s Christian Organization of Athens, to help 32 girls from low-income families attend the summer girls camp program, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls ages 5 to 14 from low-to-moderate income families and help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $10,000 to Camp Amplify, Winder, to provide 15 children ages seven to 12 from underserved communities in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties with a weeklong camping experience to develop character, leadership and teambuilding skills through a high adventure, overnight camp.
- $10,000 to Cultivating a Lifetime of Legacy, Inc., Bogart, a nonprofit organization that works with people ages 12-24 and provides mentors and other supportive people to help students access resources for 30 students in Clarke County to attend its summer camp and help defray transportation costs.
- $10,000 to MUST Ministries, Inc., for its summer lunch program, which provides breakfast and lunch to children in need in Gwinnett County five days per week for nine weeks.
- $10,000 to Quinlan Visual Arts, Inc., Gainesville, to provide free or reduced cost participation in its summer arts program for 120 students in underserved communities in Banks, Barrow, Hall, Gwinnett, Jackson and Lumpkin counties.
- $5,000 to Foster Siblings Reunited (formerly Camp to Belong) to enable children in the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC to attend summer camp and family camp weekend, which reunites siblings living separately in foster care or other out-of-home care to strengthen relationships, increase self-esteem, create healthier attitudes and childhood memories.
- $6,000 to Camp Big Heart, Inc., which provides summer recreational experiences for children and adults with developmental challenges, for 10 campers in the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC to attend its summer camp.
- $6,000 to Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS), Inc., a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families in the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC, to help provide 18 children the opportunity to build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills at Camp Hollywood in Lawrenceville.
- $3,000 to Georgia Lions Camp, Inc., a nonprofit organization aiming to provide unique recreational experiences for the visually impaired to allow six campers in the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC the opportunity to participate in its summer and winter camp programs.
Individual Recipients:
- $5,000 to a man in Jackson County who is disabled to replace his HVAC unit.
- $5,000 to a family in Barrow County to replace their HVAC unit.
- $4,757 to a family in Banks County to repair an exterior wall of their home.
February 2024
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $217,252 in grants, including $212,252 to organizations and $5,000 to an individual, during its February meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Hi-Hope Service Center, Inc., Lawrenceville, to help fund part-time nursing and nutrition services for 20 Gwinnett County residents with developmental disabilities who require onsite nursing care for services, such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment.
- $19,957 to Boy Scouts of Northeast Georgia, Inc., serving all Jackson EMC counties, to provide uniforms, handbooks and scouting membership fees to help underprivileged youth participate in scouting.
- $15,000 to Athens Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc., for construction materials and finishing supplies for its Build with Strength Program for a new home build.
- $15,000 to Friends of Disabled Adults and Children, Too!, Inc., serving all Jackson EMC counties to improve the quality of life for those who are mobility-impaired due to any physical disability, illness or injury for its Home Medical Equipment Program for equipment and client care services.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett-Walton Habitat for Humanity for construction materials and finishing supplies for a new home build.
- $15,000 to Heirborn Servants, Inc., serving Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties, to provide assistance with its Give Rides program, which partners with community groups, transitional housing organizations and rideshare companies to ensure survivors of human trafficking or domestic violence can get to therapy and employment.
- $15,000 to Jackson County Habitat for Humanity for construction materials and finishing supplies for a new home build.
- $15,000 to Rape Response, Inc. serving Hall and Lumpkin counties for its training expenses, fees and transportation for educators in its Prevention Education Program.
- $10,000 to Angel House of Georgia, Inc., to provide entrance and program fees at the Gainesville recovery residence for women throughout the Jackson EMC service area with alcohol and/or drug addiction.
- $10,000 to Athens Area Diaper Bank to provide diapers for low-income families in Clarke County.
- $10,000 to Lindsay’s Legacy Youth Mentoring, Inc., for its youth mentoring program serving students in the Commerce City, Jefferson City and Jackson County school systems to provide training resources and support for adult mentors.
- $10,000 to Positive Impact International, Inc., Suwannee, for food, clothing, hygiene supplies and counseling services for its Safe Place program, which helps homeless youth in Gwinnett County in unsafe conditions or situation get immediate shelter.
- $10,000 to Wheels of Hope-Athens, Inc., for its transportation services program that provides rides for disabled and elderly residents in Barrow, Clarke, Hall, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $10,000 to Vision to Learn to provide free vision screenings, eye exams and prescription glasses for K-12 students in need in Gwinnett County schools.
- $7,500 to NOA’s Ark, Inc. (No One Alone) for its Trauma Counseling Program, designed to serve adults and children in all counties served by Jackson EMC recovering from family violence, child sexual assault, and dating violence.
- $5,295 to Jackson County Extension/4-H Club for its 4-H SAFE (Shooting Awareness, Fun, and Education) Shotgun Team Program to purchase a trailer to help store and transport their supplies.
- $5,000 to Georgia Transplant Foundation, Inc., serving all Jackson EMC counties to provide financial assistance for organ transplant candidates and recipients for medication, insurance premiums, lodging, transportation, emergency assistance and other services.
- $4,500 to Comics Appreciation Project, Inc., Bogart, a nonprofit organization that shares and fosters an appreciation for comics through literacy engagement programs to purchase books for its Share-Care Books Program to serve residents in all counties served by Jackson EMC.
Individual Recipient:
- $5,000 for a handicapped accessible vehicle for a man who is disabled.
December 2023
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total $232,394 in grants to organizations and individuals during its December meeting, including $222,394 to organizations and $10,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Good News Clinics in Gainesville which provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Hall County, to provide clients in need with laboratory tests and medications.
- $20,000 to Mending the Gap, Inc., for its Save Our Seniors Program, which delivers a monthly care package of nutritious food, personal care items, cleaning supplies and toiletries to low-income seniors in Gwinnett County.
- $15,000 to Adult Literacy Barrow, a nonprofit organization with programs designed for adults who have different needs and backgrounds to help them obtain skills to be successful in the workplace for its Transportation and Daycare Program.
- $15,000 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients throughout the Jackson EMC service area with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves, gloves and nutritional supplements.
- $15,000 to Georgia Mountain YMCA, in Gainesville, to provide financial assistance to help Hall County families pay for childcare at its Early Learning Centers.
- $15,000 to Hebron Community Health Clinic in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit providing low-income, uninsured Gwinnett and Barrow County residents with medical and dental care, to fund the Next Step Program, which provides diagnostic referrals and testing and prescription medication.
- $15,000 to Jackson County Certified Literate Community Program, Inc. to provide financial assistance for clients in Jackson County taking the GED exam.
- $15,000 to Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries, Inc., for its Emergency Housing Assistance Program to provide rent or mortgage assistance for families in the Norcross area of Gwinnett County who are experiencing temporary or long-term hardships.
- $15,000 to Salvation Army – Gwinnett, for its Financial Emergency Services Program, which provides rent and mortgage assistance to Gwinnett County residents in need to prevent homelessness and stabilize families in crises.
- $15,000 to Step by Step Recovery, Inc., an addiction recovery organization that provides a safe and structured environment for men and women in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties as they complete a 12-step program for drug and alcohol addiction, to provide rent for short-term and long-term recovery units.
- $15,000 to YMCA of Georgia’s Piedmont, Inc., in Winder, for its Pryme Tyme afterschool program, which provides homework help, sports, arts and crafts to children from economically disadvantaged families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $12,445 to Oconee Therapeutic Riding (formerly Butterfly Dreams Farms) to provide therapeutic and hippotherapy treatment for special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help families from Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
- $12,130 to Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett, which provides primary and preventative medical and dental care to pharmaceutical assistance for low-income and uninsured families in Gwinnett County to purchase exam tables and stools for its women’s health environmental upgrade.
- $10,000 to Acceptance Recovery Center, a nonprofit long-term recovery residence in Athens that supports individuals recovering from substance use disorders to purchase beds and mattresses for residents from all counties served by Jackson EMC living at its residential living facilities.
- $10,000 to Ferst Readers of Hall County, a nonprofit organization focused on addressing the growing problem of children, many from low-income communities, entering kindergarten without basic literacy skills and school readiness to fund 476 children to participate in its Improving Childhood Literacy Program in Hall County.
- $2,819 to Reins of Life, Inc., a Franklin County nonprofit that offers hippotherapy treatment for special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help five clients from Franklin and Banks counties attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individuals Recipients:
- $5,000 to assist with purchasing a handicapped accessible vehicle for a Hall County family with three disabled children.
- $5,000 for comprehensive pet therapy training for a Jackson County child with a disability.
October 2023
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $225,100 in grants to organizations during its October meeting.
- $18,600 to Creative Enterprises, Inc., Lawrenceville, which provides employment opportunities, and social and life skills training to individuals with developmental disabilities for its Sponsorships for Services Program.
- $15,000 to American Red Cross Northeast Georgia, to provide disaster relief, including food, shelter, personal needs and clothing, to families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster, and for smoke alarm installations.
- $15,000 to Madison County Rotary Club Foundation to purchase materials for handicap ramps, which are constructed by Rotary Club members for local individuals who cannot afford them, increasing their general mobility and improving safety in the event they need to evacuate their home.
- $15,000 to Mosaic Georgia, Inc., Duluth, to provide assistance for its Children’s Advocacy Center program that includes family aftercare and counseling for clients in all counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $15,000 to Peachtree Christian Health, Inc., Duluth, which supports caregivers and their loved ones by providing a compassionate care center for its Caregiving Financial Assistance Program.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society – Flowery Branch, to fund direct aid for housing assistance for Hall, Barrow, Gwinnett and Jackson County families in crisis and food for their food pantry.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society – Gainesville, to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Hall County families in crisis.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society – Lawrenceville (Grayson Highway) for its financial assistance program that provides funds for rent and mortgage to Gwinnett County families in crisis.
- $12,000 to Helping Mamas, Norcross, to purchase 105,819 diapers to distribute to women and children in need in Gwinnett and Hall counties.
- $10,000 to the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation for its Hands on historic Athens program, which provides assistance for home maintenance and modest repairs for low-income families so they can remain in their historic homes.
- $10,000 to Ashton Hope Keegan Foundation, Inc., for its Ashton Sent Us Program to support at least 20 women in need in Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties with items such as textbooks, supplies and exam fees during their educational training.
- $10,000 to CHRIS 180 (Creativity, Honor, Respect, Integrity and Safety) for its Gwinnett Counseling Center, with a mission to heal children, strengthen families and build community, to assist children, teens and families in Gwinnett and Hall counties receive trauma-informed counseling in order to heal, build coping resiliency skills and thrive.
- $10,000 to Foundation of Wesley Woods, for Lanier Gardens of Athens, to help provide a wellness nurse for preventative care support, especially fall reduction, to foster independent living among its senior citizen residents.
- $10,000 to Fresh Wind Recovery Ministry, Inc., Athens, to provide admission fees for its Recovery Program for individuals with addiction in all counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $10,000 to Palm House Recovery Center, Athens, a recovery residence for men and women, 18 years or older, with substance use disorder issues to help pay for admission and program fees for clients with a financial need.
- $7,500 to Athens Parent Wellbeing for its Mental Health Support for Pregnant and Postpartum Parents Program to provide 100 therapy sessions for mothers and their families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $7,500 to Casa De Amistad, Athens, whose mission is to improve the well-being and self-sufficiency of Hispanic individuals and families, for its ESL and GED classes program.
- $7,500 to Joshua’s Voice, Inc., Buford, for its Autism Spectrum and Sensory Processing Disorder Awareness, Training and Tools Program to purchase sensory kits and educational materials for first responders and other organizations in Banks, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties that may encounter people with autism and a sensory processing disorder.
- $5,000 to Giving Health, Inc., whose goal is to improve the health and well-being of individuals and families who cannot afford access to affordable healthcare to provide fees for 25 households in need in Jackson EMC’s service area with access to virtual medical and mental health services.
- $2,000 to Tiny Stiches, Inc., Suwanee, to provide materials and supplies for its network of volunteers to handcraft a 28- to 32-piece layette of clothing and blankets to keep an infant warm and dry for the first three months of life, donated to mothers in need in Gwinnett, Clarke and Hall counties.
August 2023
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $238,883 in grants during its August meeting, including $225,620 to organizations and $13,263 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Neighborhood Meals on Wheels Inc. (previously Norcross Meals on Wheels), Norcross, to purchase a van that will help the organization expand its services in Gwinnett County.
- $20,000 to Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett to purchase a wheelchair transportation van for its Young Adults Learning Life (YALL) program.
- $15,000 to Atlanta Community Food Bank for its Feeding Our Neighbor program to purchase fresh produce to distribute through its partner agencies in Gwinnett, Hall and Lumpkin counties.
- $15,000 to Buford First United Methodist Church for its Sack Kids Hunger relief program that provides weekend food bags for children in need in Gwinnett and Hall counties.
- $15,000 to Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, Athens, to purchase food for its Childhood Nutrition program, including Food to Kids Weekend Meal Bags, Mobile food pantries and in-school food pantries for those in need in Clarke, Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $15,000 to Georgia Mountain Food Bank, Gainesville, to purchase 1,875 fresh produce boxes for those in need in Hall and Lumpkin counties.
- $15,000 to iServe Ministries, Jefferson, for its Bags of Love program, which delivers a backpack full of food to families in need in Jackson and Madison counties.
- $15,000 to New Path 1010, Inc., Bethlehem, to purchase 1,875 bags of food for children in need in Barrow County for its Weekend Food Bag program.
- $15,000 to Nothing But the Truth, Inc., Dacula, to purchase 3,333 bags of food for children in Barrow and Gwinnett counties for its Weekend Food Bag program.
- $15,000 to Straight Street Revolution Ministries, Inc., a nonprofit providing a support system to those in need in the Gainesville community, to purchase food to place in 6,410 bags in its Backpack Love program, which gives students in need with a backpack filled with food for each weekend.
- $11,520 to The Block Community Outreach, Inc., Sugar Hill, to provide 768 “break boxes” for school holiday breaks as part of its Weekend Food Program for children in need in Gwinnett County.
- $10,000 to Athens Community Council on Aging, Inc., serving Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Madison counties, for educational workshops, support groups, food and personal care supplies, and a nurse for families participating in its Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program, which supports grandparents who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren.
- $10,000 to Gwinnett Council for the Arts, Inc., Duluth, to fund 5 new student sponsorships for its “smART Honors Program” for underserved Gwinnett County high school students.
- $7,100 to Georgia Children’s Chorus, Inc., an organization in Athens that provides vocal and choral training to young people in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett and Jackson counties pursuing choral music education, to provide participant sponsorships and performance opportunities.
- $5,000 to Canopy Studio, Inc., Athens, for sponsorships 24 students from Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties in its Canopy Outreach Program, an aerial arts program that serves students with autism, developmental disabilities, behavioral and emotional disorders.
- $5,000 to Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church, Dacula, to purchase food and shelving for The Pantry at Hamilton Mill, a food pantry that supports families in need in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties.
- $5,000 to South Hall Community Food Pantry, Oakwood, to purchase food for its food pantry program.
- $5,000 to Street Love Ministries, Inc., a nonprofit organization that serves the homeless community in Athens, to purchase snack bag items for those who are homeless in Clarke County.
- $4,500 to Lumpkin County Family Connection, Dahlonega, to purchase food for its Backpack Buddies program, which provides meals, snacks and drinks each week to children in Lumpkin County identified by Family Advocacy as food insecure.
- $2,500 to Foodbank at Cornerstone (formerly Spirit of Joy Food Pantry), Oakwood, for its food pantry program.
Individual Recipients:
- $3,263 for a prosthetic leg to a man Lumpkin County.
- $5,000 for a heating and air conditioning unit for a senior citizen in Gwinnett County.
- $5,000 for a wheelchair ramp for a senior citizen in Clarke County.
June 2023
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total $196,771 in grants during its June meeting, including $186,771 to organizations and $10,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Barrow Ministry Village, in Winder, for its counseling program that offers affordable counseling services to needy families in all counties served by Jackson EMC, to provide counseling for individuals struggling with PTSD, anxiety and other family issues.
- $15,000 to Boy With a Ball, in Buford, to provide curriculum materials for the Velocity Cross Age Mentoring program that pairs high school mentors in Gwinnett County with middle school students to cultivate connectedness, self-esteem, identity and academic skills.
- $15,000 to Children’s Center for Hope and Healing, in Gainesville, for its Comprehensive Victim Services Program that provides trauma therapy for individuals and families in Banks, Barrow, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties who have been traumatized by sexual abuse.
- $15,000 to Family Promise of Athens, a community effort to end the cycle of family homelessness, for its Homeless Shelter and Stabilization Program that provides emergency shelter and vital services for families with children experiencing homelessness in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $15,000 to Good News at Noon, a Gainesville-based community ministry, for its Transitional Living Restoration Program that provides transitional shelter and supplies for men in Hall County who are at-risk for homelessness.
- $15,000 to Mercy Health Center, in Athens, which provides healthcare to low-income and uninsured patients in Barrow, Clarke, Madison and Jackson counties, to increase access to lab services and comprehensive healthcare for its Underserved Patients Program.
- $15,000 to The Tree House, a children’s advocacy center working to reduce child abuse in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, for the Family Visitation Program, which provides a neutral, child-friendly environment for visits with children in foster care and their parents, enabling them to maintain and enhance family bonds, as well as providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children when reunited.
- $13,500 to Love.Craft Athens, for its Crew Sponsorship Program that sponsors adults with developmental disabilities in Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to engage in customized employment with local businesses.
- $10,000 to The ALS Association of Georgia, for its ALS Care Grant Program which assists people in all counties served by Jackson EMC who are affected by ALS, (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), a degenerative neurological disease, with expenses not covered by insurance.
- $10,000 to The Cancer Foundation, in Athens, for its Financial Assistance Program that assists eligible cancer patients in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties with transportation and housing expenses.
- $10,000 to NSPIRE Outreach Ministries Foundation, in Lawrenceville, for its Housing Program to assist with housing costs for homeless men and women of Gwinnett and Hall counties.
- $10,000 to Our Neighbor, Inc., a Gainesville grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges to reach their maximum level of independence, to assist with its Housing Assistance program for residents with disabilities.
- $8,271 to MedLink Georgia, Inc., a nonprofit primary medical care network that provides care to medically underserved people throughout Jackson EMC’s service area, for a newborn bilirubin testing meter at its new pediatric practice in Madison County.
- $7,500 to Bethel Haven, in Watkinsville, for its Mental Health Counseling Program that supports mental health services and therapeutic counseling sessions for distressed children, teens, adults and families in all counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $7,500 to Lekotek of Georgia, Inc., to assist with the expansion of its services at its Gwinnett and Gainesville locations that support children with special needs and their families to facilitate inclusion in community life.
- $5,000 to The Ark Family Preservation Center, Inc., for its Supervised Family Visitation Program, which provides a safe place for broken families in Banks, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to complete referral or court-ordered interactive parent training and family therapy.
Individual Recipients:
- $5,000 for assistance with bathroom renovations for a Hall County resident in need.
- $5,000 to provide roof repairs for a Hall County resident in need.
April 2023
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $251,371 in grants during its April meeting, including $246,371 to organizations and $5,000 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Adventure Bags Inc., for its Serving Children in Crisis, One Bag at a Time Program, to create comfort bags and distribute to displaced children through local DFCS offices, domestic violence shelters, fire departments, group homes and children’s shelters in Jackson EMC’s service area to provide comfort and security in a crisis.
- $15,000 to Books for Keeps, a nonprofit organization serving Clarke County for its Books as a Bridge Bookmobile summer program to provide guaranteed access to books during the summer to children who might otherwise have none.
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia, Homer, to provide 36 underprivileged third through sixth grade Banks County students referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that uses positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills, and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 to Camp Kudzu, to support 18-20 families for a year-round camping program for children and teens with diabetes, to help children from the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC attend a one-week overnight summer camp.
- $15,000 to Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization that offers year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programming for children facing serious illnesses and other challenges, to help children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its state-of-the-art, fully-accessible camp.
- $15,000 to DIVAS Who Win Freedom Center Inc., for its Freedom Experience and Freedom Boutique Program to assist with rent to create a safe space for women in Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Madison counties overcoming addictions, prostitution and sex trafficking.
- $15,000 to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM– GA), in Suwanee, for its Opportunities Academy Program to educate rising 10th and 11th grade students in Gwinnett County Public Schools in medicine, health and behavioral sciences.
- $15,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, for a parent-run nonprofit group in Suwanee that provides Gwinnett and Hall County families with support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to help disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program, with daily activities that teach social skills lessons.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent De Paul Society of Jefferson, for its Emergency Financial Assistance to Families in Crisis Program that provides funds for rent and mortgage to families in crisis.
- $15,000 to The Lawrenceville Cooperative, an emergency food bank for residents of Lawrenceville and Dacula in Gwinnett County, for its Emergency Assistance Program to purchase food from local food banks and/or local grocery stores.
- $15,000 to University of North Georgia Foundation Inc., for its Steps to College Program, which provides summer high school courses for English learners throughout Jackson EMC’s service area to earn credit toward graduation.
- $15,000 to YMCA of Athens, to help enable children in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to participate in its nine-week summer day camp project, which offers supervised sports and other activities, as well as teaches math, reading and values.
- $15,000 to Young Women's Christian Organization of Athens, to help 30 girls from low-income families attend the summer girls camp program, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls ages 5 to 14 from low-to-moderate income families and help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $11,675 to Connections for Special Parents (CSP) of Northeast Georgia, for its Summer Connections Program, which provides a camping experience for teens and young adults who have social, emotional, or developmental disabilities in Banks, Franklin and Madison counties.
- $10,000 to Camp Amplify, Winder, to provide 15 children ages eight to 12 from underserved communities with a week-long camping experience to develop character, leadership and teambuilding skills through a high adventure, overnight camp.
- $10,000 to MUST Ministries Inc., for its summer lunch program, which provides breakfast and lunch to needy children in Gwinnett County five days per week for nine weeks.
- $6,000 to Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS), a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to help provide 18 children the opportunity to build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills at Camp Hollywood in Lawrenceville.
- $5,000 to Foster Siblings Reunited, to enable children in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves to attend Camp to Belong summer camp, which reunites siblings living separately in foster care or other out-of-home care to strengthen relationships, increase self-esteem, create healthier attitudes and childhood memories.
- $5,000 to Freedom Path Counseling, to provide one-on-one and group counseling services for residents in Clarke, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Madison counties.
- $3,000 to Horizons Atlanta, for staff support for its Summer Enrichment Program for students living in marginalized areas in Clarke County to build on their literacy, mathematics, swimming and other life skills.
- $696 to The Craddock Center Inc., to provide 115 participants with books for its Summer Send Off Program, an educational and cultural program for young children and families in Lumpkin County.
Individual Recipient
- $5,000 for assistance with home plumbing repairs for a Jackson County resident in need.
February 2023
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $165,750 in grants during its February meeting, including $155,750 to organizations and $10,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Hi-Hope Service Center, Lawrenceville, to help fund part-time nursing and nutrition services for 20 Gwinnett County residents with developmental disabilities who require onsite nursing care for services, such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment.
- $20,000 to Hope Haven of Northeast Georgia, Athens, which serves adults with developmental disabilities in Banks, Barrow, Clarke and Jackson counties, for the community access kitchen expansion, including plumbing, electrical and appliances.
- $18,200 to Western Circuit Treatment and Accountability Court, Athens, to provide funding for respite apartments for participants in the TAC program, which is a partnership of court, law enforcement and community mental health treatment providers that jointly work to improve services to offenders with serious and persistent mental health issues.
- $18,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier, in Hall County for its Success Academy program that provides tutoring and educational enrichment activities for youth to achieve success in math and reading.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett-Walton Habitat for Humanity, to provide a HVAC unit, interior trim, doors, cabinets, flooring and vanities for house #154 in Gwinnett County.
- $15,000 to United Way of Hall County, for its Mental Health First Aid training program for people 55 and older who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis.
- $10,000 to Angel House, to provide entrance and program fees at the Gainesville recovery residence for women throughout the Jackson EMC service area with alcohol and/or drug addiction.
- $10,000 to H.O.P.E., Inc. (Helping Other People Be Empowered) in Duluth to help low-income single parents in Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties with childcare and housing, enabling them to attend classes and earn a college degree.
- $10,000 to My Sister’s Place Inc., a shelter for homeless women and children serving all counties in the Jackson EMC service area, for its residence assistance program.
- $10,000 to Sleep in Heavenly Peace—Belmont Chapter, in Gainesville for supplies to build 40 fully furnished twin beds for children ages 3-17 who sleep on floors or other inadequate situations without beds in Hall County.
- $5,000 to Just People Inc., Norcross, for its financial assistance program serving adults with developmental disabilities in Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $4,550 to Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, for Project Lifesaver, a search and rescue program, operated by public safety agencies for at-risk individuals who are prone to wandering.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $5,000 to provide an HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
- $5,000 to provide a roof replacement for a senior citizen.
December 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $82,500 in grants to organizations during its December meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Salvation Army—Athens, which serves Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, for its emergency shelter and feeding program, which provides shelter and meals to individuals and families in crises.
- $15,000 to Salvation Army—Gainesville, which serves Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, for its emergency shelter and feeding program, which provides shelter and meals to individuals and families in crises.
- $15,000 to Salvation Army—Gwinnett, for its Financial Emergency Services Program, which provides rent and mortgage assistance to Gwinnett County residents in need to prevent homelessness and stabilize families in crises.
- $10,000 to Eyes of Love Lighthouse Mission, Inc., a Buford-based grassroots ministry that collects and distributes clothes, food and furniture to needy families in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, to help with rent on the building housing the mission’s inventory.
- $10,000 to Family Promise of Hall County, a community effort to end the cycle of family homelessness, for its Little Steps Day Care program that provides free, temporary child care while parents search for employment.
- $8,000 to South Enotah Child Advocacy Center, Inc., for its trauma-focused therapy for child abuse victims in Banks, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties.
- $5,000 to Lydia’s Place, in Athens, for its Elevate program, an educational independent living skills program for students ages 17-24 in Barrow and Clarke counties who have experienced foster care or homelessness.
- $4,500 to Lumpkin County Family Connection, to purchase food for its Backpack Buddy program, which provides six meals, snacks and drinks each week to children identified by Family Advocacy as food insecure.
November 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $114,919 in grants during its November meeting, including $110,419 to organizations and $4,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients throughout the Jackson EMC service area with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves, gloves, and nutritional supplements.
- $15,000 to Mending the Gap, Inc., for its Save Our Seniors Program, which delivers a monthly care package of nutritious food, personal care items, cleaning supplies and toiletries to low-income seniors in Gwinnett County.
- $15,000 to Nothing but the Truth, Inc., to purchase food for its Weekend Food Bag Program for Gwinnett County public school children who have been identified by counselors as food insecure.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society—Flowery Branch, to fund direct aid for housing assistance Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson County families in crisis and food for their food pantry.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society—Winder, for its financial assistance program that provides funds to Barrow County families in crisis for rent and mortgage.
- $15,000 to Step by Step Recovery, Inc., an addiction recovery organization that provides a safe and structured environment for men and women in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties as they complete a 12-step program for drug and alcohol addiction, to provide rent for the men’s and women’s units.
- $7,500 to NOA’s Ark (No One Alone), for its Trauma Counseling Program, designed to serve adults and children in Gwinnett, Hall and Lumpkin counties recovering from family violence, child sexual assault, and dating violence.
- $5,100 to Aim To Be3, Inc., for its vocational skills training program for people with developmental and physical disabilities in Hall County.
- $5,000 to Burn Foundation of America, to provide patient and family services for burn victims throughout Jackson EMC’s service area.
- $2,819 to Reins of Life, Inc., a Franklin County nonprofit that offers hippotherapy treatment for special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help five clients from Franklin and Banks counties attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $4,500 to provide an HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
October 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $106,200 in grants to organizations during its October meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $16,200 to Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, Inc., to provide rehabilitation services for adults from Gwinnett County who are permanently disabled due to a traumatic brain injury.
- $15,000 to Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, Inc., to pay for eye surgeries for uninsured individuals in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties.
- $15,000 to Heirborn Servants, serving Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson counties, to provide assistance with its Give Rides program, which partners with community groups, transitional housing organizations and rideshare companies to ensure survivors of human trafficking or domestic violence can get to therapy and employment.
- $15,000 to J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA, in Lawrenceville, for its Afterschool Enrichment Program for at-risk youth from low-income families, to improve academic achievement and empower healthy living.
- $15,000 to Latin American Association, Inc., for its emergency rental assistance program for Gwinnett families in need.
- $15,000 to YMCA of Georgia’s Piedmont, Inc., in Winder, for its Pryme Tyme program providing homework help, sports, arts and crafts to children from economically disadvantaged families in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $10,000 to Buford First United Methodist Church, for its Sack Kids Hunger relief program that provides weekend food bags for children in need.
- $5,000 to Downtown Ministries, Inc., in Athens, to support the Daily Bread Community Kitchen, which serves nutritious meals to needy residents Monday through Friday.
September 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $102,000 in grants to organizations during its September meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gateway House, Inc., in Gainesville, to provide furniture and supplies for efficiency apartments and an indoor playground in its new domestic violence shelter, set to open in October 2022.
- $15,000 to Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett, Inc., in Norcross, for technology needs to operate its two full-service primary medical and dental care clinics serving uninsured patients in Gwinnett County.
- $15,000 to Hebron Community Health Center, Inc., in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit providing low-income, uninsured Gwinnett residents with medical and dental care, to fund the Next Step Project, which provides diagnostic referrals and testing and prescription medication and supplies.
- $15,000 to Hope Clinic, Inc., in Gwinnett County, for its mental health services program to uninsured patients in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Madison counties.
- $15,000 to Junior Achievement of Georgia, Inc., for program materials and supplies for the JA Biztown and JA Finance Park interactive programs that teach the concepts of financial literacy, business, entrepreneurship and career readiness to middle school students in Gwinnett County.
- $15,000 to Neighborhood Cooperative Ministry, Inc., in Norcross, for its Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which provides matching funds to assist clients with one month’s housing costs.
- $12,000 to Northeast Georgia Care, Inc. (dba Choices Pregnancy Center), in Gainesville, for its My Baby Counts program, which provides educational materials on parenting skills to pregnant women and new parents in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
August 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $117,500 in grants to organizations during its August meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Center Point GA, Inc., in Gainesville, for its Smart Girls program, which focuses on goal planning, social skills education, and decision-making as well as developing personal responsibility and safety for middle and high school students in Gainesville and Hall County schools.
- $15,000 to iServe Ministries, Inc., for its “Bags of Love” program, which delivers a backpack full of food to more than 225 families in Jackson County schools each week.
- $15,000 to Mosaic Georgia, Inc., formerly known as Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center & Children’s Advocacy Center, based in Duluth, to provide assistance for its Children’s Advocacy Center program that includes family aftercare and counseling for clients in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson counties.
- $15,000 to New Path 1010, Inc., a nonprofit organization targeting hunger and poverty in Barrow County, for its Weekend Food Bag Program.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent De Paul Society—Duluth, to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Gwinnett County families in crisis.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent De Paul Society—Gainesville, to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Hall County families in crisis.
- $10,000 to Georgia Healthy Family Alliance, Inc., to provide curriculum supplies for its Tar Wars Strike Force program, an anti-tobacco and anti-vaping education and prevention program targeting 4th and 5th graders in Banks, Barrow, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin county schools.
- $7,500 to Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, Inc., for its Ag Experience Mobile Classroom designed for grades 3-5 throughout Jackson EMC’s service area.
- $5,000 to Connect Ability, Inc., based in Dahlonega, for its Sidekicks Respite program designed for people with disabilities and their caregivers in Gwinnett, Hall and Lumpkin counties.
- $5,000 to Georgia Options, Inc., in Athens, for its Person-Centered Support Program serving people with developmental disabilities in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson and Madison counties.
July 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $124,000 in grants to organizations during its July meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta—Gwinnett, divided between the Norcross and Lawrenceville clubs’ Power Hour programs, part of its overall Academic Success program that provides club members with daily support, resources and guidance needed to complete school assignments while maintaining educational confidence and ability.
- $19,500 to The Next Stop Foundation, Inc., to serve 20 Gwinnett County residents for 25 weeks with programming for adults with special needs, intellectual disabilities, autism or brain injuries.
- $15,000 to Corners Outreach, Inc., in Peachtree Corners, to help purchase a van to transport students in Title 1 schools to its Corners Academy, which works with students and families to help break the cycle of poverty through personalized tutoring programs, summer camp and parent workshops.
- $15,000 to Food to Kids Madison County, Inc., a program promoting literacy by alleviating hunger in children, to purchase food for its Weekend Backpack Program that provides food for the weekend to families who have been identified by counselors in four Madison County elementary schools as food insecure.
- $15,000 to Piedmont Athens Regional Foundation, for its breast care screening and diagnostics program serving women in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $14,500 to Sugar Hill United Methodist Church, for its Free Food and Hygiene Pantry, which provides fresh food, pantry goods and hygiene products for the homeless at the Buford-Sugar Hill branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library System.
- $10,000 to Children First, Inc., based in Athens, for its Safe Care Home Visiting program serving families in Barrow, Clarke and Jackson counties.
- $5,000 to Bigger Vision of Athens, Inc., for its Emergency Shelter Program that provides shelter, food, showers, laundry and other basic necessities for the homeless in Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $5,000 to Canopy Studio, Inc., in Athens, for its aerial arts program that serves students with autism, developmental disabilities, behavioral and emotional disorders in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $5,000 to Childkind, Inc., serving all Jackson EMC communities, for its foster family recruitment program for children with mental health challenges.
June 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $98,460 in grants for organizations during its June meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Annandale Village, a nonprofit community serving adults with developmental disabilities or traumatic brain injury, to provide funding for renovation supplies, including flooring, paint and trim, for the Broyles home.
- $15,000 to Family Promise of Athens, a network of area congregations and more than 1,000 volunteers, for its Preventing and Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness Program that provides temporary housing and services to homeless families in need.
- $15,000 to Georgia Mountains YMCA, in Gainesville, to help underprivileged elementary and middle school students attend its afterschool program, which provides a safe environment with homework assistance, enrichment activities, relationship building, sports, games and arts and crafts on site at elementary schools in Banks and Hall counties.
- $10,000 to Athens Area Diaper Bank, to provide diapers for low-income families in Clarke County.
- $10,000 to Judy House, for its transitional housing program, which provides resources, counseling and emergency housing for men released from corrective programs.
- $9,600 to Families 4 Families, a nonprofit agency that recruits, trains, and supports foster families serving all Jackson EMC counties, for the home study approval process.
- $9,360 to Joy Community Kitchen, to provide 12 months of meals for vulnerable seniors through the Duluth Cooperative.
- $7,500 to Rotary Club of Gainesville, for its Accessibility Ramp Program for people with disabilities or other mobility challenges.
- $7,000 to Rachel’s Gift, an organization providing specialized bereavement care for parents who have lost a child to miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death, for its pregnancy and infant loss grief support program in all Jackson EMC counties.
May 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $144,928 in grants for organizations during its May meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Jackson County Habitat for Humanity, Inc., for electrical, drywall, plumbing, and a HVAC system for its 19th home.
- $20,000 to SISU of Georgia, Inc., a Gainesville nonprofit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $19,828 to Boy Scouts of America – NEGA Council, serving all Jackson EMC counties, to provide uniforms, handbooks and camp fees to help underprivileged youth participate in scouting.
- $16,500 to Madison County Habitat for Humanity, Inc., for plumbing, insulation, HVAC, electrical, driveway and a HVAC system for its 10th home.
- $15,000 to Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, to provide the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, a program that impacts 15 developmental outcomes that help girls discover their own strengths, connect with others in healthy relationships and become more resourceful problem solvers, for 200 Gwinnett County girls from low-income households.
- $15,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run nonprofit group in Suwanee that provides Gwinnett and Hall County families with support, education and resources-pro for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to help disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program, with daily activities that teach social skills lessons.
- $10,000 to Camp Amplify, in Winder, to provide 15 children ages eight to 12 from underserved communities with a week-long camping experience to develop character, leadership and teambuilding skills through a high adventure, overnight camp.
- $10,000 to Camp Kudzu, a year-round camping program for children and teens with diabetes, to help children from the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC attend a one-week overnight summer camp.
- $10,000 to Wheels of Hope, in Athens, for its transportation services program that provides rides for disabled and elderly residents in Barrow, Clarke, Hall, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $8,600 to Connections for Special Parents (CSP) of Northeast Georgia, for its Summer Connections Program, which provides a camping experience for teens and young adults who have social, emotional, or developmental disabilities in Banks, Franklin and Madison counties.
April 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $166,317 in grants, including $163,292 to organizations and $3,025 to an individual, during its April meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Extra Special People, in Watkinsville, to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to attend an eight-week camp experience where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $20,000 to L.A.M.P. Ministries, Inc., in Gainesville, for its Community Youth and Children’s program, which combines group and individual counseling, community activities and mentoring to provide high risk youth in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties with a positive alternative to gangs, drugs and other delinquent behaviors.
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia, in Homer, to provide 50 underprivileged third through sixth grade Banks County students referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that uses positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills, and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 to Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization that offers year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programming for children facing serious illness and other challenges, to help children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its state-of-the-art, fully-accessible camp.
- $15,000 to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM– GA), in Suwanee, to provide anatomy equipment and supplies for its science and math summer academy for rising 10th and 11th grade students in Gwinnett County Public Schools.
- $15,000 to University of North Georgia Foundation, Inc., for its Steps to College Program, which provides summer high school courses for English learners throughout Jackson EMC’s service area to earn credit toward graduation.
- $13,292 to Books for Keeps, Inc., an Athens nonprofit offering the Stop Summer Slide program that improves Clarke County children’s reading achievement, to provide books for summer reading to children at Gaines Elementary School.
- $12,500 to Young Women’s Christian Organization, in Athens, to help 30 girls from low-income families attend the Girls Club, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls age 5 to 14 from low-to-moderate income families and help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $10,000 to Gainesville Housing Corporation, which provides working poor families of Hall County affordable living environments, improved quality of living, economic opportunities and fair housing, to provide materials for the curriculum-based RISE Summer Education Program for low-income and at-risk youth of Gainesville and Hall County.
- $10,000 to MUST Ministries, Inc., for its summer lunch program, which provides breakfast and lunch to needy children in Gwinnett County five days per week for nine weeks.
- $7,500 to Tiny Stitches, Inc., in Suwanee, to provide materials and supplies for their network of volunteers to handcraft a 28- to 32-piece layette of clothing and blankets to keep an infant warm and dry for the first three months of life, donated to mothers in Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $5,000 to Bridge the Gap Ministries, Inc., for its rental assistance program serving low-income and homeless families in Gwinnett County.
- $5,000 to Foster Siblings Reunited (Camp to Belong), to enable children in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves to attend summer camp and Virtual Sibling Connection events, which reunites siblings living separately in foster care or other out-of-home care to strengthen relationships, increase self-esteem, create healthier attitudes and childhood memories.
Individual Recipient:
- $3,025 for dental work and dentures for a low-income citizen.
March 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $115,871 in grants, including $106,626 to organizations and $9,245 to individuals, during its March meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to YMCA of Athens, to help enable children in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to participate in its nine-week Summer Day Camp project, which offers supervised sports and other activities, as well as teaches math, reading and values.
- $15,000 to American Red Cross, to provide disaster relief, including food, shelter, personal needs and clothing, to families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett County Public Library, a 15-branch library system serving more than 957,000 residents, to provide financial assistance for the Career Online High School, the only program in Gwinnett County that provides an accredited high school diploma program for adults.
- $10,000 to Foundation of Wesley Woods, for Lanier Gardens of Athens, to help provide a wellness nurse to provide preventative care support, especially fall reduction, to foster independent living among its senior citizen residents.
- $10,000 to Georgia Conflict Center, Inc., in Athens, for its Restorative Justice Diversion Program in Clarke and Gwinnett county schools, which empowers crime victims and helps perpetrators reintegrate into community.
- $10,000 to Peachtree Christian Health, Inc., an adult day memory center serving home hospice patients, the elderly and disabled veterans in Gwinnett and Hall counties, to provide a part-time program assistant for its Memory Care Program.
- $9,000 to Prevent Child Abuse Athens, a grassroots organization focused on ending neglect and abuse of children in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to provide assistance with the First Steps primary prevention program, which offers support, parenting education materials and community resources and referrals to new parents to help them with the challenges of parenting.
- $6,000 to FOCUS (Families of Children Under Stress), a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to help provide 18 children the opportunity to build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills at Camp Hollywood in Lawrenceville.
- $5,000 to Ark Family Preservation Center, Inc., which serves families in need of therapeutic support to help them remain unified and prevent abuse, for its Supervised Family Visitation Program that provides supervised visitation for children in foster care, in Banks, Franklin, Jackson and Madison counties.
- $3,476 to Jackson County Extension 4-H to provide materials and equipment for its 4H2O program that educates youth and families about water conservation, water pollution and the water cycle.
- $2,500 to Spirit of Joy Food Pantry, located in Flowery Branch, which distributes food to those in need in Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, to purchase food.
- $650 to The Craddock Center, Inc., for its Summer Send Off program, which provides books to 125 children in the Lumpkin County Head Start program for summer reading.
Individual Recipients:
- $5,000 for a heating and air unit for a senior citizen.
- $2,500 for roof repairs for a senior citizen.
- $1,745 for roof repairs for a senior citizen.
February 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $147,500 in grants, including $137,500 to organizations and $10,000 to individuals, during its February meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Hi-Hope Service Center, Inc., in Lawrenceville, to help fund part-time nursing and nutrition services for 20 developmentally disabled Gwinnett residents who require onsite nursing care for services such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment.
- $20,000 to North Gwinnett Cooperative., for its Prescription Assistance Program, which covers the cost of non-narcotic/controlled substance prescriptions for senior citizens and families who qualify for assistance, to provide consistent access to medication when costs or co-pays are too much.
- $17,500 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County, to provide supplies, materials and technology for its academic development and achievement program in the Jefferson and Commerce club locations.
- $15,000 to Children’s Center for Hope and Healing, Inc., in Gainesville, to provide children in Barrow, Banks, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties who have been sexually abused with therapy to reduce trauma symptoms such as nightmares, bed wetting, anxiousness, depression, anger, fatigue and self-hatred, and to decrease their families’ sense of isolation, strengthen the family, assist with parent-child attachment and family functioning.
- $15,000 to Good News Clinics, in Gainesville, which provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Hall County, to provide clients of its Sam Poole Medical Clinic with laboratory tests and non-narcotic medications for clients in need.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett-Walton Habitat for Humanity, to provide interior trim and doors, cabinets, vanities, HVAC unit and flooring for house #153 in Gwinnett County.
- $15,000 to Lawrenceville Cooperative, an emergency food bank for residents of Lawrenceville and Dacula in Gwinnett County, for its Emergency Assistance Program to purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
- $10,000 to Asian American Resource Foundation, in Duluth, providing supportive services to members of the community in need, for its Rapid Re-Housing Program that provides low-income homeless families with safe and affordable permanent housing within 30 days of program entry.
- $10,000 to Vision to Learn, to provide free vision screenings, eye exams and prescription glasses for K-12 students in need in Gwinnett County schools.
Individual Recipients:
- $5,000 for a heating and air unit for a senior citizen who is disabled.
- $5,000 for a heating and air unit for a person with a brain injury.
January 2022
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $102,300 in grants to organizations during its January meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $18,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Winder-Barrow, for its Goals for Graduation program that uses goals for school attendance, homework completion and positive study habits to promote academic achievement in middle and high school-aged members.
- $15,000 to Georgia Mountain Food Bank, Inc., which serves Hall and Lumpkin counties, for its Prescriptive Food Box program, which provides healthy food and nutrition information tailored for low-income patients with cancer, diabetes or cardiac disease.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lawrenceville, for its financial assistance program that provides funds for rent and mortgage to Gwinnett County families in crisis.
- $10,000 to Gainesville/Hall County Alliance for Literacy, to provide instructors for basic literacy classes for adults 16 and older, and GED preparation classes for students who have not completed high school.
- $10,000 to Our Neighbor, Inc., a Gainesville grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges to reach their maximum level of independence, to assist with its independent living program for residents with disabilities.
- $10,000 to Palm House Recovery Center, in Athens, for its indigent services program for men and women throughout the Jackson EMC service area recovering from substance abuse.
- $10,000 to Madison County Rotary Foundation, to purchase materials for handicap ramps, which are constructed by Rotary Club members for local individuals who cannot afford them, increasing their general mobility and improving safety in the event they need to evacuate their home.
- $9,300 to Harmony House Child Advocacy Center, Inc., in Royston, which serves survivors of sexual assault in Franklin, Madison, and Oglethorpe counties, for its Survivor Therapeutic Services Program.
- $5,000 to Ferst Readers, Inc., for its Readers Program that provides books to children under the age of five to improve childhood literacy in Franklin County.
December 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $74,781 in grants during its December meeting, including $60,000 to organizations and $14,781 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Adventure Bags, Inc., an Auburn-based nonprofit that creates comfort bags and distributes them to displaced children through local DFCS offices, domestic violence shelters, fire departments, group homes and children’s shelters in Jackson EMC’s service area to provide comfort and security in a crisis.
- $15,000 to Jackson County Certified Literacy Community Program, to provide financial assistance for students to take the GED exam.
- $10,000 to Angel House of Georgia, Inc., a Gainesville recovery residence for women with alcohol and/or drug addiction, to enable indigent women with no financial resources or support in the counties served by Jackson EMC to participate in the program by covering entrance fees and one month of living expenses.
- $10,000 to Eyes of Love Lighthouse Mission, Inc., a Buford-based grassroots ministry that collects and distributes clothes, food and furniture to needy families in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, to help with rent on the building housing the mission’s inventory.
- $10,000 to J’s Place Recovery Center, which provides support services for Hall County residents recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, to help purchase a vehicle to transport clients to the center.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $4,781 to obtain a city water connection for a senior citizen.
- $5,000 to fund roof repairs for a senior citizen.
- $5,000 to fund plumbing repairs for a person with disabilities.
November 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $74,705 in grants during its November meeting, including $67,319 to organizations and $7,386 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to City of Hope Athens, to purchase food for its backpack feeding program that serves students in Athens-Clarke County schools.
- $15,000 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients throughout the Jackson EMC service area with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves, gloves and nutritional supplements.
- $15,000 to Nothing But the Truth, Inc., a Dacula faith-based organization dedicated to meeting needs in the community, to purchase food for its Weekend Food Bag Program that provides food for the weekend to Gwinnett County public school children who have been identified by counselors as food insecure.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society—Jefferson, for its financial assistance program that provides funds to families in Jackson and Banks counties in crisis for rent and mortgage.
- $5,000 to Lumpkin County Family Connection, to purchase food for its Backpack Buddy program, which provides six meals, snacks and drinks each week to children identified by Family Advocacy as food insecure.
- $2,319 to Reins of Life, Inc., a Franklin County nonprofit that offers hippotherapy treatment for special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help five clients from Franklin and Banks counties attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,661 to purchase a lift seat for a senior citizen.
- $4,725 to fund bathroom repairs to make a home assessable for a disabled citizen.
October 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $80,900 in grants to organizations during its October meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,900 to Medlink Georgia, a nonprofit primary medical care network that provides care to medically underserved people throughout Jackson EMC’s service area, to purchase two retinal screening machines.
- $15,000 to Barrow Ministry Village, a Winder nonprofit that provides food distribution, foster family resources and affordable counseling services to needy families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett and Jackson counties, to provide counseling for individuals struggling with PTSD, anxiety and other family issues.
- $15,000 to Ser Familia, Inc., a comprehensive social services program for Latino families in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties, to provide youth programming for students experiencing significant learning loss and anxiety/depression due to COVID.
- $10,000 to Gwinnett Citizens Fire Academy Alumni Association, Inc., a Lawrenceville-based nonprofit promoting and supporting fire safety education, to provide carbon monoxide alarms and stove top-fire stop devices, an automatic stove top fire suppressor designed to prevent unattended cooking fires, for needy Gwinnett residents.
- $10,000 to Helping Mamas, Inc., to provide essential baby items, not available through public assistance programs, to Gwinnett and Hall County women and children in need.
- $10,000 to NOA’s Ark, Inc., for its Trauma Counseling Program, designed to serve adults and children in Gwinnett, Hall and Lumpkin counties recovering from family violence, child sexual assault, and dating violence.
- $5,000 to Burn Foundation of America, to provide financial assistance with purchasing specialized pressure garments and distraction therapy supplies, which assist in healing and help reduce stress during procedures, for burn patients and their families in all Jackson EMC counties.
September 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $75,000 in grants, including $70,000 to organizations and $5,000 to an individual, during its September meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Salvation Army - Gwinnett, for its Financial Emergency Services Program, which provides rent and mortgage assistance to Gwinnett County residents in need to prevent homelessness and stabilize families in crises.
- $15,000 to Salvation Army - Athens, which serves Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, for its emergency shelter and feeding program, which provides shelter and meals to individuals and families in crises.
- $15,000 to Salvation Army – Gainesville, which serves Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, for its Financial Emergency Services Program that provides rent and mortgage assistance to residents in need to prevent homelessness and stabilize families in crisis.
- $10,000 to Good News at Noon, a Gainesville-based community ministry and transitional shelter serving men from Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties, providing daily meals and weekly bags of groceries, to purchase technology that will increase efficiency of the meal ministry, food pantry and volunteer management.
- $10,000 to Next Generation Focus, Inc., which serves at-risk students in grades PreK-10 in metro Atlanta, for its SmarterMe® Program that provides tutoring, homework assistance and enrichment activities to underserved students in Gwinnett County Public Schools.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $5,000 to provide roof repairs for a medically-fragile citizen.
August 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $112,173 in grants, including $102,173 to organizations and $10,000 to individuals, during its August meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Hebron Community Health Center, in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit providing low-income, uninsured Gwinnett residents with medical and dental care, to fund the Next Step Project, which provides diagnostic referrals and testing and prescription medication and supplies.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society of Flowery Branch, to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall county families in crisis.
- $14,644 to Habitat for Humanity of Hall County, to purchase materials such as appliances, cabinets, flooring, and paint for its 68th house, being built for a needy family.
- $12,000 to Buford First Methodist Church, for its Sack Kids Hunger relief program that provides weekend food bags for children in need.
- $10,000 to United Way of Hall County, for its Mental Health First Aid training program for people age 55+ who may be experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis.
- $10,000 to Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation, Inc., for its Hands on Historic Athens program, which provides assistance for home maintenance and modest repairs for low-income families so they can remain in their historic homes.
- $10,000 to Wellroot Family Services (formerly United Methodist Children’s Home of North Georgia), in Gainesville, which provides financial assistance for foster care development, training, recruitment and community building throughout Jackson EMC’s service area, to help close the gap between the need in Northeast Georgia and the number of available homes.
- $5,550 to Wellspring Living, to provide furnishings and kitchen appliances for its women’s residential program in Gwinnett County, which serves victims of sex trafficking and exploitation.
- $5,000 to Skye Precious Kids, to provide resources to Gwinnett County families in financial crisis who are caring for children facing life threatening illnesses and disabilities through its Precious Health program.
- $4,979 to Lawrenceville First Baptist Church, for its First Book Club 165, which will provide 2,405 books to Pre-K, kindergarten and first grade students at Lawrenceville and Winn Holt elementary schools.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to provide septic tank repairs for a senior citizen.
- $5,000 to provide roof repairs for a senior citizen.
July 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $110,102 in grants, including $97,600 to organizations and $13,502 to individuals, during its July meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society, Gainesville, to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Hall County families in crisis.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society, Winder, for its financial assistance program that provides funds to Barrow County families in crisis for rent, mortgage, and food.
- $15,000 to Step by Step Recovery, Inc., a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization that provides a safe and structured environment for men and women in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties as they complete a 12-step program for drug and alcohol addiction, to assist with rent for the men’s and women’s units.
- $15,000 to YMCA of Georgia’s Piedmont, Inc., in Winder, for its Pryme Tyme program providing homework help, sports, arts and crafts to children from economically disadvantaged families in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $10,000 to Community Helping Place, in Lumpkin County, to help fund the Health Navigator program, which provides case management for low-income and uninsured patients at its medical clinic.
- $10,000 to H.O.P.E., Inc. (Helping Other People Be Empowered) in Duluth to help low-income single parents in Gwinnett and Hall counties with childcare and housing, enabling them to attend classes and earn a college degree.
- $10,000 to PTSD Foundation of America, Georgia Chapter, for its peer mentoring program and warrior support groups for veterans in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson counties.
- $6,500 to North GA Interfaith Ministries, Inc., in Dahlonega, for furniture and appliances for its transitional housing program, which assists homeless families from Lumpkin County find safe, stable housing; and for its Sammie & Sally Satchel Buddies program, which provides new backpacks filled with personal items for children experiencing homelessness.
- $1,100 to Ryan’s Case for Smiles, Georgia Chapter, in Clarke County, to purchase materials for volunteers to make personal pillowcases for pediatric hospital patients.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $4,352 to provide an HVAC unit for a needy family.
- $4,150 to provide an HVAC unit for a senior citizen receiving cancer treatment.
June 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $119,500 in grants to organizations during its June meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett, serving students and young adults with neuromuscular and developmental disabilities from Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties, to renovate a building for its Young Adults Learning Life Skills (YALL) adult day program for individuals who have graduated from or aged out of the school program.
- $17,000 to Eagle Ranch, a 310-acre Flowery Branch campus serving Northeast Georgia boys and girls in crisis, to help provide therapeutic counseling sessions for both children and families.
- $15,000 to Boy With a Ball, to provide curriculum materials for the Velocity Cross Age Mentoring program that pairs high school mentors in Gwinnett County with middle school students to cultivate connectedness, self-esteem, identity and academic skills.
- $15,000 to J.M. Tull Gwinnett Family YMCA, in Lawrenceville, for its Afterschool Enrichment Program for at-risk youth from low-income families, to improve academic achievement and empower healthy living.
- $15,000 to The Tree House, a children’s advocacy center working to reduce child abuse in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, for the Family Services Supervised Visitation Program, which provides a neutral, child-friendly environment for visits between children in foster care and their parents, enabling them to maintain and enhance family bonds, as well as providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children when reunited.
- $15,000 to Sexual Assault Center and Children’s Advocacy Center, in Athens, for its Victim Assistance Program at The Cottage, which provides for survivors of sexual assault in Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties with access to therapeutic intervention to begin the healing process.
- $10,000 to Athens Community Council on Aging, Inc., serving Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Madison counties, for healthcare screenings and monitoring for families participating in the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program, which supports grandparents who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren.
- $7,500 to Nuci’s Space, an Athens nonprofit organization working to prevent suicide among musicians in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, for is counseling assistance program.
- $5,000 to Heirborn Servants, Inc., serving Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Madison counties, to provide assistance with its Give Rides program, which partners with community groups, transitional housing organizations and rideshare companies to ensure survivors of human trafficking or domestic violence can get to therapy and employment.
May 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $96,500 in grants, including $88,500 to organizations and $8,000 to individuals, during its May meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Hope Clinic, in Lawrenceville, which specializes in internal medicine and chronic care management for low-income patients to help them avoid costly hospitalizations, for one year of care in the Chronic Care Management Program for diabetic patients who qualify as extremely low income per federal guidelines.
- $15,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run nonprofit group in Suwanee that provides Gwinnett and Hall County families with support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to help disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program, with daily activities that teach social skills lessons.
- $10,500 to Bethany Christian Services of Georgia, to help provide financial assistance for foster care development and training throughout the Jackson EMC service area.
- $10,000 to Camp Amplify, in Winder, to provide 15 children ages eight to 12 from underserved communities with a week-long camping experience to develop character, leadership and teambuilding skills through a high adventure, overnight camp.
- $10,000 to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Georgia Chapter, to help provide financial support for the patient travel assistance program, which aids qualified patients receiving blood cancer treatment to pay for treatment-related transportation expenses in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves.
- $10,000 to Quinlan Visual Arts Center, in Gainesville, to help provide for free or reduced cost participation in the Summer Art Program for 90 children and teens in underserved communities in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties.
- $10,000 to Reboot Jackson, a recovery community organization in Jefferson that provides peer support and resources to people recovering from substance abuse and mental health challenges, to help purchase a vehicle to support its Peer Engagement program, which provides services for clients overcoming barriers related to employment in Banks, Barrow, Clarke and Jackson counties.
- $5,000 to Muscular Dystrophy Association, to provide technology and program materials for a virtual summer camp for children living with neuromuscular disease in all of Jackson EMC's service area.
- $3,000 to Iron Horse Therapy, Inc., in Milton, to provide hippotherapy treatment for children and youth with special needs from Gwinnett and Lumpkin counties to attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $5,000 to provide a HVAC unit for a person receiving treatment for cancer.
- $3,000 to provide a HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
April 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded $112,000 in grants, including $107,000 to organizations and $5,000 to an individual, during its April meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia, in Homer, to provide 55 underprivileged third through sixth grade Banks County students referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that uses positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills, and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 to Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization that offers year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programming for children facing serious illness and other challenges, to help children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its state-of-the-art, fully-accessible camp.
- $15,000 to Extra Special People, in Watkinsville, to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to attend an eight-week camp experience where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $15,000 to Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program held at the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus to help at-risk middle and high school Hall County students prepare for college and careers by concentrating on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $10,500 to Young Women’s Christian Organization, in Athens, to help 65 girls from low-income families attend the Girls Club, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls age 5to 14 from low-to-moderate income families, and help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $10,000 to Butterfly Dreams Farm Therapeutic Riding Program, Inc., in Watkinsville, to provide hippotherapy treatment for special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help families from Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
- $10,000 to Georgia Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Inc., to provide program funding to enable junior and senior high school students in Barrow and Jackson counties with disabilities from the Jackson EMC service area to participate in the Manufacturing Institute at Lanier Technical College, which offers training for participants to earn Department of Labor certifications.
- $5,000 to Acceptance Recovery Center, a nonprofit long-term recovery residence for adults assessed as high risk with a primary substance use disorder in Athens, to provide support to complete renovations for a facility to house the Alumni Care Transition Program, which provides continuous accountability for clients to overcome barriers into independent living.
- $5,000 to Downtown Ministries, in Athens, to support the Daily Bread Community Kitchen, which serves nutritious meals to needy residents Monday through Friday.
- $4,000 to Gainesville Housing Corporation, which provides working poor families of Hall County affordable living environments, improved quality of living, economic opportunities and fair housing, to provide materials for the curriculum-based RISE Summer Education Program for low-income and at-risk youth of Gainesville and Hall County.
- $2,500 to Foster Siblings Reunited (d/b/a Camp to Belong), to enable children in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves to attend summer camp and Virtual Sibling Connection events, which reunites siblings living separately in foster care or other out-of-home care to strengthen relationships, increase self-esteem, create healthier attitudes and childhood memories.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $5,000 to provide a HVAC unit for a person receiving treatment for cancer.
March 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a $99,705 in grants, including $94,705 to organizations and $5,000 to an individual, during its March meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gwinnett County Public Library, to purchase its Kitchen a’ la Cart, an interactive, mobile culinary cart outfitted with supplies and video equipment to stream programming, which teaches nutrition, math, science, languages and history, for individuals of all ages in Gwinnett County.
- $15,000 to L.A.M.P. Ministries, Inc., in Gainesville, for its Community Youth and Children’s program, which combines group and individual counseling, community activities and mentoring to provide high risk youth in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties with a positive alternative to gangs, drugs and other delinquent behaviors.
- $15,000 to YMCA of Athens, Inc., to help enable children in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison, and Oglethorpe counties to participate in its nine-week Summer Day Camp project, which offers supervised sports and other activities, as well as teaches math, reading and values.
- $12,700 to Mercy Health Center, Inc., in Athens, which provides healthcare to low-income and uninsured patients in Barrow, Clarke, Madison and Jackson counties, for a COVID-19 testing reader and 500 test kits for flu, strep and COVID-19.
- $12,500 to Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), to provide anatomy equipment and supplies for its science and math summer academy for rising 10th and 11th grade students in Gwinnett County Public Schools.
- $10,000 to Judy House Ministry, a faith-based transition home for homeless men who have been incarcerated or under community supervision in Barrow, Gwinnett, and Hall counties, to provide housing assistance.
- $8,500 to Books for Keeps, Inc., an Athens nonprofit offering the Stop Summer Slide program that improves Clarke County children’s reading achievement, to provide books for summer reading to children at Whitehead Road Elementary School, where 74 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced lunches.
- $5,000 to Tiny Stitches, in Suwanee, to provide materials and supplies for their network of volunteers to handcraft a 28- to 32-piece layette of clothing and blankets to keep an infant warm and dry for the first three months of life, donated to mothers in Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $1,005 to Royston Housing Authority, for its Being Me and Drug Free Program targeting youth aged 11-18, to provide supplies for its summer program that includes a raised bed garden and farm-to-table cooking projects.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $5,000 to provide a HVAC unit for a disabled citizen.
February 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $80,000 in grants to organizations during its February meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, Inc., an emergency food bank for residents of Lawrenceville and Dacula in Gwinnett County, for its Emergency Assistance Program to purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
- $15,000 to Neighborhood Cooperative Ministry, Inc., for its Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides a four-to-five-day supply of food to needy residents in the Norcross area of Gwinnett County, to purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
- $15,000 to Mending the Gap, Inc., a Lawrenceville-based nonprofit organization serving the basic needs of low-income seniors, to help purchase a freezer, refrigerator, toiletries, groceries and storage space and shelving for food storage for its Save Our Seniors Project, which delivers a monthly care package of nutritious food, personal care items, cleaning supplies and toiletries.
- $15,000 to Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, Inc., a Stone Mountain nonprofit organization that helps individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury to regain employment and life skills, to provide rehabilitation services for adults from Gwinnett County who are permanently disabled due to traumatic brain injury.
- $10,000 to CHRIS 180 (Creativity, Honor, Respect, Integrity and Safety) Gwinnett Counseling Center, with a mission to heal children, strengthen families and build community, to assist children, teens and families receive trauma-informed counseling in order to heal, building coping resiliency skills and thrive.[SA1]
- $7,500 to Rainbow Children’s Home, a Dahlonega shelter for abused and neglected girls serving all counties in Jackson EMC’s service area, to help fund programs that go beyond the basics of food, clothing and shelter to provide services such as substance abuse treatment, independence and wellness training, and family reunification services.
- $2,500 to Spirit of Joy Food Pantry, located in Flowery Branch, which distributes food to those in need in Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, to purchase food.
January 2021
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $155,648 in grants during its January meeting, including $137,500 to organizations and $18,148 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Barrow County Habitat for Humanity, to purchase materials, such as drywall, insulation, plumbing, interior construction and an HVAC unit, that have not been donated for a house being built for a partner family.
- $15,000 to Center Point, GA, Inc., in Gainesville, for its Smart Girls program, which focuses on goal planning, social skills education, and decision-making as well as developing personal responsibility and safety for middle and high school students in Gainesville and Hall County schools.
- $15,000 to Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Inc., to help underserved girls in Barrow and Clarke counties participate in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, which prepares girls with the skills and experiences they need to empower themselves for life.
- $15,000 to Hi-Hope Service Center, in Lawrenceville, to help fund part-time nursing and nutrition services for 20 developmentally disabled Gwinnett residents who require onsite nursing care for services such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment.
- $15,000 to Junior Achievement of Georgia, Inc., for program materials, support materials and supplies for the JA Biztown and JA Finance Park interactive programs that teach the concepts of financial literacy, business, entrepreneurship and career readiness to Gwinnett County Public Schools middle school students.
- $15,000 to Mosaic Georgia, formerly known as Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center & Children’s Advocacy Center, based in Duluth, to provide assistance for its Children’s Advocacy Center program that includes family aftercare and counseling for clients in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson counties.
- $15,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lawrenceville, for its financial assistance program that provides funds for rent and mortgage to Gwinnett County families in crisis.
- $10,000 to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, to provide support for its mental health counseling program, which works to improve mental functioning and increase coping skills for vulnerable citizens in Gwinnett County through trained bilingual counselors.
- $10,000 to Gainesville/Hall County Alliance for Literacy, to purchase materials and provide instructors for basic literacy classes for adults 16 and older, and GED preparation classes for students who have not completed high school.
- $7,500 to Rotary Club of Madison County Foundation, to purchase materials for handicap ramps, which are constructed by Rotary Club members for local individuals who cannot afford them, increasing their general mobility and improving safety in the event they need to evacuate their home.
- $5,000 to Lumpkin County Literacy Coalition, to allow children under the age of five to participate in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program that provides monthly age-appropriate books, supporting childhood literacy and success in school.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to replace an HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
- $5,000 to help build a handicap accessible bathroom for a senior citizen.
- $5,000 to provide assistance replacing a heating system for a senior citizen.
- $3,148 to provide dental services for a kidney transplant recipient.
December 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $92,808 in grants during its December meeting, including $85,908 to organizations and $6,900 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to American Red Cross, to provide disaster relief, including food, shelter, personal needs and clothing, to families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier, Inc., in Hall County for its Success Academy program that provides tutoring and educational enrichment activities for youth to achieve success in math and reading.
- $15,000 to Madison County Senior Center, to provide assistance with purchasing a vehicle for its Meals on Wheel program, which delivers hot, nutritious, mid-day meals five days per week to home-bound or disabled senior citizens.
- $10,000 to Angel House of Georgia, Inc., a Gainesville recovery residence for women with alcohol and/or drug addiction, to enable indigent women with no financial resources or support in the counties served by Jackson EMC to participate in the program by covering entrance fees and one month of living expense, offering these women a second chance at life so they can become productive members of society.
- $10,000 to Eyes of Love Lighthouse Mission, Inc., in Buford, a grassroots ministry that collects and distributes clothes, food and furniture to needy families in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, to help with rent on the building housing the mission’s inventory.
- $10,000 to Our Neighbor, Inc., a Gainesville grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges to reach their maximum level of independence, to assist with its independent living program for residents with disabilities.
- $5,908 to Athens-Clarke County High School Completion Initiative, Inc., whose mission is to reduce high school dropout and increase the readiness of at-risk, low-income youth for post-secondary pursuits, for its Education Matters-MEU Radio-Athens program, which trains young people in the field of mass media and audio production to create radio programming.
- $5,000 to Adults Protecting Children, Inc., to provide workbooks and resource materials for the Stewards of Children program, which offers child sexual abuse prevention training in Banks, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall and Lumpkin counties.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to replace an HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
- $1,900 to provide assistance replacing a heating system for a senior citizen.
November 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $72,319 in grants to organizations during its November meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gateway House, Inc., a Hall County nonprofit serving survivors of domestic violence and their children, to provide emergency legal assistance in requesting, filing and enforcing a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) and safety planning to keep abusive partners from having contact with or harassing domestic violence victims.
- $15,000 to Northeast Georgia Care, Inc., in Gainesville, for its My Baby Counts program, which provides educational materials on parenting skills to pregnant women and new parents in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin and Madison counties.
- $10,000 to Asian American Resource Foundation, in Duluth, providing supportive services to members of the community in need, for its Rapid Re-Housing Program that provides low-income homeless families with safe and affordable permanent housing within 30 days of program entry.
- $10,000 to Sacred Roots Farm, in Gainesville, providing a safe haven for women and children rescued from sex trafficking and abuse throughout the Jackson EMC service area, for childcare expenses, educational programming and counseling services.
- $5,000 to Ark Family Preservation Center, Inc., which serves families in need of therapeutic support to help them remain unified and prevent abuse, for its Supervised Family Visitation Program that provides supervised visitation for children in foster care, in Banks, Franklin, Jackson and Madison counties.
- $5,000 to Hispanic Alliance Georgia, a Gainesville-based organization serving the Gwinnett and Hall county Hispanic communities with educational programming, financial stability and healthcare, for its literacy program, including ESL (English as Second Language) and GED testing.
- $5,000 to Lumpkin County Family Connection, to purchase food for its Backpack Buddy program, which provides six meals, snacks and drinks each week to children identified by Family Advocacy as food insecure.
- $5,000 to Rachel’s Gift, an organization providing specialized bereavement care for parents who have lost a child to miscarriage, stillbirth or infant death, for its Support and Guidance Program, serving Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $2,319 to Reins of Life, Inc., a Franklin County nonprofit that offers hippotherapy treatment for special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help five clients from Franklin and Banks counties attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
October 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $84,030 in grants during its October meeting, including $79,030 to organizations and $5,000 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Athens Area Habitat for Humanity, to provide HVAC mechanical expenses, cabinets, paint and trim for two homes in its “Kinda Tiny” program, which targets individuals who make 50% or below of the HUD established average median home in Athens-Clarke County.
- $15,000 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients in Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves and gloves.
- $15,000 to SISU of Georgia, Inc., a Gainesville non-profit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $10,000 to Georgia Healthy Family Alliance, for its Tar Wars-Hall County Strike Force program, an anti-tobacco and anti-vaping education and prevention program targeting school-aged children in Hall County schools, to provide curriculum supplies.
- $10,000 to NOA’s Ark, Inc., for its Trauma Counseling Program, designed to serve adults and children in Gwinnett, Hall and Lumpkin counties recovering from family violence, child sexual assault, and dating violence.
- $7,500 to Lekotek of Georgia, a charitable organization that provides accessible play, adaptive technology and toys, information and resources to children with disabilities from Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin and Madison counties, to provide services through its Gwinnett satellite office.
- $5,000 to Northeast Georgia History Center, in Gainesville, for its Land of Promise exhibit renovation and updated content, which will complement state-mandated school curriculums and educational programming that is open to all schools in the Jackson EMC service area.
- $1,530 to Enotah CASA, Inc., which trains and supervises community volunteers who serve as advocates for abused and neglected children in Juvenile Court proceedings in Lumpkin County, to train new volunteers, cover costs for family visitation, and provide clothing to needy children.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $5,000 to help a disabled citizen purchase an HVAC unit.
September 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $77,595 in grants during its September meeting, including $73,485 to organizations and $4,110 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Boys and Girls Clubs of Jackson County, to provide supplies, materials and technology for its academic development and achievement program in the Jefferson and Commerce club locations.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Children’s Shelter, to provide financial assistance for the Home of Hope program, which includes up to 12 months of transitional housing, life skills training, individual and family therapy, and life coaching so families can emerge from homelessness into a sustainable mode of living.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett County Habitat for Humanity, to purchase materials for two homes, including an HVAC unit, cabinets, paint and trim.
- $15,000 to Georgia Mountains YMCA, in Gainesville, to help underprivileged elementary and middle school students attend its afterschool program, which provides a safe environment with homework assistance, enrichment activities, relationship building, sports, games and arts and crafts on site at Hall County and Gainesville City elementary schools.
- $6,985 to North Hall Lions Club, in Clermont, to purchase a spot vision screener for its Eyes for Education program that will screen K-5th grade students in the Hall County School System.
- $6,500 to Rotary Club of Gainesville, for its Accessibility Ramp Program, to purchase materials and supplies to construct solid, safe accessibility ramps at the primary entrance to the homes of local citizens with disabilities or other mobility challenges.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $4,110 to help an elderly citizen purchase an HVAC unit.
August 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $67,400 in organizational grants during its August meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $12,400 to Jackson County Certified Literacy Community Program, which addresses low adult literacy rates and has a goal to reduce the functional illiteracy rate by 50% within 10 years, to provide financial assistance for students to take the GED exam.
- $10,000 to Adventure Bags, an Auburn-based nonprofit that creates comfort bags and distributes them to displaced children through local DFCS offices, domestic violence shelters, fire departments, group homes and children’s shelters in Jackson EMC’s service area to provide comfort and security in a crisis.
- $10,000 to Ark: United Ministry Outreach Center, in Athens, to provide emergency financial assistance for rent, which prevents eviction for workers in low-wage jobs, the disabled and the elderly in Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who are facing unexpected expenses.
- $10,000 to United Way of Hall County, in Gainesville, for its GAP Funding and Basic Needs program to provide emergency rental assistance for its low-income clients.
- $10,000 to United Way of Northeast Georgia, to allow Clarke County children under the age of five to receive one age-appropriate book each month for one year, supporting childhood literacy and success in school, as part of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.
- $7,500 to Prevent Child Abuse Athens, a grassroots organization focused on ending neglect and abuse of children in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to provide assistance with the First Steps primary prevention program, which offers support, parenting education materials and community resources and referrals to new parents to help them with the challenges of parenting.
- $5,000 to Burn Foundation of America, to provide financial assistance with purchasing specialized pressure garments and distraction therapy supplies, which assist in healing and help reduce stress during procedures, for burn patients and their families in all Jackson EMC counties.
- $2,500 to River Community Church Food Pantry, in Murrayville, to provide assistance with the purchase of food and for the expansion of the food pantry with a roll-up door to aid distribution efforts to its low-income and homeless clients in Hall County.
July 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $89,302 in grants during its July meeting, including $86,000 to organizations and $3,302 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta—Gwinnett, divided between the Norcross and Lawrenceville clubs’ Power Hour programs, part of its overall Academic Success program that provides club members with daily support, resources and guidance needed to complete school assignments while maintaining educational confidence and ability.
- $15,000 to Children’s Center for Hope and Healing, in Gainesville, to provide children in Barrow, Banks, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties who have been sexually abused with therapy to reduce trauma symptoms such as nightmares, bed wetting, anxiousness, depression, anger, fatigue and self-hatred, and to decrease their families’ sense of isolation, strengthen the family, assist with parent-child attachment and family functioning.
- $13,500 to Food to Kids Madison County, a program promoting literacy by alleviating hunger in children, to purchase food for its Weekend Backpack Program that provides food for the weekend to families who have been identified by counselors in four Madison County elementary schools as food insecure.
- $10,000 to St. Mary’s Independent Living Extension (SMILE), a Lawrenceville nonprofit where adults with developmental disabilities receive care and instruction so they can engage and thrive in communities where they live, work and play, for its Asleep But Not at Risk program, which provides overnight care staff for those adults.
- $10,000 to United Methodist Children’s Home of North Georgia (Wellroot Family Services), in Gainesville, which provides financial assistance for foster care development, training, recruitment and community building throughout Jackson EMC’s service area, to help close the gap between the need in Northeast Georgia and the number of available homes.
- $10,000 to YMCA of Georgia’s Piedmont, Inc., in Winder, for its Pryme Tyme program providing homework help, sports, arts and crafts to children from economically disadvantaged families in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $7,500 to Bethel Haven, in Watkinsville, to support mental health services and therapeutic counseling sessions for distressed children, teens, adults and families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Madison, and Oglethorpe counties
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $3,302 to provide a disabled applicant with the dental surgery necessary to be considered for an organ transplant.
June 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $40,000 in grants to organizations during its June meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $10,000 to Potter’s House, an Atlanta Union Mission facility, to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs, such as adult literacy, to men recovering from substance abuse through the Transformational Recovery Services Program at its 570-acre working farm in Jefferson.
- $10,000 to Good News at Noon, a Gainesville-based community ministry and transitional shelter for men providing daily meals and weekly bags of groceries, for its Meal Ministry program, which serves 100 meals each day of the year.
- $7,500 to St. Vincent De Paul Society—Norcross, to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Gwinnett County families in crisis.
- $7,500 to StepByStep Recovery, a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization that provides a safe and structured environment for men and women in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties as they complete a 12-step program for drug and alcohol addiction, to assist with rent for the men’s and women’s units. .
- $5,000 to Winder Noon Lions Club, in Barrow County, whose mission is sight conservation and treatment, to provide exams and eyeglasses for 50 children and adults who are vision impaired.
May 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $139,150 in grants during its May meeting, including $37,650 in emergency grants to nonprofits responding to COVID-19, $97,000 to organizations and $4,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA, for its emergency childcare program for frontline employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its hunger relief program for Gwinnett County children and senior citizens who have been affected by the pandemic.
- $15,000 to Georgia Mountains YMCA in Gainesville, for its crisis childcare program for families of first responders, medical professionals and other essential employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- $7,650 to Geekspace Gwinnett, a nonprofit makerspace, for supplies to make approved face shields and masks for first responders and healthcare workers in Gwinnett County hospitals.
- $7,500 to Good News Clinics in Gainesville, which provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Hall County, to provide clients of its Sam Poole Medical Clinic with laboratory tests that help physicians to determine their health care needs and provide appropriate care.
- $7,500 to North Gwinnett Cooperative for its Prescription Assistance Program, which covers the cost of non-narcotic/controlled substance prescriptions for senior citizens and families who qualify for assistance, to provide consistent access to medication when costs or co-pays are too much.
- $7,500 to NSPIRE Outreach Ministries, serving at-risk and homeless men and women in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, for assistance with housing for its transitional program.
- $7,500 to Project Adam, an organization focused on the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug dependency for men in Barrow, Banks, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to provide community treatment services.
- $7,500 to Salvation Army—Athens, for its Pathway to Hope Program in Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to provide shelter and re-housing assistance and financial literacy through case management for families in crisis.
- $7,500 to Salvation Army--Gainesville, for its Pathway to Hope Program in Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, to provide shelter and re-housing assistance and financial literacy through case management for families in crisis.
- $7,500 to Salvation Army--Gwinnett, for its Financial Emergency Services Program, which provides rent and mortgage assistance to Gwinnett County residents in need to prevent homelessness and stabilize families in crisis.
- $7,500 to St. Vincent De Paul Society—Flowery Branch to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson county families in crisis.
- $7,500 to St. Vincent De Paul Society—Lawrenceville for its Food4Kids program that prepares and packages nutritional food bags for children in low-income families during the summer.
- $7,500 to St. Vincent De Paul Society—Gainesville to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Hall County families in crisis.
- $5,000 to Muscular Dystrophy Association, to provide technology and program materials to help the organization transition to a virtual summer camp for children living with neuromuscular disease in all of Jackson EMC’s service area.
- $5,000 to Salvation Army—Toccoa, for its Pathway to Hope Program in Franklin and Lumpkin counties, to provide shelter and re-housing assistance and financial literacy through case management for families in crisis.
- $5,000 to Ser Familia, a comprehensive social services program for Latino families in Buford, to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health counseling services, including domestic violence, sexual abuse and suicide counseling.
- $2,500 to Sugar Hill United Methodist Church, to purchase fresh and nutritiously balanced food for its Summer Sack Lunch Program for school-age children in Gwinnett County.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $4,500 to help purchase a new HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
April 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $100,000 in emergency funding grants to organizations responding to the impacts of COVID-19 and $10,000 in grant funds to a virtual academic enrichment program during its April meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Atlanta Community Food Bank, in Gwinnett, to purchase food.
- $20,000 to North Gwinnett Cooperative to purchase food and provide assistance with medications for Gwinnett residents.
- $10,000 to American Red Cross for biomedical services needed for blood collection in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $10,000 to Athens Community Council on Aging to provide 2,000 meals to serve 400 senior citizens in Clarke County.
- $10,000 to Good News Clinics to provide medications and diabetic testing supplies to uninsured residents in Hall County.
- $10,000 to iServe Ministries to purchase food for needy families in Jackson and Madison counties.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society-Winder to help provide rent, mortgage and food assistance in Barrow County.
- $10,000 to United Way of Hall County to help provide rent, mortgage, food and basic needs to Hall County low-income residents.
- $10,000 to University of North Georgia Foundation, a three-year academic enrichment program held at the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus to help at-risk middle and high school Hall County students prepare for college and careers by concentrating on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students. The program will move to a virtual format for 2020.
March 31, 2020
As a result of growing community needs in response to the coronavirus health emergency, the Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors held a special meeting on March 31 to review applications for emergency support. The board awarded a total $140,757 in special grants to area organizations:
- $10,000 to Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, in Athens, to help provide emergency food assistance in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Madison, and Oglethorpe counties.
- $10,000 to Georgia Mountain Food Bank, in Gainesville, to help provide emergency food assistance in Hall and Lumpkin counties.
- $10,000 to Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry to help provide emergency food assistance in Gwinnett County.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Flowery Branch to help provide rent, mortgage and food assistance in Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Gainesville to help provide rent and mortgage assistance in Hall County.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Jefferson to provide rent and mortgage assistance in Jackson County.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Lawrenceville to help provide rent and mortgage assistance in Gwinnett County.
- $10,000 to Salvation Army – Athens to help provide emergency housing and food assistance in Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $8,857 to New Path 1010 to provide emergency food assistance to Barrow County seniors, Project Adam residential treatment program clients, and students.
- $8,000 to Madison County School District to help provide food for its weekend backpack program, and for the installation of a SmartBus WiFi system that will provide Internet access to students who are digitally learning at home.
- $5,000 to Banks Jackson Food Bank to help provide emergency food assistance in Banks and Jackson counties.
- $5,000 to Community Helping Place, in Dahlonega, to help provide emergency food assistance in Lumpkin County.
- $5,000 to Lumpkin County Family Connection, in Dahlonega, to help provide emergency food for its Backpack Buddy Program.
- $5,000 to Salvation Army – Gainesville to help provide emergency housing and food assistance in Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $5,000 to Salvation Army – Gwinnett to help provide emergency housing and food assistance in Gwinnett County.
- $3,600 to Commerce City Schools for the installation of a SmartBus WiFi system to provide Internet access to students who are digitally learning at home.
- $3,000 to Jefferson City Schools for the installation of a SmartBus WiFi system to provide Internet access to students who are digitally learning at home.
- $3,000 to Mending the Gap, in Lawrenceville, to provide emergency food assistance to Gwinnett County senior citizens.
- $3,000 to Norcross Meals on Wheels, for emergency food delivery to Gwinnett County senior citizens.
- $2,800 to Jackson County School System for the installation of a SmartBus WiFi system to provide Internet access to students who are digitally learning at home.
- $2,500 to Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church Food Pantry to provide emergency food assistance in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties.
- $1,000 to Happy Sacks, in Duluth, to help provide emergency food for its weekend backpacks for needy children in seven local schools.
March 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $34,500 in grants to organizations during its March meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $10,000 to Annandale of Suwanee, a nonprofit community serving adults with developmental disabilities or traumatic brain injury, to provide funding for renovation supplies, including concrete, paint, flooring and trim, for the Haas independent living apartment building common area.
- $10,000 to Hall County Library System, to help fund the Tutor.com program, which provides a full learning suite of homework help, personalized tutoring, skills building, SAT and ACT test preparation, self-study tools and job search assistance, for all Hall County library card holders.
- $7,500 to Books for Keeps, an Athens nonprofit offering the Stop Summer Slide program that improves Clarke County children’s reading achievement, to provide books for summer reading to children in the Whitehead Road Elementary School, the largest elementary school in Athens-Clarke County where 92 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced lunches.
- $5,000 to Foundation of Wesley Woods, for Lanier Gardens of Athens, to help provide a wellness nurse to provide preventative care support, especially fall reduction, to foster independent living among its senior citizen residents.
- $2,000 to Oglethorpe County 4-H, to help students in low-income households participate in 4-H Residential Leadership Events, including Junior and Senior Conferences, State 4-H Council, and District Project Achievement.
February 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $77,500 in grants to organizations during its February meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Winder-Barrow, for its Goals for Graduation program that uses goals for school attendance, homework completion and positive study habits to promote academic achievement in middle and high school-aged members.
- $15,000 to Eagle Ranch, a 310-acre Flowery Branch campus serving Northeast Georgia boys and girls in crisis, to help provide therapeutic counseling session for both children and families.
- $15,000 to Hebron Community Health Center in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit providing low-income, uninsured Gwinnett residents with medical and dental care, to fund the Next Step Project, which provides diagnostic referrals and testing and prescription medication and supplies.
- $15,000 to L.A.M.P. Ministries in Gainesville, for its Community Youth and Children’s program, which combines group and individual counseling, community activities and mentoring to provide high risk youths in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties with a positive alternative to gangs, drugs and other delinquent behaviors.
- $7,500 to Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens, for its Mobile School Food Pantry Program, which takes food bags directly to schools in Oglethorpe, Jackson and Clarke counties for students whose families are identified as food insecure.
- $5,000 to Heirborn Servants, serving Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson and Madison counties, to provide assistance with its Give Rides program, which partners with community groups, transitional housing organizations and rideshare companies to ensure survivors of human trafficking or domestic violence can get to therapy and employment.
- $2,500 to Gainesville Hall Community Food Pantry, to purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the Georgia Mountain Food Bank for distribution to Hall County individuals and families who are low income and in need of food assistance.
- $2,500 to Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church Food Pantry, for its Food First Initiative, to purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank to distribute to needy families in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties.
January 2020
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $91,504 in grants during its January meeting, including $87,304 to organizations and $4,200 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Family Promise of Athens (Interfaith Hospitality Network), a network of 41 area congregations and more than 1,000 volunteers, for its Hospitality Shelter Program that provides temporary housing and services to homeless families in need, for a case manager, childcare while homeless parents work or seek work, and the Extended Network Program.
- $15,000 to Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, for its Emergency Assistance Program, which provides a safety net for clients dealing with difficult and often temporary circumstances by providing emergency food supplies, shelter, prescription medications and referrals to local clinics, enabling them to move toward self-responsibility.
- $15,000 to Norcross Cooperative Ministry, in Gwinnett County, for its Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which provides matching funds to assist clients with one month’s housing costs.
- $15,000 to Nothing but the Truth, a Dacula faith-based organization dedicated to meeting needs in the community, to purchase food for the Weekend Food Bag Program that provides food for the weekend to Gwinnett County public school children who have been identified by counselors as food insecure.
- $15,000 to Side By Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, Inc., a Stone Mountain nonprofit organization that helps individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury to regain employment and living skills, to provide rehabilitation services for adults from Gwinnett county who are permanently disabled by traumatic brain injury.
- $7,304 to Jefferson Lions Club, to purchase a spot vision screener for its Kidsight USA program in Jackson County, which provides trained volunteers to administer vision screenings to children in local schools.
- $2,500 to Cresswind LL Veterans, Inc., a Gainesville-based nonprofit serving veterans and their families, for its Helping Others Program, which focuses on helping financial assistance, food, clothing, shelter and mentoring to needy and homeless veterans in Hall County.
- $2,500 to Spirit of Joy Food Pantry, in Flowery Branch, which distributes food to those in need in Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, to purchase food.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $4,200 to a disabled senior citizen to replace a ramp and porch.
December 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $103,005 in grants during its December meeting, including $98,975 to organizations and $4,030 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Hi-Hope Service Center, Inc., in Lawrenceville, to help fund part-time nursing and nutrition services for 20 developmentally disabled Gwinnett residents who require onsite nursing care for services such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment.
- $13,600 to MedLink Georgia, a non-profit primary medical care network that provides care to medically underserved people, to purchase a BiliChek System, a non-invasive jaundice assessment device that measures bilirubin levels in newborns, for the Colbert and Winder locations.
- $12,000 to Sandy Creek Nature Center, in Athens, to help construct an outdoor play and exploration area for children throughout the Jackson EMC service area to enjoy when visiting the 225 acres of educational and recreational facilities.
- $10,000 to Eyes of Love Lighthouse Mission, Inc., in Buford, a grassroots ministry that collects and distributes clothes, food and furniture to needy families in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, to help with rent on the building housing the mission’s inventory.
- $10,000 to Junior Achievement of Georgia, Inc., for program materials, support materials and supplies for the JA Biztown and JA Finance Park interactive programs at Discovery High School to teach Gwinnett County middle school students the concepts of financial literacy, business, entrepreneurship and career readiness.
- $10,000 to Just People, a nonprofit organization serving adults with developmental disabilities, head injuries and mental illness in Gwinnett and Hall counties, to help purchase a vehicle to transport individuals to work and day programming.
- $10,000 to Mending the Gap, a Lawrenceville-based nonprofit organization serving the basic needs of low-income seniors, for its Save Our Seniors Project, which delivers a monthly care package of nutritious food, personal care items, cleaning supplies and toiletries.
- $7,500 to Community Helping Place, a Dahlonega non-profit that addresses hunger in the Lumpkin County community, to purchase food for its food pantry.
- $6,000 to Norcross Meals on Wheels, which serves Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Duluth and Berkeley Lake communities in Gwinnett County, to help deliver hot, nutritious, mid-day meals five days per week to home-bound or disabled senior citizens.
- $4,875 to North Georgia Interfaith Ministries, based in Dahlonega, for program supplies and appliances for Lumpkin County’s only transitional housing program, which assists homeless families from Lumpkin and Hall counties get back on their feet and find safe, stable housing.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $4,030 to a disabled senior citizen to replace an HVAC unit.
November 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $99,969 in grants during its November meeting, including $96,819 to organizations and $3,150 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to American Red Cross Northeast Georgia, to provide disaster relief, including food, shelter, personal needs and clothing, to families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul - Jefferson, for its financial assistance program that provides funds to Jackson and Banks county families in crisis for rent, mortgage, food, car repair and insurance premiums, and medical assistance.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul - Lawrenceville, for its financial assistance program that provides funds to Gwinnett County families in crisis for rent, mortgage, and food.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Conference-St. Matthew, in Winder, for its financial assistance program that provides funds to Barrow county families in crisis for rent, mortgage, and food.
- $10,000 to Judy House, a faith-based transition home for homeless men who have been incarcerated or under community supervision in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, to provide housing assistance.
- $10,000 to Latin American Association, a nonprofit organization whose “Family Well-Being” focus area fosters stable, healthy Latino families in Clarke, Gwinnett, and Hall counties, to help its Urgent Needs Program, which provides rent assistance to families in need, preventing eviction and further family destabilization.
- $10,000 to Our Neighbor, a Gainesville grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges to reach their maximum level of independence, to assist with its independent living program for residents with disabilities.
- $7,500 to Tiny Stiches, in Suwanee, to provide materials and supplies for their network of volunteers to hand-craft a 28- to 32-piece layette of clothing and blankets to keep an infant warm and dry for the first three months of life, donated to mothers in Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $6,000 to Girl Scouts, to offer 120 Gwinnett County girls from low-income households the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, a program that impacts 15 developmental outcomes that help girls discover their own strengths, connect with others in healthy relationships and become more resourceful problem solvers.
- $2,319 to Reins of Life, a Franklin County non-profit that offers hippotherapy treatment for special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help five clients from Franklin and Banks counties attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $3,150 to an elderly resident to replace an HVAC unit.
October 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $95,500 in grants during its September meeting, including $91,250 to organizations and $4,250 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity – Hall County, to purchase materials such as appliances, cabinets, decks, insulation, flooring, paint and an HVAC unit for its 65th house, being built for a family of three.
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity – Madison County, to purchase materials such as drywall, insulation, plumbing, interior construction and an HVAC unit that have not been donated for a house being built for its 10th partner family.
- $15,000 to The Tree House, a children’s advocacy center working to reduce child abuse in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, for the Family Services Supervised Visitation Program, which provides a neutral, child-friendly environment for visits between children in foster care and their parents, enabling them to maintain and enhance family bonds, as well as providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children when reunited.
- $14,750 to Center Point Georgia, in Gainesville, for its Smart Girls program, which focuses on goal planning, social skills education, and decision-making as well as developing personal responsibility and safety for middle and high school students in Gainesville and Hall County schools.
- $10,000 to Childkind, a non-profit supporting families that care for medically fragile children, to help provide in-home care instructions through its Home Based Services program, preparing parents in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties to adequately and successfully care for their child or foster child at home.
- $10,000 to Chris 180, (Creativity, Honor, Respect, Integrity and Safety) Gwinnett Counseling Center, which serves Banks, Gwinnett and Hall counties with a mission to heal children, strengthen families and build community, to support mental health services and trauma counseling for uninsured and underinsured clients in an effort to end the intergenerational cycles of poverty and abuse.
- $5,000 to Blue Heart Initiative, a nonprofit counseling program serving Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to help provide no-cost professional counseling services for military veterans and First Responders and their immediate family members.
- $4,000 to Lumpkin County Family Connection, to purchase food for its Backpack Buddy program, which provides six meals, snacks and drinks each week to children identified by Family Advocacy as food insecure.
- $2,500 to Homer United Methodist Church Food Pantry, in Banks County, for its “Serving Our Neighbors” food pantry program serving needy families in Banks, Franklin, Jackson and Hall counties.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $4,250 to an elderly resident for roof repairs.
September 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $78,600 in grants to organizations during its September meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Boy Scouts of America, Northeast Georgia Council, serving all Jackson EMC counties, to provide uniforms, handbooks and camp fees that will help underprivileged youth participate in scouting, teaching them to make ethical choices and promoting citizenship, leadership, mental and physical fitness.
- $15,000 to Hope Clinic, in Gwinnett County, which specializes in internal medicine and chronic care management for low-income patients to help them avoid costly hospitalizations, to provide mental health services to uninsured patients in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $15,000 to SISU of Georgia, a Gainesville non-profit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $10,000 to Chess & Community Conference, an Athens non-profit, to purchase computers, coding program software and Toastmasters supplies for its Young Scholars Program that provides community based applied educational enrichment to foster leadership and critical thinking skills in middle and high school aged youth.
- $10,000 to NOA’s Ark, Inc., in Dahlonega, to provide assistance with trauma and support group counseling to survivors of domestic violence in Gwinnett, Hall and Lumpkin counties.
- $8,400 to Hall County Special Olympics, to help provide registration fees, uniforms, equipment and training to more than 900 special needs athletes who are competing in the state-wide Winter Games.
- $5,200 to Boy With a Ball Global, in Gwinnett County, to provide curriculum materials for the Cross Age Mentoring program that pairs Berkmar High School student mentors with middle school students to cultivate connectedness, self-esteem, Identity and academic skills.
August 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $119,889 in grants during its August meeting, including $114,889 to organizations and $5,000 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Athens Nurses Clinic, a non-profit health care clinic providing free evaluation, treatment and education for acute and chronic medical and dental conditions to uninsured low-and-no income residents, to help implement the Free From C program, which provides health education, testing and treatment for the Hepatitis C virus.
- $15,000 to Atlanta Community Food Bank to provide up to 60,000 meals to food-insecure families in Gwinnett, Hall and Lumpkin counties through partner agencies, eliminating the need for the agencies to store the food and allowing the Food Bank to distribute food at a fraction of the cost.
- $15,000 to Boys and Girls Clubs of Athens to provide instruction at both club locations for its Mind Blowers Program, a targeted supplemental math education program that teaches essential problem-solving and quantitative skills students will use in the classroom, work world and every-day life.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Student Leadership Program to provide high school juniors and seniors in 23 public schools with practical leadership skills and training so they can return to their home high school and share the core leadership principles, increasing the development of student leaders.
- $15,000 to Mosaic Georgia, formerly known as Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center & Children’s Advocacy Center based in Duluth , to provide assistance for family aftercare and counseling for clients in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, and Lumpkin counties .
- $14,800 to Boys and Girls Clubs of Lanier, in Hall County for its Triple Play program that helps 1,300 youth increase their knowledge of healthy habits, good nutrition and physical fitness with the primary goal of reducing childhood obesity.
- $10,000 to Corners Outreach, in Peachtree Corners, to provide assistance to Corners Academy, which works with students and families in Title 1 schools in the Meadowcreek cluster to help break the cycle of poverty through personalized tutoring programs, summer camp and parent workshops.
- $7,089 to North Hall Lions Club to purchase a spot vision screener for its Eyes for Education program, which provides trained volunteers to administer vision screenings to first and third grade students in Hall County schools.
- $5,000 to H.O.P.E (Helping Other People be Empowered) in Duluth to help low income single parents in Gwinnett and Hall counties with childcare and housing, enabling them to attend classes and earn a college degree.
- $3,000 to Georgia Center for Civic Engagement to help students throughout the Jackson EMC service area participate in Georgia Youth Assembly, a model state legislature for grades 6-12 where students learn the legislative process.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $5,000 to purchase a new HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
July 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $114,832 in grants to organizations during its July meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta—Gwinnett, with $10,000 each designated for the Norcross and Lawrenceville clubs’ Power Hour program, which is part of its overall Academic Success program that provides club members with daily support, resources and guidance needed to complete school assignments while maintaining educational confidence and ability.
- $15,000 to Elachee Nature Science Center, in Gainesville, to assist students in Title 1 schools in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin and Madison counties attending the STEM-based Nature Education and Environmental Conservation Programs for PreK-12 school children.
- $15,000 to J.M. Tull—Gwinnett Family YMCA, in Lawrenceville, for its Afterschool Enrichment Program in project-based STEM activities for at-risk youth from low income families, which helps them keep pace with science and math learning outside of school.
- $15,000 to Madison County Senior Center, to help fund the purchase of a vehicle to deliver meals to senior citizens in Madison County as part of the Home Delivered Meals program, which allows frail and older citizens to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, nutrition screening, education and counseling services, and opportunities for social contact.
- $15,000 to Rainbow Village, a Duluth long-term, transformational housing program that provides fully-furnished apartments and comprehensive support for homeless families with children in all the counties served by Jackson EMC, to provide childcare tuition assistance at its Early Childhood Development Center for residents and program graduates.
- $15,000 to United Way of Northeast Georgia, to allow 484 Clarke County children under the age of five to receive one age-appropriate book each month for one year, supporting childhood literacy and success in school, as part of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.
- $10,000 to United Methodist Children’s Home—North Georgia Conference, in Gainesville, to provide financial assistance for foster care development, training, recruitment and home studies throughout Jackson EMC’s service area to help close the gap between the need in Northeast Georgia and the number of available homes.
- $5,332 to Family Promise of Hall County, a community effort to end the cycle of family homelessness, to purchase equipment for the Little Steps Day Care Center, which provides free, temporary child care option while parents search for employment, and the L.I.F.E. program (Local initiative for Family Empowerment), which provides life-skills training for low-income families in Hall County.
- $4,500 to Madison County Health Department, for its Cabbage Patch Program, which provides education, resources and support to pregnant adolescents and women who run a high risk of delivering preterm or low birth weight infants.
June 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $77,000 in grants to organizations during its June meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients in Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves and gloves.
- $15,000 to Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett, for its North Gwinnett Quick Clinic initiative, which will eventually provide full-time charitable medical services in 10 Gwinnett County cities that currently do not have a charitable health clinic, to help purchase equipment for its first Quick Clinic in Buford.
- $10,000 to Angel House of Georgia, a Gainesville recovery residence for women with alcohol and/or drug addiction, to enable indigent women with no financial resources or support in the counties served by Jackson EMC to participate in the program by covering entrance fees and one month of living expense, offering these women a second chance at life so they can become productive members of society.
- $10,000 to Potter’s House, an Atlanta Mission facility, to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs such as adult literacy to men who are recovering from substance abuse through the Transformational Recovery Services Program at its 570-acre working farm in Jefferson.
- $10,000 to I Am, Inc., in Buford, for it Gaining Insight & Real Life Skills (GIRLS) leadership development program for girls age 6-18 in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, providing training and skills through mentoring sessions and experiential learning to become socially, academically, emotionally, economically and physically competent.
- $9,500 to Place of Seven Springs, a Snellville nonprofit which provides assistance to Gwinnett County residents in need, to provide funds for emergency housing, food and prescription medication.
- $7,500 to Creative Enterprises, in Lawrenceville, to purchase industrial workstation stools for its Work Evaluation and Adjustment Program, which provides employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
May 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $97,631 in grants during its May meeting, including $93,500 to organizations and $4,131 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Salvation Army - Gwinnett, for its Financial Emergency Services Program, which provides rent and mortgage assistance to Gwinnett residents in need to prevent homelessness and stabilize families in crisis.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society – Flowery Branch, to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson County families in crisis.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society - Gainesville, to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Hall County families in crisis.
- $10,000 to Banks County Senior Life Center, in Homer, to support the wellness and fitness activities program for senior citizens, which helps them maintain physical fitness and improve functionality.
- $10,000 to Salvation Army - Athens, for its Pathway to Hope Program in Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to provide shelter and re-housing assistance and financial literacy through case management for families in crisis.
- $10,000 to Salvation Army - Gainesville, for its Pathway to Hope Program in Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, to provide shelter and re-housing assistance and financial literacy through case management for families in crisis.
- $7,500 to Asian American Resource Foundation, in Duluth, which provides supportive services to members of the community in need, for its Rapid Re-Housing Program that provides low-income homeless families with safe and affordable permanent housing within 30 days of program entry.
- $7,000 to the Quinlan Arts Center, in Gainesville, to help provide for free or reduced cost participation in the Summer Art Program for 80 children and teens in underserved communities in Hall County.
- $5,000 to Muscular Dystrophy Association, to help children and young adults with neuromuscular diseases from the counties served by Jackson EMC attend Camp Walk N’ Roll, a week-long summer program with no boundaries for physical disabilities where campers can build confidence and independence while their caregivers have a break from the demands of constant care.
- $5,000 to Salvation Army – Toccoa, for its Emergency Social Services program in Franklin and Lumpkin counties, which provides non-perishable food and clothing to individuals and families experiencing a crisis.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,631 to provide assistance for roof repairs for an elderly resident.
- $1,500 to help provide a pediatric car booster seat for a disabled child.
April 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $101,350 in grants during its April meeting, including $96,850 to organizations and $4,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia, in Homer to provide 55 underprivileged third through sixth grade Banks County students referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that uses positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills, and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 to Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization that offers year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programming for children facing serious illness and other challenges, to help children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its state-of-the-art, fully accessible campsites.
- $15,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run nonprofit group in Suwanee that provides Gwinnett and Hall County families with support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to help disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program, with daily activities that teach social skills lessons.
- $15,000 to the Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program held at the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus to help at-risk middle and high school Hall County students prepare for college and careers by concentrating on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $12,500 to Young Women’s Christian Organization, in Athens, to help 35 girls from low income families attend the Girls Club, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls aged 5-14 from low-to-moderate income families, and help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $10,000 to Extra Special People, in Watkinsville, to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to attend an eight-week camp experience where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $6,550 to Path Project, a community and youth development organization dedicated to increasing graduation rates for at-risk children growing up in mobile home parks in Gwinnett and Hall counties, to help fund a summer soccer camp for 50 elementary school-aged children.
- $6,000 to FOCUS (Families of Children Under Stress), a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to help provide 20 children the opportunity to build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills at Camp Hollywood in Lawrenceville.
- $2,500 to Camp To Belong, (Foster Siblings Reunited), to enable children in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves to attend a summer camp that reunites brothers and sisters living separately in foster care or other out-of-home care to strengthen relationships, increase self-esteem, create healthier attitudes and childhood memories. the camp.
- $1,800 to Child Impact at East Jackson Elementary, in Jackson County, to provide a leadership training course at Rock Eagle for 15 fourth and fifth grade students serving as mentors to students in K-2.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $4,500 to provide assistance for a new HVAC unit for an elderly resident without heating and air conditioning.
March 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $90,530 in grants to organizations during its March meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Ser Familia, a comprehensive social services program for Latino families in Buford, to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health counseling services, including domestic violence, sexual abuse and suicide counseling.
- $14,230 to New Directions Georgia, in Suwanee, a day program serving adults with autism in a home-like setting, to purchase an HVAC system to turn unused space within the existing building into a life skills transition apartment.
- $10,000 to New Path 1010, a nonprofit organization targeting hunger and poverty in Barrow County, for its Weekend Food Bag Program that supplies students identified as food insecure with bags of food to take home.
- $10,000 to Gainesville Housing Corporation, which provides working poor families of Hall County affordable living environments, improved quality of living, economic opportunities and fair housing, to provide through the curriculum-based RISE Summer Education Program for low-income and at-risk youth of Gainesville and Hall County.
- $10,000 to Georgia Mountains YMCA, in Gainesville, to enable pre-K to 10th grade Hall County youth from economically disadvantaged families to participate in a 10-week Summer Day Camp that teaches core values, conflict resolution, teamwork and leadership skills.
- $10,000 to YMCA of Athens, to help enable children in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to participate in its nine-week Summer Day Camp project, which offers supervised sports and other activities, as well as teaches math, reading and values.
- $10,000 to YMCA of Georgia’s Piedmont, in Winder, for its Summer Day Camp to help children from economically disadvantaged families in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties attend a nine-week day camp offering sports, reading, games, arts and crafts to build a healthy spirit, body and mind.
- $7,500 to Books for Keeps, an Athens nonprofit offering the Stop Summer Slide program that improves Clarke County children’s reading achievement, to provide books for summer reading to children in the Cleveland Road Elementary School, where 90 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced lunches.
- $3,800 to Oglethorpe County 4-H, to help students in low-income households participate in 4-H Residential Leadership Events, including Junior and Senior Conferences, State 4-H Council, and District Project Achievement.
February 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $81,150 in grants during its February meeting, including $75,050 to organizations and $6,100 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, in Athens, for its monthly Mobile Pantry Program, which distributes large quantities of food to communities in need through partner agencies in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, eliminating the need for the agencies to store the food and distributing an average of 11,000 pounds of food each month at a fraction of the cost.
- $15,000 to Friends of Disabled Adults and Children, Too, in Stone Mountain, which helps people with injuries and disabilities of all ages regain their mobility, independence and quality of life throughout the Jackson EMC service area, for its Home Medical Equipment Program that refurbishes medical equipment, such as power lifts and motorized chairs.
- $15,000 to Georgia Mountain Food Bank, which serves Hall and Lumpkin counties, for its Prescriptive Food Box program, which provides healthy food and nutrition information tailored for low-income patients with cancer, diabetes or cardiac disease.
- $15,000 to Good News Clinics, in Gainesville, which provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Hall County, to provide clients of its Sam Poole Medical Clinic with laboratory tests that help physicians to determine their health care needs and provide appropriate care.
- $10,000 to the Sexual Assault Center and Children’s Advocacy Center, in Athens, to provide assistance for survivors of sexual assault with access to therapeutic intervention to begin the healing process.
- $3,050 to Allen R. Fleming, Jr. Post #20-American Legion, in Clarke County, to provide assistance for 10 students to participate in Georgia Boys State and Georgia Girls State, programs where high school students learn about municipal, county and state government through mock elections, governance and legislative bill-writing.
- $2,000 to Penfield Christian Homes, to assist people living in the Jackson EMC service area to participate in the substance abuse treatment program.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $4,500 to provide assistance with home repairs for a senior citizen.
- $1,600 to provide assistance with home repairs for a senior citizen.
January 2019
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $93,200 in grants during their January meeting, including $83,200 to organizations and $10,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to North Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry, for its Medication Assistance Program, which covers the cost of non-narcotic/controlled substance prescriptions for senior citizens and families who qualify for assistance, to provide consistent access to medication when costs or co-pays are too much.
- $15,000 to L.A.M.P Ministries, in Gainesville for its Community Youth and Children’s program, which combines group and individual counseling, community activities and mentoring to provide high risk youths in Banks, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties with a positive alternative to gangs, drugs and other delinquent behaviors.
- $15,000 to Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, for its Emergency Assistance Program, which provides a safety net for clients dealing with difficult and often temporary circumstances by providing emergency food supplies, shelter, prescription medications and referrals to local clinics, enabling them to move toward self-responsibility.
- $10,000 to Banks Jackson Food Bank, a Commerce-based non-profit organization, to help purchase food for needy families in Banks and Jackson counties.
- $9,200 to Hope Pregnancy Resource Center, a pregnancy and family resource center serving Jackson County, to help purchase new curriculum and lesson modules, as well as its Earn While You Learn Program, which provides clients an opportunity to learn about infancy, child care, parenting, and life skills while earning needed supplies.
- $5,000 to Bethany Christian Services of Georgia, to help provide financial assistance for foster care development, training, recruitment and home study materials throughout the Jackson EMC service area.
- $5,000 to Jewish Family & Career Services, a nonsectarian agency providing human services programs, for its Ben Massell Dental Clinic in Gwinnett County to provide dental care to 232 uninsured, low-income residents.
- $2,500 to Happy Sacks, a program of the Duluth First United Methodist Church, to provide weekend back packs filled with nutritious foods to needy children in seven local schools.
- $1,500 to Cozy Quilters of St. Matthew Women’s Club, in Winder, to help purchase fleece, thread and other materials and supplies to make quilts for distribution to the sick, injured or terminally ill in Jackson, Barrow and Gwinnett counties.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to provide assistance with a new HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
- $5,000 to provide assistance with a new heat pump for a senior citizen.
December 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $127,000 in grants during their December meeting, including $123,500 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Gwinnett County Public Library, a 15-branch library system serving more than 961,000 residents, to provide financial assistance for the Career Online High School, the only program in Gwinnett County that provides an accredited high school diploma program for adults.
- $20,000 to Jackson County Habitat for Humanity, to purchase materials for its 17th house, including electrical, drywall, and plumbing.
- $15,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Winder-Barrow, for the Goals for Graduation program that combats academic underachievement in middle and high school-aged members to set and work toward goals for school attendance, homework completion and positive study habits.
- $15,000 to Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, serving girls in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to help fund the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, which teaches girls how to understand themselves and their values, use that knowledge to explore the world, care about and team with others, and take increasing responsibility for designing and implementing activities to make the world a better place.
- $10,000 to Adventure Bags, an Auburn-based nonprofit that creates comfort bags and distributes them to displaced children through local DFCS offices, domestic violence shelters, fire departments, group homes and children’s shelters in Jackson EMC’s service area to provide comfort and security in a crisis.
- $10,000 to Eyes of Love Lighthouse Mission, in Buford, a grassroots ministry that collects and distributes clothes, food and furniture to needy families in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, to help with rent on the building used to house the mission’s inventory.
- $10,000 to Hudgens Center for the Arts and Learning to help fund the smART Program for underserved Gwinnett County high school students, to provide a creative venue for talented and motivated students with economic or language challenges to be trained in drawing, painting, mixed media, ceramic and other forms of sculpture.
- $7,500 to Community Helping Place, a Dahlonega non-profit that addresses hunger in the Lumpkin County community, to purchase food for its food pantry.
- $7,500 to The Cancer Foundation, in Athens, for its Financial Assistance Program, which provides emergency financial assistance for transportation costs to eligible cancer patients in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $6,000 to Jackson County 4-H Robotics to purchase parts, materials, power tools and technology to participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition for high school students, building science, engineering and technology skills, inspiring innovation and promoting well-rounded life skills.
- $2,500 to Spirit of Joy Food Pantry in Flowery Branch, which distributes food to those in need in Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, to purchase food.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $3,500 to provide assistance with roof repairs for a senior citizen.
November 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $72,614 in grants during their November meeting, including $58,319 to organizations and $14,295 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gateway House, a Hall County non-profit serving victims of domestic violence and their children, to provide emergency legal assistance in requesting, filing and enforcing a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) and safety planning to keep abusive partners from having contact with or harassing domestic violence victims.
- $15,000 to Hi-Hope Service Center, in Lawrenceville, to help fund part-time nursing and nutrition services for 20 developmentally disabled residents from Gwinnett and Barrow counties who require onsite nursing care for services such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment.
- $12,000 to Barrow Ministry Village, a Winder non-profit which provides food distribution, foster family resources and affordable counseling services to needy families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett and Jackson counties, to provide 50 individuals struggling with PTSD, anxiety and other family issues with its counseling program.
- $9,000 to Junior Achievement of Georgia, for program materials, support materials and supplies for the JA Biztown and JA Finance Park interactive programs at Discovery High School to teach Gwinnett County middle school students the concepts of financial literacy, business, entrepreneurship and career readiness.
- $5,000 to Madison County Rotary Club Foundation, to purchase materials for at least 10 handicap ramps, which are constructed by Rotary Club members for local individuals who cannot afford them, increasing their general mobility and improving safety in the event they need to evacuate their home.
- $2,319 to Reins of Life, a Franklin County non-profit that offers hippotherapy treatment for special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help five clients from Franklin and Banks counties attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $4,800 to help provide a new HVAC unit for a senior citizen with a disabled adult son.
- $4,285 to help provide a new HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
- $3,590 to provide assistance with dental work and dentures for a disabled person.
- $1,620 to provide assistance to purchase a rolling shower chair for a disabled person.
October 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $96,300 in grants during their October meeting, including $91,300 to organizations and $5,000 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity for the “A Brush With Kindness” program, which offers home repair and preservation services to low-income homeowners so they can continue to live in safe, decent homes for years in the community that supports them.
- $15,000 to Hebron Community Health Center, in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization providing medical and dental care to low-income, uninsured Gwinnett residents, to provide diagnostic follow-up testing, prescription medication, and diabetic supplies.
- $15,000 to Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens, a network of 31 area congregations and more than 800 volunteers, for its Hospitality Shelter Program that provides temporary housing and services to homeless families in need, for a case manager, childcare while homeless parents work or seek work, and the Extended Network Program.
- $15,000 to Nothing But The Truth, a Dacula faith-based organization dedicated to meeting needs in the community, to purchase food for the Weekend Food Bag Program that provides food for the weekend to Gwinnett County public school children who have been identified by counselors as food insecure.
- $9,000 to Hall-Dawson CASA Program, Inc., which trains and supervises community volunteers who serve as advocates for abused and neglected children in Juvenile Court proceedings in Hall and Dawson counties, to train new volunteers, cover costs for family visitation, and provide funding for children’s food and clothing.
- $7,500 to CHRIS 180 (Creativity, Honor, Respect, Integrity and Safety) Gwinnett Counseling Center, which serves Banks, Gwinnett and Hall counties with a mission to heal children, strengthen families and build community, to support mental health services and trauma counseling for uninsured and underinsured clients in an effort to end the intergenerational cycles of poverty and abuse.
- $5,000 to Winder Noon Lions Club, in Barrow County, whose mission is sight conservation and treatment, to provide eyeglasses for 50 children and adults who are vision impaired.
- $4,800 to Revved Up Kids, a program based in Peachtree Corners that teaches children to recognize unsafe people, avoid dangerous situations and escape attackers, to provide assistance with their sexual abuse prevention training seminars for middle school girls in Gwinnett County .
- $4,000 to Lumpkin County Family Connection, to purchase food for its Backpack Buddy program, which provides six meals, snacks and drinks each week to children identified by Family Advocacy as food insecure.
- $1,000 to Mountain Circuit CASA, which trains and supervises community volunteers who serve as advocates for abused and neglected children in Juvenile Court proceedings in Franklin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to train new volunteers.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to help provide assistance to a family with medical needs.
September 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $64,725 in grants during their September meeting, including $59,725 to organizations and $5,000 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Center Point Georgia, in Gainesville, for its Smart Girls program, which focuses on goal planning, social skills education, and decision-making as well as developing personal responsibility and safety for middle and high school students in Gainesville and Hall County schools.
- $15,000 to Norcross Cooperative Ministry, in Gwinnett County, for its Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which provides matching funds to assist clients with one month’s housing costs.
- $10,000 to iServe Ministries, a Jackson County grassroots organization seeking to end generational poverty in northeast Georgia, for its “Bags of Love” program, which delivers a backpack full of food to more than 225 families in Jackson County schools each week.
- $10,000 to Our Neighbor, a Gainesville grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges to reach their maximum level of independence, to assist with its independent living program for residents with disabilities.
- $5,000 to Greater Atlanta Pathways, a community-based volunteer organization in Suwanee that offers support programs to adults with disabilities in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, for its Gwinnett Masters Special Teams program, which gives people with disabilities the opportunity to learn team sports, social skills and interaction, and benefit from physical exercise.
- $4,725 to Franklin Life Pregnancy Resource Center, in Carnesville, for its Earn While You Learn Baby program, which provides educational materials on parenting and life skills to new and existing parents in Banks, Franklin, Jackson and Madison counties.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to help provide a new HVAC unit for a family of senior citizens.
August 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $94,311 in grants during their August meeting, including $87,032 to organizations and $7,279 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Children’s Center for Hope and Healing, in Gainesville, to provide 50 children in Barrow, Banks, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties who have been sexually abused with therapy to reduce trauma symptoms such as nightmares, bed wetting, anxiousness, depression, anger, fatigue and self-hatred, and for their families to decrease the sense of isolation, strengthen the family, assist with parent-child attachment and family functioning.
- $15,000 to Choices Pregnancy Center, in Gainesville, for its My Baby Counts program, which provides educational materials on parenting skills to pregnant women and new parents in Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $15,000 to Next Stop Foundation, a Lawrenceville grassroots organization that provides social interaction, recreational and life skills learning opportunities to young adults with mild to moderate disabilities in Gwinnett and Hall counties, to help fund programming for 25 people to become more fully integrated into society and achieve a higher level of independence.
- $15,000 to SISU of Georgia, a Gainesville non-profit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $10,000 to Tiny Stitches, in Suwanee, to provide materials and supplies for their network of volunteers to hand-craft a 28- to 32-piece layette of clothing and blankets to keep an infant warm and dry for the first three months of life, donated to mothers in Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $9,532 to Hope for the Journey of North Metro, a compassionate community cancer outreach program in Lawrenceville that works closely with the American Cancer Society to provide support, meals and educational materials to children and adult cancer victims and their families in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $7,500 to Prevent Child Abuse Athens, a grassroots organization focused on ending neglect and abuse of children in Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to provide assistance with the First Steps primary prevention program, which offers support, parenting education materials and community resources and referrals to new parents to help them with the challenges of parenting.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to help provide a new HVAC unit for a senior citizen with disabilities.
- $2,279 to help provide school transportation assistance for a student with disabilities.
July 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $114,431 in grants during their July meeting, including $101,800 to organizations and $12,631 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to American Red Cross of Northeast Georgia, to provide disaster relief, including food, shelter, personal needs and clothing, to families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta—Gwinnett, for the Lawrenceville Club’s Power Hour program, which is part of its overall Academic Success program that provides club members with daily support, resources and guidance needed to complete school assignments while maintaining educational confidence and ability.
- $15,000 to Eagle Ranch, a 310-acre campus in Flowery Branch for boys and girls in crisis serving all of Northeast Georgia, to allow 32 children to participate in its Equine Therapy Program.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services, to help provide its Helpline phone system, operated by volunteers, which serves as a one-stop referral service for callers seeking assistance with low cost medical care, food, rent and utility assistance, emergency shelter, counseling services and needs.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Student Leadership Program, for its student leadership program, which provides high school juniors and seniors in 23 public schools with practical leadership skills and training to return to their home high school and facilitate the core leadership principles there to increase the development of student leaders.
- $14,800 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier in Hall County for its Triple Play program that helps 1,300 youth increase their knowledge of healthy habits, good nutrition and physical fitness with the primary goal of reducing childhood obesity.
- $12,000 to Atlanta Community Food Bank, to provide eight mobile food pantries in Gwinnett County that will feed 1,600 food-insecure families through partner agencies, eliminating the need for the agencies to store the food and allowing the Food Bank to distribute food at a fraction of the cost.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to help purchase a wheelchair accessible vehicle for a family’s disabled son.
- $5,000 to help repair a deck and build a ramp for a disabled person.
- $2,631 to help purchase hand controls for a vehicle and provide a driver evaluation for an amputee.
June 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $81,000 in grants during their June meeting, including $76,000 to organizations and $5,000 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Hall County Habitat for Humanity, to purchase building materials, including cabinet installation, drywall, electrical supplies, flooring, grading and paint, for a new home for a family of seven in Gainesville.
- $15,000 to Rainbow Village, a Duluth long-term, transformational housing program that provides fully-furnished apartments and comprehensive support for homeless families with children in all the counties served by Jackson EMC, to provide childcare tuition assistance at its Early Childhood Development Center for residents and program graduates.
- $15,000 to StepByStep Recovery, a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization that provides a safe and structured environment for men and women in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties as they complete a 12-step program for drug and alcohol addiction, to assist with rent for the men’s and women’s units.
- $10,000 to Potter’s House, an Atlanta Mission facility, to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs such as adult literacy to men from Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Madison counties, who are recovering from substance abuse through the Transformational Recovery Services Program at its 570-acre working farm in Jefferson.
- $7,500 to Athens Inclusive Recreation & Sports (AIRS), a non-profit organization promoting a greater wellness and quality of life by providing specific, adapted sports activities that accommodate people with disabilities, to help provide beep baseball and wheelchair basketball to participants from Banks, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties.
- $7,500 to Lekotek of Georgia, a charitable organization that provides accessible play, adaptive technology and toys, information and resources to children with disabilities from Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin and Madison counties, to provide services through its Gwinnett satellite office.
- $6,000 to Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta to offer Gwinnett County girls from low-income households The Girl Scout Leadership Experience, a program which impacts 15 developmental outcomes that help girls discover their own strengths, connect with others in healthy relationships and become more resourceful problem solvers.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $5,000 to provide assistance with purchasing a wheelchair accessible van for a family with a son disabled by Tay-Sachs disease.
May 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $66,000 in grants during their May meeting, including $56,000 to organizations and $10,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Hope Clinic, in Gwinnett County, which specializes in internal medicine and chronic care management for low-income patients to help them avoid costly hospitalizations, for one year of care in the Chronic Care Management Program for diabetic patients who qualify as extremely low income per federal guidelines.
- $15,000 to Wishes 4 Me, a Lawrenceville charitable organization that provides housing for low-income disabled adults in all the Jackson EMC service area so they may live independently and be a part of the community, to help purchase a new septic tank for a community home that will enable them to accommodate more residents.
- $7,000 to Quinlan Visual Arts Center, in Gainesville, to help provide for free or reduced cost art projects, classes and camps for children and teens in underserved communities in Hall County.
- $5,000 to Angel House, a Gainesville recovery residence for women with alcohol and/or drug addiction, to enable indigent women with no financial resources or support in the Jackson EMC service area to participate in the twelve-month program by covering entrance fees, offering these women a second chance at life so they can become productive members of society.
- $5,000 to Athens Community Council on Aging, serving Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Madison counties, for healthcare screenings and monitoring for families participating in the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program, which supports grandparents who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren.
- $5,000 to Georgia Options, an Athens-based non-profit organization serving Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to help provide services and resources for people with developmental disabilities to live in their own homes.
- $4,000 to Legacy Youth Mentoring, a non-profit that seeks to offer in-school mentoring opportunities for adults and students in Jackson County, to provide training resources and publications for adult mentors.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to provide roof repairs for a retired veteran in Hall County.
- $5,000 to assist in purchasing a vehicle wheelchair lift for the disabled adult son of a senior citizen.
April 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $115,800 in grants during their April meeting, including $112,550 to organizations and $3,250 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Camp Koinonia, in Homer to provide 58 Banks County underprivileged third through sixth grade students referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that provides positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 for Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization which offers year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programs for children facing serious illness and other challenges, to help children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its state-of-the-art, fully accessible campsites.
- $15,000 to Extra Special People, in Watkinsville to provide an opportunity for 43 special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson and Madison counties to attend an eight-week camp experience where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $15,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run non-profit group in Suwanee that provides support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders to families in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, to enable disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 to attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program where daily activities are used to teach social skills lessons.
- $15,000 to the Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program held at the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus to help at-risk middle and high school students in Hall County prepare for college and careers by concentrating on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $12,500 to Young Women’s Christian Organization,in Athens to help girls from low income families attend the Girls Club, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls ages 5-14 from low-to-moderate income families, and to help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $10,000 to Muscular Dystrophy Association, to help children and young adults with neuromuscular diseases from the counties served by Jackson EMC attend Camp Walk N’ Roll, a week-long summer program with no boundaries for physical disabilities where campers can build confidence and independence while their caregivers have a break from the demands of constant care.
- $6,000 to FOCUS (Families of Children Under Stress), a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to help provide Camp Hollywood in Lawrenceville, a unique summer day camp where children with developmental disabilities can build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills.
- $4,900 to Path Project, a community and youth development organization dedicated to empowering at-risk children in Gwinnett and Hall counties, to help fund a summer soccer camp for at-risk elementary school-aged children.
- $2,500 to Camp To Belong (Foster Siblings Reunited), a free summer camp that reunites brothers and sisters living separately in foster care or other out-of-home care to strengthen relationships, increase self-esteem, create healthier attitudes and childhood memories, to enable children in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves to attend the camp.
- $1,650 to Camp Twitch and Shout, to help three children, who are living with Tourette Syndrome, in Jackson EMC’s service area participate in a week-long overnight summer camp at Camp Will-a-Way at Fort Yargo State Park in Winder.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $3,250 to provide roof repairs for a disabled resident in Clarke County.
March 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $94,000 in grants during their March meeting, including $92,500 to organizations and $1,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $10,000 to the Hall County Library System, to help purchase a Pop-Up Reading Room Kit, which provides a custom-designed rolling cart, benches and books in a transportable unit to festivals, schools and other presentations.
- $10,000 for Books for Keeps, an Athens nonprofit organization sponsoring the Stop Summer Slide program to improve Clarke County children’s reading achievement, to provide books for summer reading to children in the Cleveland Road Elementary School, where 90 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced lunches.
- $10,000 to Gainesville Housing Corporation, which provides affordable living environments, improved quality of living, economic opportunities and fair housing to working poor families of Hall County, to provide quality programming through the RISE Summer Program for low-income and at-risk youth of Gainesville and Hall County.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society—Flowery Branch, for its Aid Hot Line program, which provides emergency aid to South Hall, North Gwinnett and West Jackson families in crisis for rent, mortgage and temporary housing to prevent homelessness and disrupted lives.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society—Gainesville, to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Hall County families in crisis.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society—Jackson County, for its financial assistance program that provides funds to Jackson and Banks county families in crisis for rent, mortgage, food, transportation, car repair and insurance premiums, and medical assistance.
- $10,000 to YMCA--Athens, to help enable children in Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties to participate in its nine-week Summer Day Camp project, which serves young people by offering supervised sports and other activities, as well as teaching values and math and reading.
- $10,000 to YMCA—Georgia Mountains, in Gainesville, to enable Hall County youth from pre-K to 10th grade from economically disadvantaged families to participate in a 10-week Summer Day Camp that teaches core values, conflict resolution and leadership skills.
- $10,000 to YMCA—Georgia’s Piedmont, in Winder for its Summer Day Camp to help children from economically disadvantaged families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties attend a 10-week day camp.
- $2,500 to Gainesville/Hall Community Food Pantry, to purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the Georgia Mountain Food Bank for distribution to those in need in Hall County.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $1,500 to make a bathroom handicap accessible for a 17-year-old who is paralyzed and wheelchair bound.
February 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $93,332 in grants during their February meeting, including $78,600 to organizations and $14,732 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Hospital System, which serves Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties to help purchase the Carestream DRX-Revolution X-Ray machine for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
- $15,000 for the Indigent Patient Fund, a program of the Medical Center Foundation of the Northeast Georgia Health System, serving Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties, to provide transportation for patients who have no access to or cannot afford transportation home from the hospital and for medications prescribed at discharge that patients have no resources to obtain.
- $15,000 to Supporting Adoption & Foster Families Together (SAFFT) a non-profit organization serving abused and neglected children in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties through its Family Life Center in Gainesville, to provide assistance for the Family Restoration Program to help 12-15 families with weekly supervised visitations, case management and parenting sessions and drug screens
- $10,000 to Judy House Ministry, a faith-based transition home for homeless men who have been incarcerated or under community supervision in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, to provide necessary food, household supplies and rent while they seek jobs and reconnect with their families and the community.
- $10,000 to Mercy Health Center, an Athens ministry of professional and lay volunteers that provides primary and specialty medical care, dental and pharmacy services for low income uninsured patients in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, for its Whole Person Care Unit that helps expand medical care access to its uninsured clients.
- $10,000 to NOA’s Ark (No One Alone), a Dahlonega emergency shelter and comprehensive support program for women and children from Gwinnett, Hall and Lumpkin counties, who have survived domestic violence or sexual assault, to help with emergency financial assistance to families leaving the shelter.
- $3,600 to Economic Justice Coalition, an organization in Athens that assists the unemployed and underemployed in securing jobs and supplies monthly food deliveries to after-school programs at community centers, for its food distribution program in Clarke County.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $4,867 to replace a heat pump for an individual with a recent brain injury disability.
- $4,565 to help pay for a home lift chair and for bathroom renovations to accommodate a lift for a senior citizen with a spinal cord injury.
- $3,500 to assist with medical bills for a senior citizen with Alzheimer’s
- $1,800 to help purchase dentures for an elderly woman.
January 2018
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $117,000 in grants to organizations during their January meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County to help purchase a 15-passenger van to provide safe, dependable transportation to the club after school, as well as to summer program field trips and activities.
- $15,000 to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens for its monthly Mobile Pantry Program, which distributes food through partner agencies in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties in a farmer’s market style event, eliminating the need for the agencies to store the food and allowing the Food Bank to distribute an average of 11,000 pounds of food each month to those in need at a fraction of the cost.
- $15,000 to Friends of Disabled Adults and Children, Too, an organization based in Stone Mountain and serving all counties in the Jackson EMC service area by helping people with injuries and disabilities of all ages regain their mobility, independence and quality of life, for its Home Medical Equipment Program, which refurbishes medical equipment, such as power lifts and motorized chairs.
- $15,000 to Independent Transportation Network (ITN), a Gainesville-based organization providing door-to-door transportation for adults 60 years and older and visually impaired individuals 18 years and older, to assist with its member and volunteer recruitment efforts in Banks, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties.
- $15,000 to The Tree House, a children’s advocacy center working to reduce child abuse in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, for the Family Services Supervised Visitation Program, which provides a neutral, child-friendly environment for visits between children in foster care and their parents, enabling them to maintain and enhance family bonds, as well as providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children when reunited.
- $15,000 to the J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA for its Afterschool Enrichment Program in project-based STEM activities for at-risk youth from low income families, which helps them keep pace with science and math learning outside of school.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Conference-St. Matthew, in Winder, for its financial assistance program that provides funds to Barrow county families in crisis for rent, mortgage and food.
- $10,000 to the Gainesville-Hall County Alliance for Literacy to purchase materials and provide instructors for basic literacy classes for adults 16 and older, and GED preparation classes for students who have not completed high school.
- $5,000 to Oglethorpe County 4-H, to help students in low-income households participate in 4-H Residential Leadership Events, including junior and senior conferences, state 4-H council, and district project achievement.
December 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $86,280.00 in grants during their December meeting, including $72,300 to organizations and $13,980 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Assistance Program, which provides clients with emergency food supplies, shelter, prescription medications and referrals to local clinics, buying them time to deal with the difficult and frequently temporary circumstances they are facing and helping them get back on their feet.
- $10,500 to Elachee Nature Center in Gainesville, to assist students in Title 1 schools in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin and Madison counties attending the Nature Education and Environmental Conservation Programs for PreK-12 school children.
- $10,000 to the Eyes of Love Lighthouse Mission in Buford, a grassroots ministry that collects and distributes clothes, food and furniture to those in need in Gwinnett, Hall, Barrow counties to help them get back on their feet, to help with rent on the building used to house the mission’s inventory.
- $10,000 to the Rape Response, a Gainesville community-based non-profit that provides comprehensive services to adolescent and adult victims of sexual violence in Hall and Lumpkin Counties, to help fund aftercare and Emergency Room clothing and comfort items for victims, as well as recruitment and training for volunteer advocates.
- $7,500 to Adventure Bags, an Auburn-based nonprofit that creates comfort bags and distributes them to displaced children through local DFCS offices, domestic violence shelters, fire departments, group homes and children’s shelters in Jackson EMC’s service area to provide comfort and security in a crisis.
- $7,500 to North Georgia Interfaith Ministries, based in Dahlonega, for Jeremiah’s Place, Lumpkin County’s only transitional housing program, which assists homeless families from Lumpkin and Hall counties get back on their feet and find safe, stable housing.
- $5,000 to Rock Goodbye Angel, a Gainesville-based non-profit, to assist with its pregnancy and infant loss grief support program that covers Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin counties.
- $2,500 to Community Helping Place, a Dahlonega non-profit that addresses hunger in the Lumpkin County community, to purchase food for its food pantry.
- $2,300 to Spirit of Sharing, in Winder, for it Youth Enrichment outreach program for children ages six to 18 in low-income families.
- $2,000 to Penfield Christian Homes to provide assistance for people living in one of the ten counties served by Jackson EMC to participate in the substance abuse treatment program.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to a 30-year-old individual for assistance in purchasing a wheelchair lift for a vehicle to transport a disabled son’s power chair.
- $3,480 to a 54-year-old individual for assistance with replacing her HVAC unit.
- $3,500 to an 81-year-old individual for assistance with repairs to the bathroom to make it handicapped accessible for her disabled daughter.
- $3,500 to a family for assistance with purchasing a wheelchair lift for a vehicle to transport two disabled children.
November 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $99,545 in grants during their November meeting, including $96,045 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army – Gwinnett County for its Financial Emergency Services Program, which provides rent and mortgage assistance to Gwinnett residents in need to prevent homelessness and stabilize families in crisis.
- $15,000 to View Point Health, a Lawrenceville agency providing support to clients with behavioral health conditions, addictive diseases and developmental disabilities, to provide uninsured and underinsured clients with primary and specialty health care by assisting with copays for office visits, lab work, and pharmacy screenings through Four Corners Primary Care.
- $14,000 to the United Way of Northeast Georgia to allow 480 Clarke County children under the age of five to participate in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program which provides monthly age-appropriate books, supporting childhood literacy and success in school.
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army - Athens, which serves Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, for emergency shelter operations and to provide food to shelter residents and those in the community who are hungry and seek a meal at the nightly free dinner; the Athens agency provided about 50 individuals a day with emergency shelter and served 31,884 meals last year.
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army - Gainesville, which serves Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, for its Financial Emergency Services Program which provides rent and mortgage assistance to residents in need to prevent homelessness and stabilize families in crisis.
- $7,635 to Neighbor to Family, a foster care program designed to keep siblings together when they are removed from their parents’ care, to replace Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Program training materials used to provide Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson County foster caregivers and staff with instruction to keep foster children safe.
- $7,500 to Georgia Community Support & Solutions, a Norcross agency serving Autistic adults in Gwinnett County, to help purchase a 15-passenger van that will allow participants access to community-based activities that allow them to practice and hone skills learned at the facility and integrate into the community.
- $7,500 to Rainbow Children’s Home, a Dahlonega shelter for abused and neglected girls serving all counties in Jackson EMC’s service area, to help fund programs that go beyond the basics of food, clothing and shelter to provide services such as substance abuse treatment, independence and wellness training, and family reunification services.
- $5,000 to H.O.P.E, Inc., a Duluth non-profit serving low-income single parents in Gwinnett and Hall counties who are working to achieve their college degree, to help with childcare and housing when either situation threatens the parent’s ability to continue their classes.
- $2,500 to the Spirit of Joy Church Food Bank in Flowery Branch, which distributes food to those in need in Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, to purchase food.
- $1,910 to Reins of Life, a Franklin County non-profit that offers hippotherapy treatment for special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help five Franklin County clients attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help dig a new well and replace the pump system of a single mother who has faced serious health issues and has been unable to work.
October 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $94,000 in grants to organizations during their October meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gateway House, a Hall County non-profit serving victims of domestic violence and their children, to provide emergency legal assistance in requesting, filing and enforcing a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) and safety planning to keep abusive partners from having contact with or harassing domestic violence victims.
- $15,000 to Hebron Community Health Center in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization providing medical and dental care to low-income, uninsured Gwinnett residents, to provide diagnostic follow-up testing, prescription medication, and diabetic supplies.
- $15,000 to Jackson County Habitat for Humanity, to purchase materials for its 16th house, including electrical, plumbing and an HVAC unit.
- $12,500 to Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens, a network of 31 area congregations and more than 800 volunteers, for its Hospitality Shelter Program that provides temporary housing and services to homeless families in need, a case manager and childcare so homeless parents can work or seek work, and for its Extended Network Program.
- $12,500 to Ser Familia, a comprehensive social services program in Buford for Latino families, to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health counseling services, including domestic violence, sexual abuse and suicide counseling, to purchase materials and supplies to prepare a child’s therapy room and tele-psychiatry client service hours.
- $10,000 to Nothing But the Truth, a Dacula faith-based organization dedicated to meeting needs in the community, to purchase food for the Weekend Food Bag Program that provides food for the weekend to Gwinnett County public school children who have been identified by counselors as food insecure.
- $5,000 to Helping Mamas, a Snellville nonprofit that provides essential baby items to Gwinnett County women and children in need, to help purchase breast pumps, pack and plays, and car seats not available through public assistance programs.
- $5,000 to Jewish Family & Career Services, a nonsectarian agency providing human services programs to a diverse population of low to moderate income, underserved and in need individuals in Gwinnett County, for basic dental services provided through its Ben Massell Dental Clinic.
- $4,000 to Lumpkin County Family Connection, to purchase food and the delivery fee for its Backpack Buddy program, which provides a supply of 10 pounds of food for seven meals and four snacks each week to children identified by Family Advocacy as food insecure.
September 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $119,233 in grants to organizations during their September meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Girls Scouts of Historic Georgia, serving girls in Clarke, Hall and Jackson counties, to help fund the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, which teaches girls how to understand themselves and their values, use that knowledge to explore the world, care about and team with others, and take increasing responsibility for designing and implementing activities to make the world a better place.
- $15,000 to Hi-Hope Service Center in Lawrenceville to help fund part-time nursing and nutrition services for 20 developmentally disabled residents from Gwinnett and Barrow counties, providing services such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment to residents who require onsite nursing care.
- $15,000 to Junior Achievement of Georgia for program materials, support materials and supplies, and program development to provide the JA Biztown and JA Finance Park interactive programs at Discovery High School to more than 30,000 Gwinnett County middle school students, teaching them the concepts of financial literacy, business, entrepreneurship and career readiness.
- $15,000 to Peace Place, Inc., domestic violence shelter in Winder, to help refurbish four apartments and two houses that serve as safe transitional housing for women and children in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties who have survived domestic violence and are seeking to rebuild their lives, independently and free of abuse.
- $14,985 to Boy Scouts of America, NEGA Council, serving all Jackson EMC counties for underprivileged youth, to provide uniforms, handbooks and summer camp fees that will help underprivileged youth participate in scouting, teaching them to make ethical choices and promoting citizenship, leadership, mental and physical fitness.
- $13,248 to Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, a Stone Mountain nonprofit organization that helps individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury to regain employment and living skills, to provide four weeks of rehabilitation services for nine adults from Gwinnett county who are permanently disabled by traumatic brain injury.
- $12,500 to Georgia Children’s Chorus, an organization that provides vocal and choral training to young people in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties pursuing choral music education, to help up to 20 students from low-income families participate in choral training and performance opportunities.
- $10,500 to Asian American Resource Foundation a Gwinnett non-profit that provides supportive services to members of the community in need, for its Transitional Housing Program that provides homeless single mothers and their children with up to 24 months of housing assistance and support services to transition them to permanent housing.
- $8,000 to Barrow Ministry Village in Winder, which provides food distribution, foster family resources and affordable counseling services to needy families in Barrow County, for its counseling program to serve 30 individuals struggling with PTSD, anxiety and other family issues.
August 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $98,877 in grants to organizations and individuals during their August meeting, including $92,700 to organizations and $6,177 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Center Point Georgia to offer the Smart Girls program that builds character skills to help girls make healthy choices, to students in Gainesville and Hall County schools.
- $15,000 to Good News Clinics, a non-profit organization that provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Gainesville and Hall County, to ensure clients of its Sam Poole Medical Clinic have laboratory tests necessary for physicians to determine their health care needs and provide them with appropriate care.
- $15,000 to Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett, which provides quality, affordable and accessible healthcare and dental services to the poor and uninsured in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties, to support the Women’s Health Advantage Program covering the costs of mammograms for 176 women.
- $15,000 to SISU (formerly Challenged Child & Friends), a Gainesville non-profit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $10,000 to Tiny Stitches, Inc. in Suwanee, which uses a network of volunteers to make handmade tote bags filled with a 35-piece layette that will keep an infant warm and dry for the first three months of life, donated to mothers in Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $7,500 to Bridging the Gap of Georgia, which serves veterans across the Jackson EMC service area impacted by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury, Combat Stress and/or homelessness, to help with renovation costs for a donated Oakwood home that will support the Veteran Life Community Program.
- $5,200 to iServe Ministries, a Jefferson grassroots organization that helps churches recognize community needs and helps get those needs met, for backpacks and food for its “Bags of Love” program that sends disadvantaged students in Jackson and Madison counties home each weekend with enough food for family meals and snacks.
- $5,000 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients in Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves and gloves.
- $5,000 to Rotary Club of Madison County to purchase materials for 10 handicap ramps, which are constructed by Rotary Club members for local individuals who cannot afford them, increasing their general mobility and improving safety in the event they need to evacuate their home.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help a family, whose child was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, to replace their home’s roof.
- $2,677 to help an elderly man purchase a lift for his vehicle so he can use his Hoveround scooter.
July 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $97,785 in grants during their July meeting, including $95,075 to organizations and $2,710 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the American Red Cross of Northeast Georgia to provide disaster relief, including food, shelter, personal needs and clothing, to families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta--Gwinnett for its Power Hour program, which is a comprehensive education program providing club members with daily support, resources and guidance needed to complete school assignments while maintaining educational confidence and ability.
- $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Winder-Barrow in Winder for its Homework Power Hour, which provides comprehensive homework help and tutoring for elementary-aged members, and Goals for Graduation, a program that combats academic underachievement in middle and high school-aged members to set and work toward goals for school attendance, homework completion and positive study habits.
- $15,000 to Children’s Center for Hope & Healing in Gainesville to provide 36 children who have been sexually abused with therapy to reduce trauma symptoms such as nightmares, bed wetting, anxiousness, depression, anger, fatigue and self-hatred, and for their families to decrease the sense of isolation, strengthen the family, assist with parent-child attachment and family functioning.
- $14,800 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier for its Triple Play program, which will help 1,300 youth during a 48-week period to increase their knowledge of healthy habits, good nutrition and physical fitness with the primary goal to reduce childhood obesity.
- $12,775 to Athens Nurses Clinic, a non-profit health care clinic providing free services to uninsured low-and-no income residents, to help implement the Free From C program, which provides health education, testing and treatment for the Hepatitis C virus.
- $7,500 to CHRIS 180 (Creativity, Honor, Respect, Integrity and Safety) Gwinnett Counseling Center, which serves Banks, Gwinnett and Hall counties with a mission to heal children, strengthen families and build community, to support mental health services and trauma counseling for uninsured and underinsured clients at the Lawrenceville location in an effort to end the intergenerational cycles of poverty and abuse.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $2,710 to help purchase dental work and dentures for a low income senior citizen.
June 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $122,618 in grants to organizations during their June meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Potter’s House, an Atlanta Mission facility, to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs, such as adult literacy, to men who are recovering from substance abuse through an intensive residential program at this 570-acre working farm in Jefferson.
- $15,000 to Auditory Verbal Center for a therapist, clinical supplies, and equipment maintenance, repair and calibration, used to help children under the age of five in the counties served by Jackson EMC who have cochlear implants overcome their hearing loss and learn to communicate without the use of sign language.
- $15,000 to Norcross Cooperative Ministry for its Health Advocacy Program, which offers access to a nurse for clients seeking assistance with medical issues and provides resources for clients’ medical appointments, labs and prescriptions while they apply for Medicaid or pharmacy assistance programs.
- $15,000 to L.A.M.P. Ministries in Gainesville for its Community Youth and Children’s program, three-month sessions open to young people ages 7-17, which combines group counseling and community activities to provide high risk youths in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties with a positive alternative to gangs, drugs and other delinquent behavior.
- $13,000 to Georgia Mountain Food Bank in Hall County to assist with the purchase of a vehicle for the Neighborhood Grocery Delivery Program, which coordinates with community agencies to identify people in their communities who are unable to come to the Mobile Food Pantry due to limited transportation, age, disability, serious illness or extreme poverty, to distribute food in areas of most defined need.
- $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity—Madison County to purchase materials such as drywall, HVAC equipment, fixtures, vinyl siding that have not been donated for its ninth house, being built for a family of four identified through Jubilee Partners.
- $10,000 to Madison County Senior Center to help fund the purchase of a vehicle to deliver meals to senior citizens in Madison County as part of the Home Delivered Meals program, which allows frail and older citizens to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, nutrition screening, education and counseling services, and opportunities for social contact.
- $10,000 to Piedmont Regional Library System, which serves Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to cover its electronic book system fee and hosting costs, and purchase additional Ebooks, providing a quality selection of Ebook titles and free access to technology they might not be able to afford.
- $8,000 to Our Neighbor, a Gainesville grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges, to assist with home upgrades to make wheelchair accessible, to provide occupational, physical, speech and communication therapy for residents.
- $6,000 to Enotah CASA of Lumpkin County, to assist with the needed resources to implement the Paths to Permanency Program that pairs CASA volunteers with DFACS caseworkers, supports more frequent meetings with the children, provides camp tuition, education tools and literature, workshops and research to find appropriate permanent homes for children in foster care.
- $5,618 to Family Promise of Hall County, a community effort to end the cycle of family homelessness, to purchase equipment for the Day Center, one Next Step Program Home, which allows program graduate families to live in safe, affordable housing temporarily, and the Little Steps Day Care, which provides free, temporary child care option while parents search for employment.
May 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total of $105,000 in grants to organizations during their May meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Family Ties-Gainesville for the Parenting 101 program that teaches effective communication, discipline and positive reinforcement skills that prevent and break the cycle of child abuse and neglect, for counseling services for children and their parents and for parenting instructors.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Children’s Shelter to provide 120 homeless children and their mothers with the Home of Hope program, which provides a 3-12 month transitional living experience where children can regain a sense of security and mothers can work with a life coach to develop a customized plan to help them achieve financial security and permanent housing to prevent future homelessness.
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity—Gwinnett County for the “A Brush With Kindness” program, which provides minor home repairs, painting, landscaping and weatherization to low-income seniors, the disabled and low-income homeowners who financially struggle to maintain their home in decent and safe condition.
- $15,000 to Hope Clinic, in Gwinnett County, which specializes in internal medicine and chronic care management for low-income patients to help them avoid costly hospitalizations, for one year of care in the Chronic Care Management Program for diabetic patients who qualify as extremely low income per federal guidelines.
- $15,000 to Lindsay’s Legacy Mentoring in Jackson County to help fund the coordinator’s position for a program that recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students kindergarten through 12th grade in all three school systems within the county, helping to ensure those young people become healthy, educated and employable.
- $11,000 to Camp Kudzu, a year-round camping program for children with diabetes and their families, to teach diabetes management skills that will reduce their risk of diabetes-related complications, as well as improve their attitude about living with the disease, to help children from the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC attend a one-week overnight summer camp.
- $10,000 to Quinlan Visual Arts Center in Gainesville to enable 80 underserved students with exemplary artistic skills entering 1st-8th grades at Title I schools in Barrow, Hall, Jackson, Gwinnett and Lumpkin counties to attend one-week Art Camp sessions.
- $5,000 to Positive Impact Health Centers in Duluth to help provide transportation assistance for medical appointments at the Center’s Gwinnett Clinic, which provides client-centered care for the HIV community.
- $4,000 to Nuci Phillips Memorial Foundation in Athens, a nonprofit organization working to prevent suicide, to enable young people from low income families to participate in Camp Amped, a summer day camp for northeast Georgia youth ages 11-18 focusing on positive mental health and music education.
April 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $111,850 in grants to organizations during their April meeting, including $107,350 to organizations and $4,500 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Extra Special People in Watkinsville to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson and Madison counties to attend an eight week camp experience where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Student Leadership for its two-year student leadership program serving high school juniors and seniors in 23 public schools, providing practical leadership skills and training to return to their home high school to facilitate the core leadership principles with groups there to increase the capacity to develop student leaders.
- $15,000 to the Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program held at the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus to help at-risk middle and high school students in Hall County prepare for college and careers by concentrating on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $13,000 to Camp Koinonia in Homer to provide 60 Banks County underprivileged third through sixth grade students referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that provides positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills and build personal relationships.
- $12,100 to Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization which offers year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programs for children facing serious illness and other challenges, to help children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its state-of-the-art, fully accessible campsites.
- $12,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run non-profit group in Suwanee that provides support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders to families in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties, to enable disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 to attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program where daily activities are used to teach social skills lessons.
- $10,500 to Young Women’s Christian Organization (YWCO) in Athens to help girls from low income families attend the Girls Club, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls ages 5-14 from low-to-moderate income families, and to help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $10,000 to Muscular Dystrophy Association to help children and young adults with neuromuscular diseases from the counties served by Jackson EMC attend Camp Walk N’ Roll, a week-long summer program with no boundaries for physical disabilities where campers can build confidence and independence while their caregivers have a break from the demands of constant care.
- $2,000 to Camp To Belong, a free summer camp that reunites brothers and sisters living separately in foster care or other out-of-home care to strengthen relationships, increase self-esteem, create healthier attitudes and childhood memories, to enable children in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves to attend the camp.
- $1,650 to Urban Ministry-Gainesville First United Methodist Church to help fund a summer soccer camp for at-risk elementary school-aged children in the Baker and Glover neighborhood.
- $1,100 to Camp Twitch and Shout to support camper scholarships for two children from Jackson EMC’s service area living with Tourette Syndrome for a week-long overnight summer camp at Camp Will-a-Way at Fort Yargo State Park in Winder.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help a disabled individual purchase dental work.
- $1,000 to help a disabled, older couple pay for a handicapped accessible bathroom.
March 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $112,450 in grants to organizations during their March meeting, including $108,950 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $12,450 to Three Dimensional Life in Gainesville, a non-profit organization that provides a 10-month residential recovery for young men 14-19 years old from Banks, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson counties who are struggling with destructive behaviors, to provide 200 family counseling sessions.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent De Paul Society in Flowery Branch for its Aid Hot Line program, which provides emergency aid to South Hall and North Gwinnett families in crisis for rent, mortgage and temporary housing to prevent homelessness and disrupted lives.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent De Paul Society in Gainesville to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for Hall County families in crisis.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent De Paul Society in Jefferson for its financial assistance program that provides funds to Jackson and Banks families in crisis for rent, mortgage, food, transportation, gas, car repair and insurance premiums, and medical assistance.
- $12,000 to Step by Step Recovery, a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization which provides a safe and structured environment for both men and women over 6 months to 2 years as they complete a 12-step program to deal with drug and alcohol addiction, to assist with rent for men’s and women’s units.
- $12,000 to YMCA of Georgia’s Piedmont in Winder for its Summer Day Camp to enable 20 children ages 5-13 from economically disadvantaged families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties to attend a 10-week day camp that provides a safe environment and nurturing quality programs for youths that might otherwise be “latchkey” kids during their schools’ summer break.
- $10,000 to Gainesville Housing Corp., which provides affordable living environments, improved quality of living, economic opportunities and fair housing to working poor families of Hall County, to provide quality programming through the RISE Summer Program for low-income and at-risk youth of Gainesville and Hall County.
- $10,000 to YMCA of Athens, to provide scholarships to 45 children for its Summer Day Camp project, which serves more than 1,000 young people by offering supervised sports and other activities, as well as teaching values and responsibility that help kids feel good about themselves, enjoy life and avoid the dangers of drugs or gangs.
- $7,500 to Hope for the Journey, Inc., a compassionate community cancer outreach program in Lawrenceville that works closely with the American Cancer Society to provide support, meals and educational materials to children and adult cancer victims and their families in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $5,000 to Books For Keeps, an Athens nonprofit organization sponsoring the Stop Summer Slide program to improve children’s reading achievement, providing books for summer reading to children in Clarke County elementary schools where 90 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced lunches, for the Cleveland Road Elementary School.
- $2,500 to Gainesville/Hall County Food Pantry to purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the Georgia Mountain Food Bank for distribution to those in need in Hall County.
- $1,500 to Cozy Quilters in Winder to buy materials and supplies to make quilts for distribution to the sick, injured or terminally ill in Jackson, Barrow and Gwinnett counties.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help a single mom purchase a handicapped accessible van for her child who has cerebral palsy.
February 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $81,572 in grants during their February meeting, including $75,737 to organizations and $5,835 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens to hire part-time staff that will provide instruction at both club locations for its Mind Blowers Program, a targeted supplemental math education program that teaches essential problem-solving and quantitative skills students will use in the classroom, work world and every-day life.
- $10,000 to Athens Urban Ministries, a grassroots organization dedicated to assisting those who need a hand up, to help provide instruction, technology and materials for GED training to help 85 individuals in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties achieve their potential through education and employment, with a goal of becoming self-sufficient.
- $9,604 to Gwinnett Special Forces, a community-based volunteer organization accredited under Special Olympics of Georgia that provides adults with intellectual and development disabilities in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties the opportunity to play sports with a goal of promoting personal growth and athletic development, to purchase necessary equipment and uniforms.
- $8,000 to the Gainesville/Hall County 96 Roundtable, a non-profit organization formed to oversee operations and programs at the Lake Lanier Olympic Center for rowing, canoeing and kayaking, to purchase Automated External Defibrillators for the venue’s boathouse and Olympic Timing Tower that will provide emergency medical treatment in cases of cardiac arrest.
- $7,633 to the Choices Pregnancy Center in Gainesville to purchase parenting videos, literature and incentive baby items for its My Baby Counts program, which provides crucial parenting skills to pregnant women and new parents in Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties, and to conduct middle and high school sexual integrity programs in Gainesville City and Hall County schools.
- $7,500 to Judy House, a faith-based transition home for homeless men who have been incarcerated or under community supervision in Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall counties, to provide necessary personal expenses, transportation, food, household supplies and rent while they seek jobs and reconnect with their families and the community.
- $7,500 to the North Gwinnett Arts Association to provide art education, such as Drawing & Painting, Hand building with Clay, Pottery on the Wheel, Beginning Photography, Cartooning, Watercolor Painting, Acrylic Painting and Writing to students ages 5 to 90 who demonstrate financial need.
- $5,000 to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America to help 13 children from Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, and Jackson counties attend Camp Oasis, a six-day camping experience at Winder’s Camp Will-A-Way, that takes campers’ physical and social needs into consideration, provides dietary and medical support, and allows campers to interact with other children who face the same challenges of Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis.
- $3,500 to Guest House, a Gainesville non-profit senior day care center serving Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties that offers therapeutic activities, socialization, and professional medical services to frail seniors and those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia in the safest, most affordable and loving environment possible, to fund an art therapy program that can help enhance communication, brain function and social interaction in dementia patients.
- $2,000 to Casa de Amistad, an Athens non-profit providing social services, referrals, translation, education and advocacy to Latino and Hispanic families living below the poverty line in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to provide free GED instruction in Spanish to help them achieve their potential through education and employment, with a goal of becoming self-sufficient.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,800 to help replace the HVAC unit of an elderly disabled couple who have faced serious health issues and medical bills over the past two years.
- $3,035 to purchase a set of dentures for a diabetic senior citizen living on a fixed income.
January 2017
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $103,750 in grants to organizations during their January meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gainesville Action Ministries, a network of 25 Hall County congregations that work to prevent homelessness by providing emergency financial, food and clothing assistance, and children’s services, to provide rent assistance that enables clients to stay in their homes as well as case management for those clients and financial literacy training to help them break the cycle of poverty.
- $15,000 to ACTION, Inc., an Athens based organization serving Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, for the Full Plate Food Program, which collects surplus food donated by Athens area restaurants and redistributes it to homeless shelters and other human service agencies, and for the Opportunities Now Program, which supports students seeking to improve their lives by completing a higher level of education.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center, a multi-use science, history, culture, heritage and environmental facility located on a 700-acre campus in Buford, to allow students from low-income families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties to attend interpretative, hands-on field studies and educational programs.
- $15,000 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Georgia Chapter to help cover copayments for qualified blood cancer patients in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves. The society provides copay assistance from $2,500 to $10,000 per year per patient, depending on their diagnosis, and assisted 84 patients in Jackson EMC’s service area during the first three quarters of 2016.
- $15,000 to The Tree House, a children’s advocacy center working to reduce child abuse in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, for the Family Services Supervised Visitation Program, which provides a neutral, child-friendly environment for visits between children in foster care and their parents to enable them to maintain and enhance family bonds and provide a safe and nurturing environment for their children when reunited.
- $12,000 to Mercy Health Center, an Athens ministry using a community of professional and lay volunteers to provide primary and specialty medical care, dental and pharmacy services for low income uninsured patients in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to provide “Whole Person Care” that meets patients’ physical, spiritual and emotional needs to improve health outcomes and manage resources more efficiently and effectively.
- $10,000 to Angel House of Georgia, a Gainesville recovery residence for women with alcohol and/or drug addiction, to enable indigent women with no financial resources or support in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Hall, Jackson and Madison counties to participate in the twelve-month program by covering their program fees and living expenses, offering these women a second chance at life so they can become productive members of society.
- $6,750 to Prevent Child Abuse Athens, a grassroots organization focused on ending neglect and abuse of children in Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to offer the First Steps primary prevention program that offers support, parenting education and community referrals to new parents to help them with the challenges of parenting.
December 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $77,792 in grants during their December meeting, including $74,927 to organizations and $2,865 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides clients with emergency food supplies, buying them time to deal with the difficult and frequently temporary circumstances they are facing and helping them get back on their feet.
- $15,000 to Project Adam, a non-profit focused on the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug dependency, to cover the entry fees of 12 men who can’t afford to enter the residential treatment program and do not have family to assist them.
- $11,927 to Fragile Kids Foundation, a Georgia nonprofit that provides prescribed medical equipment that Medicaid and private insurance will not cover to medically fragile children, to help fund the purchase and installation of critical medical equipment such as electronic wheelchair van lifts, strollers, toileting and bathing systems in the counties Jackson EMC serves.
- $10,000 to Eyes of Love Lighthouse Mission in Buford, a grassroots ministry that collects and distributes clothes, food and furniture to those in need in Gwinnett, Hall, Barrow counties to help them get back on their feet, to help with rent on the building used to house the mission’s inventory.
- $8,000 to Eagle Ranch, a Chestnut Mountain home for boys and girls in crisis serving all of Northeast Georgia, to cover the annual subscription costs for an electronic health record database system that securely stores state-required records and tracks the ongoing progress of the youth being served.
- $7,500 to Adventure Bags, an Auburn-based nonprofit that sources and stuffs comfort bags and distributes them to displaced children through local DFCS offices, domestic violence shelters, fire departments, group homes and children’s shelters in Jackson EMC’s service area to provide comfort and security in a crisis.
- $5,000 to NOA’s Ark (No One Alone), a Dahlonega emergency shelter and comprehensive support program for women and children from Lumpkin, Gwinnett and Hall counties who have been the victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, to help provide food to shelter residents and outreach clients.
- $2,500 to Community Helping Place, a Dahlonega non-profit that addresses hunger in the Lumpkin County community, to purchase food for its food pantry.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,865 to purchase an everyday activity chair for a six-year-old boy with cerebral palsy that will hold his body in place for normal daily activities.
November 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $58,910 in grants during their November meeting, including $55,410 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Rape Response, Inc., a Gainesville community-based non-profit that provides comprehensive services to adolescent and adult victims of sexual violence in Hall and Lumpkin Counties, to help fund aftercare and Emergency Room clothing and comfort items for victims, as well as recruitment and training for volunteer advocates.
- $7,500 to Family Promise of Gwinnett County for homeless parents staying at the agency’s Salt Light Center emergency shelter under its 30-90 day Homeless Recovery/Sustainability Program, to help provide child care while they look for work or are working.
- $7,500 to Georgia Options in Bogart to help purchase a van that will provide flexible wheelchair-accessible transportation for people with significant disabilities in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Madison counties, allowing them to work, attend school and be involved in community functions.
- $6,000 to the Place of Seven Springs, a Snellville nonprofit which provides assistance to Gwinnett County residents in need, to provide funds for emergency housing and food.
- $5,000 to the Athens Community Council on Aging for the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program, which supports grandparents who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren, to provide emergency food and personal care supplies.
- $5,000 to H.O.P.E, Inc., a Duluth non-profit serving low-income single parents in Gwinnett and Hall counties who are working to achieve their college degree, to help with childcare and housing when either situation threatens the parent’s ability to continue their classes.
- $5,000 to the Samaritan Center for Counseling and Wellness, an Athens agency that provides counseling, psychotherapy, education and consultation to residents of surrounding counties without regard for ability to pay, to help lower fees for the uninsured in its Jefferson satellite office.
- $2,500 to the Spirit of Joy Church Food Bank in Flowery Branch, which distributes food to those in need in Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, to purchase food.
- $1,910 to Reins of Life, a Franklin County non-profit that uses hippotherapy treatment to special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help five Franklin County clients attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicap accessible van for an eleven-year-old boy with mitochondrial deficiency/Dravet Syndrome.
October 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $90,815 in grants during their October meeting, including $84,100 to organizations and $6,715 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Support Adoption & Foster Families Together (SAFFT), a non-profit serving abused and neglected children in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties through its Family Life Center in Gainesville, to provide access to five months of supervised visitation, case management, parenting training and coaching to four families in crisis who are currently on a waiting list.
- $15,000 to Rainbow Village, a Duluth long-term, transformational housing program that provides fully furnished apartments and comprehensive support for homeless families with children in North Metro Atlanta, to help provide rent for its early childhood development center facility.
- $15,000 to the YMCA – Georgia Mountains in Gainesville to help underprivileged Elementary School children attend the Kids Time Afterschool Program, which provides a safe environment with homework assistance, enrichment activities, relationship building, sports, games and arts and crafts on site at Hall County and Gainesville City elementary schools.
- $15,000 to the J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA for its Afterschool Enrichment Program that will use Kindle Fire tablets and STEM project packs in various subjects and various grade levels, along with education-based field trips to help children from low income families keep pace with science and math learning outside of school.
- $12,150 to Hope Haven, an Athens agency providing a variety of programs to support developmentally disabled individuals, to help purchase a 15-passenger Ford Transit van that will be used to transport participants to and from community access programs, community living support, residential alternative, prevocational, supported employment, respite and other services.
- $10,950 to I Am, Inc. in Buford, for the Helping Others Pursue Excellence (HOPE) program which helps girls ages 6-18 meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood through a coordinated, progressive series of activities and experiences that help them become socially, academically, emotionally, economically and physically competent.
- $1,000 to the Lawrenceville Woman’s Club to purchase supplies and establish a sustainable community garden in the Glenn Edge neighborhood that will provide an opportunity for residents to connect with nature and each other, and have access to fresh healthy food in exchange for time spent learning and working in the garden.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace the HVAC system of a senior citizen who cares for her disabled brother.
- $3,215 for dental work and dentures for a senior citizen whose teeth are causing health issues.
September 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $66,500 in grants to organizations during their September meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Elachee Nature Science Center in Gainesville to help offer discounts for students in Title 1 schools in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin and Madison counties to encourage environmental science/nature field trips that provide students with STEM-based educational experiences which cannot be duplicated in the classroom.
- $15,000 to Wishes 4 Me Foundation, a Lawrenceville charitable organization that provides housing for low-income disabled adults so they may live independently and be a part of the community, to replace the damaged driveway to a home that houses three disabled adults and to help enclose an existing carport to provide housing for two additional disabled adults.
- $10,000 to Nothing But the Truth, a Dacula faith-based organization dedicated to meeting needs in the community, to purchase food for the Weekend Food Bag Ministry that provides food for the weekend to Gwinnett County public schoolchildren who have been identified by counselors as food insecure.
- $10,000 to the Rainbow Children’s Home, a Dahlonega shelter for abused and neglected girls, to help fund programs that go beyond the basics of food, clothing and shelter to provide services such as substance abuse treatment, independence and wellness training, and family reunification services.
- $7,500 to the CASA Hall/Dawson Program, Inc., which trains and supervises community volunteer advocates for abused and neglected children in Juvenile Court proceedings in Hall and Dawson counties, to train 25 new volunteers, cover costs for family visitation, and provide special needs funding for 71 children to provide food and clothing.
- $5,000 to the Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, a Stone Mountain nonprofit organization that helps individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury to regain employment and living skills, to provide nearly 40 days of rehabilitation services for eight adults from Gwinnett and Clarke counties who are permanently disabled by traumatic brain injury.
- $4,000 to Lumpkin County Family Connection to purchase food and supplies for its Backpack Buddy program, which provides a supply of 10 pounds of food for seven meals and four snacks each week to children identified by Family Advocacy as food insecure.
August 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $105,500 in grants during their August meeting, including $98,500 to organizations and $7,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Center Point Georgia to provide in-school therapeutic counseling to school-age children and their families through its Wilheit Services, and to offer the Smart Girls program that build character skills to help girls make healthy choices, to students in Gainesville and Hall County schools.
- $15,000 to Challenged Child & Friends, a Gainesville non-profit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities in all counties served by Jackson EMC, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Jackson County to purchase materials such as plumbing, electrical, HVAC and cabinets that have not been donated for its 14th house, being built for a single father of two teenagers, and its 15th house, being built for a single mother with five children.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army – Lawrenceville for the Family Emergency Services program, which prevents homelessness and stabilizes families by providing rent or mortgage financial assistance directly to the landlord or property holder; the agency provided 268 families with rent assistance in 2015.
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army – Athens, which serves Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, for emergency shelter operations and to provide food to shelter residents and those in the community who are hungry and seek a meal at the nightly free dinner; the Athens agency provided 17,050 individuals with emergency shelter and served 31,612 meals last year.
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army - Gainesville, which serves Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, for emergency shelter operations and to provide food to shelter residents and those in the community who are hungry and seek a meal at the nightly free dinner; the Gainesville agency provided 5,338 individuals with emergency shelter and served 7,567 meals last year.
- $7,500 to Habitat for Humanity of Hall County for HVAC, electrical, roofing and flooring for a home being built under the Women Build program in Cooper Glen, the first Habitat Hall subdivision, for a single mother with two children who lost their home to a fire that severely burned her daughter.
- $6,000 to the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta to offer The Girl Scout Leadership Experience, a program which impacts 15 developmental outcomes to help girls discover their own strengths, connect with others in healthy relationships and become more resourceful problem solvers, to 203 Gwinnett County girls.
- $5,000 to Penfield Christian Homes, a Georgia non-profit Christian ministry that provides substance abuse treatment for women and men so that they may return to their families, jobs, churches and communities as productive citizens, to help fund treatment for individuals with no financial resources in all counties served by Jackson EMC.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicap accessible van for a handicapped 11-year-old boy.
- $3,500 to replace the leaking roof of a disabled senior citizen.
July 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $92,275 in grants during their July meeting, including $88,775 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens for its monthly Mobile Pantry Program, which distributes large quantities of food before its expiration date through partner agencies in seven counties served by Jackson EMC, eliminating the need for the agencies to store the food and allowing the Food Bank to distribute thousands of pounds of food to those in need at a fraction of the cost.
- $15,000 to the Hi-Hope Service Center in Lawrenceville to help fund part-time nursing and nutrition services for 20 developmentally disabled residents in Gwinnett County, providing services such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment to residents who require onsite nursing care.
- $15,000 to View Point Health, a Gwinnett County agency providing support to clients with behavioral health conditions, addictive diseases and developmental disabilities, to provide uninsured and underinsured clients with primary and specialty health care by assisting with copays for office visits, lab work, and pharmacy screenings through Four Corners Primary Care.
- $10,000 to the Gwinnett Council for the Arts to help fund The Healing Arts, an art-centered program for people who are facing or in the midst of a medical, physical or emotional crisis that provides a safe outlet for them to come to terms with emotional conflicts, increase self-awareness and express unspoken and often unconscious concerns about their illness and lives.
- $10,000 to Lilburn Cooperative Ministry to provide 40 needy families with $250 assistance for rent or mortgage payments annually, helping them to avoid foreclosure or eviction.
- $10,000 to Tiny Stitches, Inc. in Suwanee, which uses a network of volunteers to make handmade tote bags filled with a 37-item layette that will keep the infant warm and dry for the first 2-3 months of life, donated to mothers in Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $7,500 to Ser Familia, a comprehensive social services program in Buford for Latino families, to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health counseling services, including domestic violence, sexual abuse, and suicide counseling.
- $3,180 to the Madison County Youth Leadership Development Program, which uses instructional materials from the University of Georgia’s Fannin Institute to teach Madison County High School students skills that will allow them to be effective leaders, for a ropes course at Camp Mikell Blue Ridge Outdoor Center and instructor/participant manuals.
- $3,095 to the Dahlonega Care Center for its Pregnancy Resource Center’s Earn While You Learn program, which provides life skills training necessary for successful parenting while earning credits that can be used for childcare essentials such as diapers, wipes, formula and baby clothes.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to work in partnership with Habitat for Humanity to replace the leaking roof on the home of a disabled senior citizen.
June 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $89,559 in grants during their June meeting, including $83,500 to organizations and $6,059 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the American Red Cross of Northeast Georgia to provide disaster relief, including food, shelter, personal needs and clothing, to families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $13,000 to Jubilee Partners, a nonprofit Christian services community in Comer, Georgia, that assists newly arrived refuges screened by the U.S. State Department settle where they can learn English, cultural and practical skills and recover from war trauma and subsistence living in refugee camps, for medical services and transportation, household supplies, special clothing and English as a second language materials.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Norcross, an organization of volunteers who give their time to assist families that have fallen on hard times, to help fund emergency financial assistance for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing to avoid eviction and foreclosure, and prevent homelessness.
- $10,000 to the Potter’s House, an Atlanta Mission facility, to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs such as adult literacy to men who are recovering from substance abuse through an intensive residential program at this 570-acre working farm in Jefferson.
- $8,500 to the Ark United Ministry Outreach Center in Athens to provide emergency financial assistance that will help prevent eviction and reduce homelessness for workers in low-wage jobs, the disabled and the elderly in Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who are facing unexpected expenses.
- $7,500 to Lekotek of Georgia, a charitable organization that provides children with disabilities with accessible play, adaptive technology and toys, information and resources, to provide services through its Gainesville satellite office to serve ten new families from Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin and Madison counties, and to purchase additional adaptive toys and technology.
- $6,000 to Creative Community Services to help purchase a van to transport youth for the STEP Program, which helps prepare young people to transition out of the state foster care system and into independent adulthood, preventing them from ending up in mental institutions, homeless shelters or jails as adults.
- $5,000 to Jewish Family and Career Services, a nonsectarian agency providing human services programs to a diverse population of low to moderate income, underserved and in need individuals in Gwinnett County, for basic dental services provided through its Ben Massell Dental Clinic.
- $4,000 to the Franklin Life Pregnancy Center, a volunteer, Christian ministry that provides testing, counseling, and parenting classes for expectant teens and their families, to help provide the “Earn While You Learn” program that teaches parenting skills and provides essential child care items.
- $2,500 to Helping Mamas, a Snellville nonprofit that provides essential baby items to Gwinnett County women and children in need, to help purchase diapers, cribs and car seats not available through public assistance programs.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,575 to replace a leaking back door for a young man disabled by ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis.
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicapped accessible van for a man injured and disabled by an ATV accident.
- $984 to purchase a lift chair for a disabled senior citizen.
May 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $99,735 in grants during their May meeting, including $90,985 to organizations and $8,750 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta’s Lawrenceville Unit for its Homework Help/Afterschool Program, which uses staff and volunteers to provide club members with homework help, specialized tutoring and high-yield learning activities to improve baseline math and reading skills.
- $15,000 to Lindsay’s Legacy, Inc. in Jackson County to help fund the coordinator’s position for a program which recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students kindergarten through 12th grade in all three school systems within the county, helping to ensure those young people become healthy, educated and employable.
- $15,000 to MedLink Georgia, a non-profit primary medical care network which provides care to those who lack access to quality medical care because of finances, transportation or few local physicians, to purchase equipment for six new examination rooms in their expanded Colbert facility that serves Madison, Clarke and Oglethorpe counties.
- $14,985 to Boy Scouts of America – NEGA Council to provide uniforms, handbooks and summer camp fees that will help underprivileged youth participate in scouting, teaching them to make ethical choices and promoting citizenship, leadership, mental and physical fitness.
- $10,000 to the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens, a network of 23 area congregations and 750 volunteers that provides temporary housing and services to homeless families in need, to cover transportation expenses, emergency medical, dental and financial needs, and provide childcare so homeless parents can work or seek work.
- $6,500 to Athens-Clarke County Treatment and Accountability Court, a partnership of court, law enforcement and community mental health treatment providers that jointly work to improve services to offenders with serious and persistent mental health issues, to provide basic dental and vision care, and respite housing to transition participants from jail into the community.
- $5,500 to FOCUS (Families of Children Under Stress), a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to help provide Camp Hollywood in Lawrenceville, a unique summer day camp where children with developmental disabilities can build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills.
- $5,000 to Quinlan Visual Arts Center in Gainesville to enable about 40 disadvantaged, but exceptional students with exemplary artistic skills entering 1st-8th grades at Title I schools in Barrow, Hall, Jackson, Gwinnett and Lumpkin counties attend one-week Art Camp sessions.
- $4,000 to the Disabled American Veterans – Chapter 92 for its Veterans Relief Fund, which provides assistance for emergency needs such as rent, medical bills, groceries, or a bus ticket home to veterans and their families.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,750 to purchase dentures for a low-income senior citizen.
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicapped accessible van for a man left a quadriplegic by an accident.
- $3,500 to purchase a lightweight electric wheelchair and hand controls for a woman who lost the use of her legs following vascular surgery.
April 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $125,426 in grants during their April meeting, including $123,426 to organizations and $2,000 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia in Homer to provide 60 Banks County underprivileged third through sixth grade students referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that provides positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 to Extra Special People in Watkinsville to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson and Madison counties to attend an eight week camp experience where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $15,000 to Exodus Outreach, a Buford nonprofit organization serving people in all walks of life who are hurting and in need of support, for a summer program that offers kindergarten through eighth grade at-risk students in Gwinnett and Hall counties with a supervised summer learning and development curriculum that readies students to succeed in school in the fall.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Student Leadership for its student leadership program, a two-year program serving high school juniors and seniors in 23 public schools, providing practical leadership skills and training to return to their home high school to facilitate the core leadership principles with groups there to increase the capacity to develop student leaders.
- $15,000 to the Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program held at the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus to help at-risk middle and high school students in Hall County prepare for college and careers by concentrating on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $12,500 to Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization which offers year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programs for children facing serious illness and other challenges, to help children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its state-of-the-art, fully accessible campsites.
- $10,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run non-profit group in Suwanee that provides support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders to families in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties, to enable disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 to attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program where daily activities are used to teach social skills lessons.
- $10,000 to the Young Women’s Christian Organization (YWCO) in Athens to help girls from low income families attend the Girls Club, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls ages 5-14 from low-to-moderate income families, and to help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $8,000 to Camp Kudzu, a year-round camping program for children with diabetes and their families to teach diabetes management skills that will reduce their risk of diabetes-related complications, as well as improve their attitude about living with the disease, to help children from the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC attend a one-week overnight summer camp.
- $3,500 to Good Samaritan Ministry of Northeast Georgia, a Gainesville non-profit that provides food, clothing, furniture, job counseling and education assistance to those in need in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties, to purchase food and personal hygiene items.
- $2,000 to Camp To Belong, a free summer camp that reunites brothers and sisters living separately in foster care or other out-of-home care to strengthen relationships, increase self-esteem, create healthier attitudes and childhood memories, to enable children in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves to attend the camp.
- $1,475 to the Gainesville 1st United Methodist Church Urban Ministry to help fund a summer soccer camp for at-risk elementary school-aged children in the Baker and Glover neighborhood.
- $951 to Northeast Georgia RESA (Regional Educational Service Agencies) to fund iPad applications and amplification for four itinerant teachers who service nearly 100 students in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who have a variety of types and degrees of hearing loss, cognitive and physical areas of need, to provide them with a variety of opportunities for meaningful and engaging lessons.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,000 to replace the hearing aids of a senior citizen.
March 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $147,528 in grants during their March meeting, including $144,863 to organizations and $2,665 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients in Banks, Barrow, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves and gloves.
- $15,000 to Good News Clinics, a non-profit organization that provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Gainesville and Hall County, to ensure clients of its Sam Poole Medical Clinic have laboratory tests necessary for physicians to determine their health care needs and provide them with appropriate care.
- $15,000 to Hebron Community Health Center in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization providing medical and dental care to low-income, uninsured Gwinnett residents, to provide diagnostic follow-up testing, eye exams and prescription glasses, and prescription medication, glucose monitors and glucose strips.
- $15,000 to the Next Stop Foundation, a Lawrenceville grassroots organization that provides social interaction, recreational and life skill learning opportunities to young adults with mild to moderate disabilities in Gwinnett and Hall counties, to help fund an occupational therapist that works with members to develop new skills, adapt tasks for success, become more fully integrated into society and achieve a higher level of independence.
- $15,000 to the Norcross Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Food Assistance Program that provides families a four-five day supply of non-perishable items once a month for up to six times a year in order to help those experiencing a household crisis, such as a delay in child support, unexpected bills, unemployment or under-employment.
- $15,000 to the North Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry for its Medication Assistance Program, which covers the cost of non-narcotic/controlled substance prescriptions for senior citizens and families that qualify for assistance when the amount of medication is too much or the co-pays are too costly.
- $15,000 to Step by Step Recovery, a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization which provides a safe and structured environment for both men and women over 6 months to 2 years as they complete a 12 step program to deal with drug and alcohol addiction, to assist with rent for men’s and women’s units.
- $11,463 to the Gwinnett County Public Library to purchase a “pop-up” library featuring a reading room with seating and connectivity that will allow the library to increase library access for underserved residents, who could sign up for library cards, see demonstrations of services, engage in portable children’s activities and technology tutorials, increasing their access to books, digital resources and other services.
- $10,000 to Junior Achievement of Georgia for program materials, support materials and supplies, and program development to provide the JA Biztown and JA Finance Park interactive programs at Discovery High School to more than 30,000 Gwinnett County middle school students, teaching them the concepts of financial literacy, business, entrepreneurship and career readiness.
- $6,400 to Citizens Advocacy of Athens/Clarke County, a non-profit agency that develops one-to-one personal relationships between people with disabilities and local citizens for advocacy and protection, to help pay the salary of a part-time support coordinator.
- $5,000 to New Beginnings Ministry of Franklin County, a faith-based recovery program serving women who have addictions and their families, for its Project S.M.I.L.E. that provides single mothers with room and board, meals, transportation, life-skills education, and recovery classes, while providing daycare and playground facilities so that mothers are not separated from their children during their recovery.
- $5,000 to Quilts for Kids Northeast Georgia Chapter, a non-profit organization that uses volunteers to sew comforting quilts that are distributed to children at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Athens Regional Medical Center Pediatric Floor, Gateway Domestic Violence Shelter and Family Promise of Hall County, for the purchase of fabric.
- $2,000 to Path Project, a Gwinnett non-profit dedicated to helping at-risk children close the achievement gap and find the right path for their lives, for its Middle/High Leadership Academy that helps students set goals and work with positive role models to obtain the life skills necessary to overcome barriers, succeed academically and graduate high school with a plan for their future.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,665 to replace the wheelchair of a woman who was left a paraplegic by a motorcycle accident.
February 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $57,000 in grants to organizations during their February meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Madison County Senior Center to help fund the Home Delivered Meals program, which allows frail and older citizens to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, nutrition screening, education and counseling services, and opportunities for social contact. The center currently serves 52 home delivered meals daily, five days a week, and has a waiting list of six people.
- $15,000 to the YMCA Piedmont (Brad Akins Branch) for its Summer Day Camp to enable 20 children ages 5-13 from economically disadvantaged families to attend an 11-week day camp that provides a safe environment and nurturing quality programs for youths that might otherwise be “latchkey” kids during their schools’ summer break.
- $11,000 to L.A.M.P. Ministries in Gainesville for its Community Youth and Children’s program, three-month sessions open to young people ages 7-17 that combine group counseling and community activities to provide high risk youths in Hall and Jackson counties with a positive alternative to gangs, drugs and other delinquent behavior.
- $6,000 to 100 Black Men of North Metro Atlanta for its “Men of Tomorrow” program in Gwinnett County that provides underserved youth age 12-18 years of age with mentor/role models and education in life skills, healthy living, financial literacy and African American history to help these young men improve academics, attitude, graduation rate and goal setting.
- $5,000 to the Athens Regional Foundation to enable twenty uninsured or underinsured patients from an area covering Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison, and Oglethorpe counties to participate in the “Power to Change”, an individualized educational program for diabetic or pre-diabetic individuals that enables them to adhere to a meal plan, manage foot self-exams and reduce their HbA1c number.
- $2,500 to the ALS Association of Georgia for its Equipment Loaner Program, which provides equipment not typically covered by insurance, Medicare or Medicaid at no cost to individuals living with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), a degenerative neurological disease, from all counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $2,500 to the Gainesville/Hall County Community Food Pantry to purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the Georgia Mountain Food Bank for distribution to those in need in Hall County.
January 2016
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $80,393 in grants during their January meeting, including $76,893 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Children’s Center for Hope & Healing in Gainesville to provide 32 children who have been sexually abused with therapy to reduce trauma symptoms such as nightmares, bed wetting, anxiousness, depression, anger, fatigue and self-hatred, and for their families to decrease the sense of isolation, strengthen the family, assist with parent-child attachment and family functioning.
- $15,000 to Our Neighbor, a Gainesville grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges, to assist two residents, one with traumatic brain injuries who needs physical, speech and communication therapy and a second with aggressive lymphoma who needs clothes, supplies for their residence and nutritional supplements.
- $15,000 to The Tree House, a children’s advocacy center working to reduce child abuse in Barrow, Jackson and Banks counties, for the Family Services Supervised Visitation Program, which provides a neutral, child-friendly environment for visits between children in foster care and their parents to enable them to maintain and enhance family bonds and provide a safe and nurturing environment for their children when reunited.
- $12,000 to the Gainesville/Hall County Alliance for Literacy to purchase materials and provide instructors for basic literacy classes for adults 16 and older and GED preparation classes for students who have not completed high school. The 2011 U.S. Census reports that about 34 percent of Hall County residents are not high school graduates and 11 percent have less than a 9th grade education.
- $7,000 to the Asian American Resource Center, a Gwinnett non-profit which provides supportive services to members of the community in need, for its Transitional Housing Program that provides homeless single mothers and their children with up to 24 months of housing assistance and support services to transition them to permanent housing.
- $6,893 to Harmony House Child Advocacy Center, a non-profit organization serving Madison, Franklin and Oglethorpe counties that coordinates child abuse investigation and intervention services, to purchase a forensic interview camera, to support its parenting program and to help fund its victim services program which provides counseling, clothing, and transportation assistance.
- $6,000 to Jackson County 4-H Robotics Program to purchase parts, materials, power tools and technology to participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition for high school students, a program which includes teams from round the world, that builds science, engineering and technology skills, inspires innovation and promotes well-rounded life skills.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace the non-working HVAC system of a widowed senior citizen.
December 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $92,450 in grants during their December meeting, including $81,950 to organizations and $10,500 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Gwinnett County for the “A Brush With Kindness” program, which provides minor home repairs, painting, landscaping and weatherization to low-income seniors, the disabled and low-income homeowners who financially struggle to maintain their home in decent and safe condition.
- $15,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides clients with emergency food supplies, buying them time to deal with the difficult and frequently temporary circumstances they are facing and helping them get back on their feet.
- $10,000 to the C.O.R.E. (Confidence, Ownership, Responsibility, Exercise) Program, a community health initiative covering Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson and Madison counties that engages underprivileged adolescents at risk for chronic conditions related to obesity and overweight conditions in a 12-week program of high intensity, high impact exercise and behavior modification upon referral by a pediatrician.
- $10,000 to the Eyes of Love Lighthouse Mission in Buford, a grassroots ministry that collects and distributes clothes, food and furniture to those in need in Gwinnett, Hall, Barrow counties to help them get back on their feet, to help with rent on the building used to house the mission’s inventory.
- $10,000 to the Athens YMCA to provide 40 underprivileged children access to the After School Program, providing opportunities for them to participate in activities such as football, soccer, basketball, mountain biking, cheerleading, modern dance, swimming, and arts and crafts.
- $9,650 to Choices Pregnancy Care Center in Gainesville for ultrasound services to check for a pregnancy’s viability and ectopic pregnancy, and to purchase parenting videos, literature and incentive baby items for its My Baby Counts program, which provides crucial parenting skills to pregnant women and new parents in Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties to break the cycle of inadequate parenting, neglect and abuse.
- $5,000 to NOA’s Ark (No One Alone), a Dahlonega emergency shelter and comprehensive support program for women and children who have been the victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, to help provide food to shelter residents and outreach clients.
- $4,800 to Books for Keeps, an Athens nonprofit organization that works to improve children’s reading achievement, for its Stop Summer Slide program, which provides books for summer reading to children in Clarke County elementary schools where 90 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced lunches.
- $2,500 to the Community Helping Place, a Dahlonega non-profit that addresses hunger in the Lumpkin County community, to purchase food for its food pantry, summer food program and White Christmas food boxes.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help make handicap-accessible modifications to a van for a 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy.
- $3,500 to help purchase a van equipped to carry wheelchairs for two brothers who have mitochondrial disease.
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicap-accessible van for a 19-year-old boy with cerebral palsy.
November 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $98,910 in grants to organizations during their November meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Annandale at Suwanee, a nonprofit community serving adults with developmental disabilities or traumatic brain injury, for the Afterglow Gardens program, a horticulture therapy program using a climate-controlled greenhouse and garden center that will provide year-round recreational/therapeutic gardening opportunities ranging from potting plants, working in raised beds and harvesting produce.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Children’s Shelter to provide 60 homeless children and their mothers with The Next Step program, which provides a 3-12 month transitional living experience where children can regain a sense of security and mothers can work with a life coach to develop a customized plan to help them achieve financial security and permanent housing to prevent future homelessness.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center Foundation, a multi-use science, history, culture, heritage and environmental facility located on a 700-acre campus in Buford, to allow students from low-income families to attend interpretative, hands-on field studies and educational programs.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Flowery Branch for its Aid Hot Line program, which provides emergency aid to families in crisis for rent, mortgage and temporary housing to prevent homelessness and disrupted lives.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Catherine Laboure in Jefferson for its financial assistance program which provides funds to families in crisis for rent, mortgage, food, transportation, gas, car repair and insurance premiums, and medical assistance.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Michael in Gainesville to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing for families in crisis, as well as to purchase an industrial quality freezer to support their food distribution program.
- $10,000 to Athens Urban Ministries, a grassroots organization dedicated to assisting those who need a hand up, to help provide instruction and materials for GED training to promote self-sufficiency.
- $6,000 to CASA Enotah, which serves Lumpkin County by training community volunteers who represent the best interests of abused and neglected children, to cover the travel expenses of volunteers who work through the Paths to Permanency Initiative to find permanent homes for children in foster care.
- $1,910 to Reins of Life, a Franklin County non-profit that uses hippotherapy treatment to special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help five Franklin County clients attend therapy sessions that use a horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
October 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $93,589 in grants during their October meeting, including $87,500 to organizations and $6,089 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gainesville Action Ministries, a network of 17 Hall County congregations that work to prevent homelessness by providing emergency financial, food and clothing assistance, and children’s services, to provide rent assistance that enables clients to stay in their homes.
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Winder-Barrow in Winder for its Power Hour comprehensive homework help and tutoring program for elementary aged members, and Goals for Graduation, a program that combats academic underachievement in middle and high school aged members to set and work towards goals for school attendance, homework completion and positive study habits.
- $15,000 to Family Promise of Hall County, a community effort to end the cycle of family homelessness, to purchase a ductless HVAC system for a home being renovated by the nonprofit to serve as affordable housing for families who have found employment and graduated the 90-day program.
- $15,000 to Gateway House, a Hall County non-profit serving victims of domestic violence and their children, to provide emergency legal assistance in requesting, filing and enforcing a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) and safety planning to keep abusive partners from having contact with or harassing domestic violence victims.
- $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens for its Mind Blowers Program, a targeted supplemental math education program to teach essential problem-solving and quantitative skills that students will use in the classroom, work world and every-day life.
- $7,500 to Adventure Bags, an Auburn-based non-profit that sources and stuffs comfort bags that are distributed to displaced children through local DFCS offices, domestic violence shelters, fire departments, group homes and children’s shelters to provide comfort and security in a crisis.
- $5,000 to H.O.P.E., Inc., a Duluth non-profit serving low-income single parents who are working to achieve their college degree, to help with childcare and housing when either situation threatens the parent’s ability to continue their classes.
- $2,500 to the Pantry at Hamilton Mill to purchase food.
- $2,500 to Spirit of Joy Food Bank to purchase food.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,689 to install an EZ lock docking system in a handicap accessible van and replace the dentures of a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,400 to replace the HVAC system of a senior citizen battling cancer.
September 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $67,972 in grants during their September meeting, including $64,472 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Piedmont Regional Library System to cover its electronic book system fee and hosting costs, and purchase additional Ebooks, providing a quality selection of Ebook titles and free access to technology they might not be able to afford.
- $14,010 to Adult Literacy Barrow for computer equipment, supplies and instruction to offer GED and college entrance instruction to former inmates now on probation, helping them become employable and productive members of the community.
- $12,500 to Mercy Health Center, an Athens ministry using a community of professional and lay volunteers to provide primary and specialty medical care, dental and pharmacy services for low income uninsured patients, to help provide a part-time Dental Coordinator/Hygienist and purchase equipment and supplies to expand dental care access.
- $10,462 to Interlocking Communities, a grassroots community service organization in Lawrenceville, to upgrade computers, purchase equipment and materials, and employ an instructor for English as a second language classes that enable students to better communicate with their children’s teachers, sustain employment and become more productive citizens.
- $7,500 to Angel House of Georgia, a Gainesville recovery residence for women with alcohol and/or drug addiction, to cover program fees that will enable indigent women to participate in the twelve-month program.
- $5,000 to the Partnership for Gynecological Cancer, an all-volunteer Hall County nonprofit that provides direct assistance to women experiencing financial difficulties during their treatment for gynecological cancer, for assistance with gas and groceries.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to repair the leaking roof of a woman disabled by a stroke.
August 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $83,800 in grants during their August meeting, including $74,800 to organizations and $9,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army of Athens, which serves Clarke, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, for emergency shelter operations and to provide food to shelter residents and those in the community who are hungry and seek a meal at the nightly free dinner; the Athens agency provided 17,050 individuals with emergency shelter and served 31,612 meals last year.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army of Gainesville, which serves Banks, Barrow, Hall and Jackson counties, for emergency shelter operations and to provide food to shelter residents and those in the community who are hungry and seek a meal at the nightly free dinner; the Gainesville agency provided 5,338 individuals with emergency shelter and served 7,567 meals last year.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army of Lawrenceville for the Family Emergency Services program, which prevents homelessness and stabilizes families by providing rent or mortgage financial assistance directly to the landlord or property holder; the agency provided more than 200 families with rent assistance in 2014.
- $5,000 to AIDS Athens, a resource center serving Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to help purchase furnishings for its new facility, located in the Athens Resource Center for the Homeless on property formerly housing the Navy Supply Corps School, where those infected with HIV/AIDS can find housing and medical care.
- $5,000 to the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta to offer The Girl Scout Leadership Experience in Gwinnett County, a program which impacts 15 developmental outcomes to help girls discover their own strengths, connect with others in healthy relationships and become more resourceful problem solvers.
- $5,000 to the Pilot Club of Madison County to help purchase car seats for two Child Safety Seat Check Days for area residents where proper installation and use would be taught and seats provided to those in need, and afternoon Child Safety Seat Checks at each of the county’s five elementary schools to help reach parents.
- $5,000 to the Salvation Army of Northeast Georgia, which serves Franklin and Lumpkin counties, for emergency shelter operations and to provide food to shelter residents and those in the community who are hungry and seek a meal at the nightly free dinner; the Toccoa agency provided 263 individuals with emergency shelter and served 849 meals last year.
- $5,000 to the Samaritan Center for Counseling and Wellness, an Athens non-profit serving all counties in Jackson EMC’s service area except Lumpkin, that provides confidential, compassionate mental health services to individuals, families and community groups, to help replace outdated computers and software used for client information and intake/scheduling procedures.
- $4,800 to Hope for the Journey, Inc., a compassionate community cancer outreach program in Lawrenceville serving Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties that provides support, meals and educational materials to child and adult cancer victims and their families, working closely with the American Cancer Society.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help convert a van to wheelchair accessible for a nine-year-old girl with cerebral palsy.
- $3,500 for dental work and dentures for a senior citizen living on Social Security.
- $2,000 to repair the unstable floors in the manufactured home of a disabled senior citizen.
July 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $75,625 in grants to organizations during their July meeting, including $72,500 to organizations and $3,125 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center to provide forensic interviews of child sexual abuse victims in a climate of safety, openness and trust to help provide evidence for law enforcement, child protective services and the courts, as well as 24-hour family advocacy support for non-offending family members to identify resources and options to meet their needs.
- $15,000 to the Hi-Hope Service Center in Lawrenceville to help fund part-time nursing and nutrition services for 20 developmentally disabled residents in Gwinnett County, providing services such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment to residents who require onsite nursing care.
- $10,000 to the Vision and Hearing Care Program, a service of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, to help provide surgical procedures to restore sight, eye exams, and prescription eyewear for low-income residents in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves, using Lighthouse medical equipment, volunteer doctors, staff and volunteers.
- $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Barrow County to help purchase a used pickup truck needed to carry materials, supplies and a tool trailer from one home construction build site to another to make the most efficient use of volunteer and build time.
- $7,500 to Project Safe, an Athens agency serving families in all counties Jackson EMC serves who are experiencing domestic violence, to help fund a Transitional Housing Initiative that provides long-term housing and support services to domestic violence survivors who need extra assistance to become emotionally and financially self-sufficient.
- $7,000 to the Special Olympics of Barrow County to purchase equipment and supplies for more than 500 special needs athletes and athletes-in-training from 16 county schools so they can compete in basketball, bocce, soccer, softball, swimming, snow skiing and track and field events.
- $5,000 to Family Promise of Gwinnett County to fund supplies and meals for homeless single women and women with children who use the agency’s Salt Light Center emergency shelter.
- $3,000 to the Madison County Youth Leadership Development Program, which uses instructional materials from the University of Georgia’s Fannin Institute to teach Madison County High School students skills that will allow them to be effective leaders, for a ropes course at Camp Mikell Blue Ridge Outdoor Center and instructor/participant manuals.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,125 to purchase a wheelchair lift for the car of a disabled Vietnam veteran.
June 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $79,500 in grants to organizations during their June meeting, including $72,500 to organizations and $7,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Eagle Ranch, a Chestnut Mountain home for boys and girls in crisis serving all of Northeast Georgia, to install two security gates at key entry points that would control campus access, increasing the level of security and ensuring the safety of the children entrusted to its care.
- $15,000 to the Fragile Kids Foundation to help fund the purchase and installation of critical medical equipment not covered by insurance, such as electronic wheelchair van lifts, for special needs children in all the counties that Jackson EMC serves.
- $15,000 to Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett, a faith-based nonprofit committed to caring for the indigent, homeless and working poor in Gwinnett and Hall counties who do not have health insurance, to help provide diagnostic laboratory and pathology services to patients with chronic diseases.
- $10,000 to the Georgia Children’s Chorus, an organization that provides vocal and choral training to young people who wish to pursue that field, to help 20 students from low-income families participate in the training program and concerts.
- $7,500 to New Beginnings Ministries of Lawrenceville, a nonprofit that offers low-cost professional level counseling in Gwinnett, Hall and Barrow counties, to provide counselors who provide single women and single mothers with free, five-session crisis counseling sessions with a stipend for their time and gas.
- $5,000 to the Athens Community Council on Aging for the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program, supporting grandparents who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren by providing caregiver and child support groups, emergency food and personal care supplies, and Active Parenting workshops.
- $5,000 to the Place of Seven Springs, a Snellville nonprofit which provides food and emergency assistance to Gwinnett County residents in need, to provide funds for emergency housing, water bills, gas cards, food and non-narcotic prescription medicine.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a van that would be converted to handicapped accessible to transport a 10 year old girl with cerebral palsy.
- $3,500 to replace a water heater and repair the home of a senior citizen.
May 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $73,600 in grants to organizations during their May meeting, including $70,100 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta’s Lawrenceville Unit for its Homework Help/Afterschool Program, which uses staff and volunteers to provide club members with homework help, specialized tutoring and high-yield learning activities.
- $15,000 to Lindsay’s Legacy Mentoring, Inc. in Jackson County to help fund the coordinator’s position for a program which recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students kindergarten through 12th grade in all three school systems within the county, helping to ensure those young people become healthy, educated and employable.
- $6,500 to ACTION, Inc., for the Full Plate Food Program, which uses staff and volunteers to collect surplus food donated by Athens area restaurants, then redistribute that food to homeless shelters and other human service agencies, reducing both hunger and the food budgets of those agencies.
- $6,500 to the Clarke County Mentor Program, a broad-based, grassroots effort to provide individual support for public school students in 1st through 12th grades, promoting academic and personal success; to recruit, train and support new mentors.
- $5,500 to Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS), a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to help provide Camp Hollywood in Lawrenceville, a unique summer day camp where children with developmental disabilities can build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills.
- $5,000 to the Quinlan Visual Arts Center in Gainesville to enable about 40 disadvantaged, but exceptional students with exemplary artistic skills entering 1st-8th grades at Title I schools in Banks, Hall, Jackson, Gwinnett and Lumpkin counties attend one-week Art Camp sessions.
- $5,000 to the Side by Side Brain Injury Club, a Gwinnett nonprofit organization that helps individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury to regain employment and living skills, to provide a month of rehabilitation program fees for six brain injured adults from Gwinnett and Hall counties.
- $4,000 to Nuçi’s Space in Athens, a nonprofit organization working to prevent suicide, to enable young people from low income families participate in Camp Amped, a summer day camp for northeast Georgia youth ages 11-18 focusing on positive mental health and music education.
- $4,000 to the Lumpkin County Family Connection for its Backpack Buddy program, which provides a weekend supply of seven meals each week to children who are food insecure.
- $3,600 to Barrow Ministry Village, a community ministry established through a partnership of local churches which provides foster care support, counseling services and food to those in need, to fund a monthly mobile distribution of about 10,000 pounds of food to about 220 people.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to make handicapped accessible modifications to a van for a teenage girl with cerebral palsy.
April 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $123,500 in grants to organizations during their April meeting, including $120,000 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia in Homer to provide 60 Banks County underprivileged third through sixth grade students referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that provides positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 to Exodus Outreach, a Buford nonprofit organization serving people in all walks of life who are hurting and in need of support, for a summer program that offers kindergarten through eighth grade at-risk students in Gwinnett and Hall counties with a supervised summer learning and development curriculum that readies students to succeed in school in the fall.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Student Leadership Team for its student leadership program, a two-year program serving high school juniors and seniors in 22 public schools, providing practical leadership skills and training to return to their home high school to facilitate the core leadership principles with groups there to increase the capacity to develop student leaders.
- $15,000 to the Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program designed to help at-risk middle and high school students in Hall County prepare for college and careers. Held at the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus, the summer program concentrates on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $13,500 to Extra Special People in Watkinsville to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families in Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Jackson and Madison counties to attend a weeklong camp where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $10,000 to Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization which offers year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programs for children facing serious illness and other challenges, to help children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its state-of-the-art, fully accessible campsites.
- $10,000 to the Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run non-profit group in Suwanee that provides support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders to families in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties, to enable disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 to attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program where daily activities are used to teach social skills lessons.
- $8,000 to Camp Kudzu, a year-round camping program for children with diabetes and their families to teach diabetes management skills that will reduce their risk of diabetes-related complications, as well improve their attitude about living with the disease, to help children from the 10 counties served by Jackson EMC attend a one-week overnight summer camp.
- $7,000 to the Young Women’s Christian Organization (YWCO) in Athens to help girls from low income families attend the Girls Club, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls ages 5-14 from low-to-moderate income families, and to help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $5,000 to Bread for Life, a Northeast Georgia nonprofit organization focused on job training and work readiness for those who are unemployed and have few or no marketable skills, to provide baking training for clients in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Madison counties using both experiential and classroom training that earns participants a ServSafe® Food Handler certification.
- $2,750 to Carepointe Community Ministries of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth to help provide Pack’n Play infant cribs to parents in Gwinnett, Barrow and Hall counties who cannot afford baby beds in order to avoid infant deaths caused from sleeping in the same bed with parents.
- $2,000 to Camp to Belong Georgia, a free summer camp that reunites brothers and sisters living separately in foster care or other out-of-home care to strengthen relationships, increase self-esteem, create healthier attitudes and childhood memories, to enable children in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves to attend the camp.
- $1,750 to the Gainesville 1st United Methodist Church Urban Ministry to help fund a summer soccer camp for at-risk elementary school-aged children in the Baker and Glover neighborhood.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to make repairs to a handicap accessible van for a young man with muscular dystrophy.
March 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation board of directors awarded a total $112,500 in grants to organizations during their March meeting, including $109,000 to organizations and $3,500 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Hall County, to purchase HVAC and electrical equipment, cabinets, flooring and lighting for its Home for a Hero project, which is constructing a home for a disabled veteran on land donated by a family that lost their home to a fire last year.
- $15,000 to Signs and Wonders in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization that offers assistance to the homeless and needy on a non-discriminating basis, to allow 18 homeless men to participate in the addiction recovery program, a two phase drug and alcohol recovery course to help them get back on their feet and re-enter society in a stable, productive manner.
- $12,500 to the Boy Scouts of Northeast Georgia to provide uniforms, handbooks and summer camp fees that will help underprivileged youth participate in scouting, teaching them to make ethical choices and promoting citizenship, leadership, mental and physical fitness.
- $12,500 to the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia to help fund the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, which teaches girls how to understand themselves and their values, use that knowledge to explore the world, care about and team with others, and take increasing responsibility for designing and implementing activities to make the world a better place.
- $10,000 to Tiny Stitches, Inc. in Suwanee, which uses a network of volunteers to make handmade tote bags filled with a 37-item layette that will keep the infant warm and dry for the first 2-3 months of life, donated to mothers in nine North Georgia counties who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $7,500 to the American Red Cross of East Georgia to provide disaster relief, including food, shelter, personal needs and clothing, to families in Jackson, Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $7,500 to the American Red Cross of Northeast Georgia to provide disaster relief, including food, shelter, personal needs and clothing, to families in Hall and Lumpkin counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $7,500 to Project Adam, a non-profit focused on the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug dependency, to help purchase technical services and equipment that will allow the agency to better serve its outpatient clients with programs such as risk reduction, defensive driving, drug-free workplace, and individual and family counseling.
- $7,500 to Rainbow Children’s Home, a Dahlonega shelter for abused and neglected girls, to help fund programs that go beyond the basics of food, clothing and shelter to provide services such as support groups, academic tutoring, substance abuse treatment, self-defense classes and family recovery workshops.
- $5,000 to the Madison County 4-H to purchase parts, materials, power tools and technology for its robotics program, which builds science, engineering and technology skills, inspires innovation and promotes well-rounded life skills in middle and high school students.
- $5,000 to The Potter’s House, an Atlanta Mission facility, to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs such as adult literacy to men who are recovering from substance abuse through an intensive residential program at this 570-acre working farm in Jefferson.
- $4,000 to the Franklin Life Pregnancy Resource Center, a volunteer, Christian ministry that provides testing, counseling, and parenting classes for expectant teens and their families, to help provide the “Earn While You Learn” program that teaches parenting skills and provides essential child care items..
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace the HVAC for a disabled senior citizen with limited income.
February 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total $110,500 in grants to organizations during their February meeting, including $103,500 to organizations and $7,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County to help purchase a 15-passenger van to provide safe, dependable transportation for the more than 250 club members to the club after school as well as to summer program field trips and activities.
- $15,000 to Center Point, a Gainesville non-profit which mentors at-risk young people in Gainesville City and Hall County schools, to provide free and low-cost counseling to youth and their families who could not otherwise participate in therapy.
- $15,000 to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens for its monthly Mobile Pantry Program, which distributes large quantities of food before its expiration date through partner agencies in seven counties served by Jackson EMC, eliminating the need for the agencies to store the food and allowing the Food Bank to distribute thousands of pounds of food to those in need at a fraction of the cost.
- $15,000 to the YMCA Piedmont Brad Akins Branch for its Summer Day Camp to enable 16 children and 14 teens from economically disadvantaged families to attend an 11-week day camp that provides a safe environment and nurturing quality programs for youths that might otherwise be “latchkey” kids during their schools’ summer break.
- $10,000 to the Ark of Jackson County, a community outreach effort by area churches that assists individuals who have experienced a loss of income due to circumstances beyond their control, to help fund emergency housing assistance for rent or mortgage, and prescription medicine assistance.
- $10,000 to L.A.M.P. Ministries in Gainesville for its Community Youth Outreach program, three-month sessions that combine group counseling and community activities to provide high risk youths in Hall and Jackson counties with a positive alternative to gangs and other delinquent behavior.
- $10,000 to Teen Pregnancy Prevention in Gainesville to help fund the “Smart Girls” program in Hall County and Gainesville City high schools that offers guidance and support through weekly sessions to provide girls with the knowledge, skills, self-esteem and self-confidence they need to make healthy decisions about sexual activity and dating relationships.
- $7,500 to Athens Nurses Clinic, a non-profit health care clinic providing free services to uninsured low-and-no income residents, to help implement the Healthy Living/Healthy Community Program, which assists diabetic patients understand their disease and make lifestyle changes that will result in improved health.
- $3,500 to Good Samaritan Ministries, a Gainesville non-profit that provides food, clothing, furniture, job counseling and education assistance to those in need in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties, to purchase food and personal hygiene items.
- $2,500 to the Gainesville/Hall Community Food Pantry to purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the Georgia Mountain Food Bank for distribution to those in need in Hall County.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a ceiling lift for a wheelchair bound teenager suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy whose parents can no longer safely lift her.
- $1,750 to help pay for dental work for a senior citizen with limited income.
- $1,750 to help pay for dental work for a disabled senior citizen with limited income.
January 2015
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $107,806 in grants to organizations during their January meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Challenged Child and Friends, a Gainesville non-profit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities in all counties served by Jackson EMC, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $15,000 to the Hall County Health Department to provide indigent women in Banks, Franklin, Hall and Lumpkin counties who would otherwise not receive medical care during pregnancy with prenatal care services, including diabetic supplies, prenatal vitamins and checkups, that limit risk factors for both mother and baby.
- $15,000 to MedLink of Georgia, a non-profit primary medical care network serving all counties served by Jackson EMC which provides care to those who lack access to quality medical care because of finances, transportation or few local physicians, to transition to an electronic practice management and health records system that will allow physicians and staff to better manage patient care.
- $15,000 to Peace Place, a domestic violence shelter in Winder, to help refurbish four apartments and two houses that serve as safe transitional housing for women and children in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties who have survived domestic violence and are seeking to rebuild their lives, independently and free of abuse.
- $15,000 to Step by Step Recovery, a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization which provides a safe and structured environment for both men and women over 6 months to 2 years as they complete a 12 step program to deal with drug and alcohol addiction, to assist with rent for men’s and women’s units.
- $14,867 to Success by 6, a program of the United Way of Northeast Georgia, to help print “Critical Years, Critical Needs” parenting manuals in English and Spanish that provide a resource guide on early childhood developmental needs and good child care practices, along with board books, that are distributed to new parents through a partnership with St. Mary’s Hospital, Athens Regional Medical Center and Barrow County Medical Center.
- $11,939 to Piedmont CASA, a non-profit organization that uses community volunteers to provide a voice in Juvenile Court for the best interest of abused and neglected children in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to recruit and train community volunteers. In 2013, the organization served 148 children.
- $3,000 to iServe Ministries, a Jefferson grassroots organization that helps churches recognize community needs and helps get those needs met, for backpacks and food for its “Bags of Love” program that sends disadvantaged students in Jackson and Madison counties home each weekend with enough food for family meals and snacks.
- $3,000 to Straight Street Revolution Ministries, a Gainesville non-profit providing a support system to those in need in the community, to purchase food for its “BackPack Love” feeding program that sends disadvantaged students in Gainesville and Hall County schools home each weekend with food for family meals.
December 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $113,540 in grants to organizations during their December meeting, including $104,000 to organizations and $9,540 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides clients with emergency food supplies, buying them time to deal with the difficult and frequently temporary circumstances they are facing and helping them get back on their feet.
- $15,000 to the Norcross Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Shelter Assistance Program, which provides up to four weeks stay at a local hotel for families that find themselves homeless.
- $15,000 to the North Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry for its Medication Assistance Program, which covers the cost of non-narcotic/controlled substance prescriptions for senior citizens and families that qualify for assistance when the amount of medication is too much or the co-pays are too costly.
- $10,000 to the Eyes of Love Lighthouse Mission in Buford, a grassroots ministry that collects and distributes clothes, food and furniture to those in need in Gwinnett, Hall, Barrow, Jackson and Clarke counties to help them get back on their feet, to help with rent on the building used to house the mission’s inventory.
- $10,000 to the Lilburn Cooperative Ministry to provide 40 needy families with $250 assistance for rent or mortgage payments annually, helping them to avoid foreclosure or eviction.
- $10,000 to I Am, Inc. in Buford, to purchase supplies for the Gaining Insight & Real Life Skills (GIRLS) leadership development program for girls age 10-18, aimed at reducing the instance of high-risk behaviors, increasing self-esteem and focusing on life skills that promote success, such as self-assessment, managing money, etiquette, goal-setting, public speaking and choosing a career.
- $10,000 to NOA’s Ark, a Dahlonega emergency shelter and comprehensive support program for women and children who have been the victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, to help fund a Trauma Counseling Service that provides individual and group counseling to reduce the risk of posttraumatic stress and other psychological problems.
- $5,500 to Citizen Advocacy – Clarke County, a non-profit agency that develops one-to-one personal relationships between people with disabilities and local citizens for advocacy and protection, to help pay the salary of a part-time support coordinator.
- $5,000 to Nothing but the Truth, a faith-based organization dedicated to meeting needs in the community, to purchase food for the Weekend Food Bag Ministry that provides food for the weekend to Gwinnett County public schoolchildren who have been identified by counselors as food insecure.
- $4,000 to Randy and Friends, Inc., a Gainesville non-profit that employs adults with developmental disabilities, for a commercial-grade range, refrigerator/freezer and icemaker that will be used to expand the offerings of The Rooster’s Perch Café, where clients work as well as display and sell crafts they have created.
- $2,500 to Books for Keeps, an Athens nonprofit organization that works to improve children’s reading achievement, for its Stop Summer Slide program, which provides books for summer reading to children in elementary schools where 90 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced lunches.
- $2,000 to Northeast Church Women’s Mission Connection in Braselton for its Backpack Buddies program that sends two main meals, breakfast choices, snacks, juice and shelf milk home each weekend with children in the West Jackson Primary, West Jackson Intermediate and Gum Springs Elementary schools who have been identified by counselors as being food insecure.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help rebuild the home of a Banks County family that is trying to rebuild after a fire destroyed their home.
- $3,500 to help fund training for a service dog that will assist a young man who has cerebral palsy and is legally blind as he attends college next fall.
- $2,540 to convert an existing shower/tub enclosure to a handicap accessible shower for a disabled senior citizen.
November 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $86,000 in grants to organizations during their November meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Jackson County to help rehab a former bank-owned modular home and bring it up to code as housing for a single mother and her son, as well as construct a second home for a family of eight that includes three generations and two members with disabilities.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Catherine Laboure in Jefferson for its financial assistance program which provides funds to families in crisis for rent, mortgage, food, transportation, gas, car repair and insurance premiums, and medical assistance.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society of Peace Catholic Church in Flowery Branch for its Aid Hot Line program, which provides emergency aid to families in crisis for rent, mortgage and temporary housing to prevent homelessness and disrupted lives.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Michael in Gainesville to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing, for families in crisis.
- $8,000 to Athens Urban Ministries, a grassroots organization dedicated to assisting those who need a hand up, to help provide instruction and materials for GED training to promote self-sufficiency.
- $7,000 to Multiple Choices Center for Independent Living in Athens for its “Good Roots Project,” which trains developmentally disabled individuals organic vegetable growing techniques, providing local gardeners, commercial producers and community gardens with high-quality, organically grown seedlings, and providing the trainees with skills that could enable them to become independent business owners.
- $5,000 to Freedom from Bondage, an Athens recovery residence for women with drug and substance abuse dependency, to help pay entry fees and rent for those who have no resources, as well as providing bus passes and a desktop computer to help the women look for employment.
- $5,000 to ChildKind, a non-profit supporting families that care for medically fragile children, to help provide in-home care instructions through its Home Based Services program, preparing parents in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties to adequately and successfully care for their child or foster child at home.
- $5,000 to Children First, an Athens community-based non-profit that works with families and the courts to ensure the children have safe, stable, nurturing living environments, to help provide supportive supervised visitation in a neutral setting for families whose children have been placed in foster care.
- $5,000 to the Sexual Assault Center & Children’s Advocacy Center in Athens to cover the cost of 100 individual therapy sessions to give clients who are victims of child abuse and sexual assault the appropriate tools to cope emotionally and maintain a healthy life.
September 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $100,000 in grants during their September meeting, including $96,500 to organizations and $3,500 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Hebron Community Health Center in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization providing medical and dental care to low-income, uninsured Gwinnett residents, to provide diagnostic follow-up testing, eye exams and prescription glasses, and prescription medication, glucose monitors and glucose strips.
- $15,000 to the Madison County Senior Center to help fund the Home Delivered Meals program, which allows frail and older citizens to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, nutrition screening, education and counseling services, and opportunities for social contact. The center currently serves 49 home delivered meals daily, five days a week, and has a waiting list of 30 people.
- $15,000 to the Tree House, a children’s advocacy center working to reduce child abuse in Barrow, Jackson and Banks counties, for the Family Services Supervised Visitation Program, which provides a neutral, child-friendly environment for visits between children in foster care and their parents to enable them to maintain and enhance family bonds and provide a safe and nurturing environment for their children when reunited.
- $13,500 to Mercy Health Center, an Athens ministry using 700 professional and lay volunteers to provide primary and specialty medical care, dental and pharmacy services for low income uninsured patients, to help fund the services of a nurse practitioner for new patient appointments and supplies to serve those patients.
- $12,000 to the Gainesville-Hall County Alliance for Literacy to purchase materials and provide instructors for basic literacy classes for adults 16 and older and GED preparation classes for students who have not completed high school. The 2011 U.S. Census reports that about 22 percent of Hall County residents are not high school graduates and 10 percent have less than a 9th grade education.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Matthew Conference in Winder to help provide needy individuals and families with food, prescription medication and rent assistance. The volunteer organization is largely funded through parishioners’ monthly donations, and serves a growing client base in Barrow County.
- $7,500 to Choices Pregnancy Care Center in Gainesville for ultrasound services to check for a pregnancy’s viability and eliminate the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy, and for sexual integrity presentations to middle and high school students in Hall County and Gainesville City Schools that teach the emotional and physical consequences of making poor sexual health choices.
- $5,000 to the Ark United Ministry Outreach, an Athens agency that prevents homelessness by providing emergency assistance to families facing financial crisis, to provide $100 in additional rent assistance for 50 families facing eviction.
- $2,500 to the Athens Area Emergency Food Bank, a non-profit that offers emergency aid to clients who cannot obtain assistance elsewhere because their situation often places them temporarily below the poverty line, to help replace an aging van used to move food.
- $1,000 to Exceptional Kids Athletics, a Snellville non-profit that uses occupational therapists and former professional or college-level players as coaches along with youth volunteers to provide six-weeks of sports training to children ages 4-21 with physical or cognitive disabilities.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to install a handicap accessible shower for a visually impaired man who has additional serious health issues.
August 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $107,500 in grants during their August meeting, including $99,500 to organizations and $8,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Children’s Center for Hope & Healing in Gainesville to provide 37 children who have been sexually abused with therapy to reduce trauma symptoms such as nightmares, bed wetting, anxiousness, depression, anger, fatigue and self-hatred.
- $15,000 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves and gloves.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army of Athens for emergency shelter operations and to provide food to shelter residents and those in the community who are hungry and seek a meal at the nightly free dinner; the shelter provided 16,845 nights of shelter and 29,033 evening meals last year.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army of Gainesville to assist with the costs of providing Emergency Shelter to prevent homelessness and community meals for families and individuals who are struggling; the agency provided 8,732 nights of shelter and 9,002 evening meals last year.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army of Lawrenceville for the Family Emergency Services program, which prevents homelessness and stabilizes families by providing rent or mortgage financial assistance directly to the landlord or property holder; the agency provided 200 families with rent assistance in 2013.
- $5,500 to Diamond In the Rough, a Snellville faith-based youth development and leadership program for girls 10-18, for the Clusters long-term mentoring and leadership development program which uses small group meetings one day per week for 1-2 hours during the school year to build self-image, character, leadership, health and wellness, financial stewardship, healthy relationships and spiritual enrichment.
- $5,000 to ConnectAbility, a Dahlonega non-profit providing support services to children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, for its Sidekicks Respite care, short-term care for individuals so that caregivers may have a break from constant caregiving responsibilities.
- $5,000 to the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta to develop science, technology, engineering and math leadership among Gwinnett County elementary school girls, using program staff and volunteers to deliver four to six sessions of It’s Your Planet Love It and Imagine Your STEM Future curricula series.
- $5,000 to the Salvation Army of Toccoa to assist with the costs of providing Emergency Shelter to prevent homelessness and community meals for families and individuals who are struggling; the agency provided 93 families with 20 weeks of stay through hotel/motel vouchers and 120 community meals last year.
- $4,000 to Prevent Child Abuse Athens, a grassroots organization focused on ending neglect and abuse, to offer the First Steps primary prevention program that offers support, parenting education and community referrals to new parents to help them with the challenges of parenting.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace the heat pump of a senior citizen.
- $3,400 to repair the roof of a senior citizen.
- $1,100 to realign the dentures of a disabled woman.
July 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $80,000 in grants during their July meeting, including $75,000 to organizations and $5,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Barrow County in Winder for its Power Hour comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, and Goals for Graduation, a program that combats academic underachievement and links further aspirations with concrete actions today.
- $15,000 to Hi-Hope Service Center in Lawrenceville to help fund part-time nursing services for 20 developmentally disabled residents in Gwinnett County, providing services such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment to an increasing number of residents who require onsite nursing care.
- $10,000 to Hope Clinic, a primary care internal medicine clinic founded to provide the uninsured working poor with affordable care, to help purchase an electrocardiogram and Spot Vital Sign equipment for its Chronic Care Management Program that treats patients with multiple chronic conditions.
- $10,000 to the Vision and Hearing Care Program, a service of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, to help provide surgical procedures to restore sight, eye exams, and prescription eyewear for low-income residents in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves, using Lighthouse medical equipment, volunteer doctors, staff and volunteers.
- $7,500 to the Asian American Resource Foundation, a Gwinnett non-profit which provides supportive services to members of the community in need, for its Transitional Housing Program that provides homeless single mothers and their children with up to 24 months of housing assistance and support services to transition them to permanent housing.
- $7,500 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens for its Mind Blowers Program, a targeted supplemental math education program to teach essential problem-solving and quantitative skills that students will use in the classroom, work world and every-day life.
- $5,000 to the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative, a Grayson non-profit that assists local families with food and financial support in their time of need, to help purchase a commercial refrigeration unit that will enable the cooperative to better use its supply chain of fresh produce.
- $5,000 to the Rotary Club of Madison County to purchase materials for 10 handicap ramps, which are constructed by Rotary Club members for local individuals who cannot afford them, increasing their general mobility and improving safety in the event they need to evacuate their home.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,500 to purchase a ramp to carry the wheelchair of a disabled woman.
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicapped accessible van for a child with cerebral palsy.
June 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $81,955 in grants during their June meeting, including $73,200 to organizations and $8,755 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Good Samaritan Health Center in Lawrenceville, to offer evening and weekend operating hours that give the working poor access to healthcare without having to take unpaid time off from work and risking their employment.
- $15,000 to Interlocking Communities, a Lawrenceville grassroots community service organization focusing on education, to install support technology at new location, replace 10-year-old textbooks/workbooks, and hire two additional part-time classroom instructors for new location’s smaller classrooms.
- $10,000 to I Still Have a Dream Foundation, an Athens-based non-profit that provides those who have had brain and spinal cord injuries in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties with transportation and supplies, to help purchase and equip a handicapped accessible van that will allow the organization to serve more patients.
- $10,000 to Gainesville Action Ministries, a network of 17 Hall County congregations that work to prevent homelessness by providing emergency financial, food and clothing assistance, and children’s services, to provide rent assistance.
- $7,000 to Angel House of Georgia, a Gainesville recovery residence for women with alcohol and/or drug addiction, to cover program fees that will enable indigent women to participate in the twelve-month program.
- $6,000 to Guest House to provide low income clients with access to the Gainesville non-profit senior day care center, which offers high quality medical attending, personal care, occupational therapy and safety to older seniors and those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.
- $5,000 to the Girls Leadership Summer Program in Gainesville, an intensive six-week course for girls ages 13-17 that establishes mentoring relationships between the girls and women in the minority community, develops leadership and collaboration skills, and promotes the development of new leaders in the community.
- $3,200 to Friends of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens to produce calendars used as learning tools by Garden Earth Naturalist Clubs, after-school science clubs that encourage youth ages 8-10 to study and explore natural habitats.
- $2,000 to the Path Project, a Gwinnett non-profit dedicated to helping at-risk children close the achievement gap and find the right path for their lives, for college student interns that will lower the organization’s staff to child ratio at it summer camp.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,387 to repair the floors in the home of a disabled woman.
- $2,870 to purchase a special stroller for a child with cerebral palsy.
- $2,498 to purchase a scooter lift for a disabled woman.
May 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $82,400 in grants during their May meeting, including $75,700 to organizations and $6,700 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Annandale at Suwanee, a nonprofit community serving adults with developmental disabilities or traumatic brain injury, to purchase tablets, desktop computers, projector and smart board that will enable clients to learn daily living workforce readiness skills to maximize their abilities and enable them to successfully live and work independently.
- $15,000 to Lindsay’s Legacy Mentoring, Inc. in Jackson County to help fund the coordinator’s position for a program which recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students kindergarten through 12th grade in all three school systems within the county, helping to ensure those young people become healthy, educated and employable.
- $10,200 to Gateway House, a Hall County non-profit serving victims of domestic violence and their children, to provide emergency legal assistance to request, file and enforce a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) to keep abusive partners from having contact with or harassing victims..
- $10,000 to Lanier Tech for its Accelerating Opportunities Student Program, which combines GED instruction with English as a Second Language, decreasing the amount of time it takes students to become gainfully employed and increasing Northeast Georgia’s work-ready workforce.
- $9,000 to Eagle Ranch, a Chestnut Mountain home for boys and girls in crisis, to help remodel an outdoor fitness area to enable younger girls in two group homes to participate in regular exercise and recreational activities to help them develop self-discipline and establish a healthy lifestyle.
- $5,000 to Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS), a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to help provide Camp Hollywood in Lawrenceville, a unique summer day camp where children with developmental disabilities can build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills.
- $5,000 to the Quinlan Arts Center, Inc., in Gainesville, to enable about 40 disadvantaged, but exceptional students with exemplary artistic skills entering 1st-8th grades at Title I schools in Hall, Jackson, Gwinnett, and Lumpkin counties attend one-week Art Camp sessions..
- $4,000 to Nuci’s Space in Athens, a non-profit organization working to prevent suicide, to enable young people from low income families participate in Camp Amped, a summer day camp for northeast Georgia youth ages 11-18 focusing on positive mental health and music education.
- $2,500 to H.O.P.E., Inc., a Duluth non-profit that serves low-income single parents working to achieve their college degree, to help with childcare and housing when either situation threatens the parent’s ability to continue their classes.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicap accessible van for a family with two disabled children.
- $3,200 to replace the HVAC unit of a disabled man.
April 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $110,000 in grants during their April meeting, including $106,500 to organizations and $3,500 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia in Homer to provide 62 Banks County underprivileged 3rd through 6th grade students referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that provides positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 to Exodus Outreach, a Buford non-profit organization serving people in all walks of life who are hurting and in need of support, for a summer program that offers at-risk students in Kindergarten through eighth grade with a summer learning and development curriculum that provides supervision and readies the students to succeed in school in the fall.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Student Leadership Team for its student leadership program, a two-year program serving high school juniors and seniors in 22 public schools, providing practical leadership skills and training to return to their home high school to facilitate the core leadership principles with groups there to increase the capacity to develop student leaders.
- $13,500 to Extra Special People in Watkinsville to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families to attend a weeklong camp where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $10,000 to Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization which offers year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programs for children facing serious illness and other challenges, to help children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its state-of-the-art, fully accessible campsites.
- $10,000 to the Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run non-profit group in Suwanee that provides support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to enable disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 to attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program where daily activities are used to teach social skills lessons.
- $7,000 to the Young Women’s Christian Organization (YWCO) in Athens to help girls from low income families attend the Girls Club, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls ages 5-14 from low-to-moderate income families, and to help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $6,000 to the Gwinnett Public Library to purchase books for its Summer Reading Book Giveaway, which provides a free book to every child, from toddler to teenager, who completes their summer reading goal.
- $5,000 to Camp Kudzu, a year-round camping program for children with diabetes and their families to teach diabetes management skills that will reduce their risk of diabetes-related complications, as well improve their attitude about living with the disease.
- $5,000 to the Side by Side Brain Injury Club, a Gwinnett non-profit organization that helps individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury to regain employment and living skills, to provide 12 months of rehabilitation program fees for brain injured adults in the counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $2,500 to the Gainesville 1st United Methodist Church Urban Ministry to help fund a summer soccer camp for at-risk elementary school-aged children in the Baker and Glover neighborhood.
- $2,500 to the Cross Pointe Church Food Pantry to purchase food.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to purchase a swivel seat to safely transfer a disabled young woman from her wheelchair to an automobile.
March 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $83,795 in grants during their March meeting, including $78,700 to organizations and $5,095 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Project Adam, a non-profit focused on the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug dependency, to help purchase a communications system for the agency’s new facilities in the former Barrow County Water & Sewer Authority property that will house its intensive outpatient and adolescent treatment services, risk reduction program and defensive driving course.
- $15,000 to the Good News Clinics, a non-profit organization that provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Gainesville and Hall County, to replace inefficient and outdated computers in the transition to an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system.
- $10,000 to the American Red Cross of Northeast Georgia to provide disaster relief assistance, including emergency food, shelter, clothing and other needs, to families and individuals in Hall and Lumpkin counties so they can begin the task of rebuilding their lives.
- $10,000 to the Place of Seven Springs, a Snellville non-profit which provides food and emergency assistance to Gwinnett County residents in need, to provide funds for emergency housing, water bills, gas cards, food and non-narcotic prescription medicine.
- $8,000 to The Potters House, an Atlanta Mission facility, to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs such as adult literacy to men who are recovering from substance abuse through an intensive residential program at this 570-acre working farm in Jefferson.
- $7,500 to Project Safe, an Athens agency serving families in the counties Jackson EMC serves who are experiencing domestic violence, for a Transitional Housing Initiative that provides long-term housing and support services to domestic violence survivors who need extra assistance to become emotionally and financially self-sufficient.
- $5,700 to ACTION, Inc., for the Full Plate Food Program, which uses staff and volunteers to collect surplus food donated by Athens area restaurants, which is then redistributed to homeless shelters and other human service agencies, reducing both hunger and the food budgets of those agencies.
- $5,000 to the Athens Community Council on Aging for its Project Northeast Georgia Healthy Grandparents, a program that supports grandparents who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren, for UGA intern visits, transportation and needed materials, as well as afterschool and summer programs.
- $2,500 to the Pantry at Hamilton Mill to purchase food.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,700 to purchase a hospital bed and shower chair for a disabled man.
- $3,395 to repair the roof of a disabled woman.
February 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $86,738 in grants during their February meeting, including $82,400 to organizations and $4,338 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta’s Lawrenceville Unit for its Homework Help/Afterschool Program, which uses staff and volunteers to provide club members with homework help, specialized tutoring and high-yield learning activities.
- $15,000 to the YMCA Piedmont Brad Akins Branch for its Summer Day Camp to enable 16 children and 14 teens from economically disadvantaged families to attend an 11-week day camp that provides a safe environment and nurturing quality programs for youths that might otherwise be “latchkey” kids during their schools’ summer break.
- $14,400 to Meet the Need Ministry, Inc., a Barrow County non-profit organization that clothes, houses, feeds and transports men who find themselves homeless, hungry, addicted to drugs or alcohol, or just need a helping hand, to help cover rental expenses for a group home located in Gwinnett County that houses the men as they work toward recovery and self-sufficiency.
- $10,000 to the American Red Cross – East Georgia Chapter to train disaster response volunteers and provide disaster relief, including food, shelter and clothing, to families in Jackson, Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hall County for its Be GREAT: Graduate program, which helps youth who are at risk for dropping out of school to remain engaged in school and learning, and develop the academic, emotional and social skills necessary for success.
- $6,000 to the Pilot Club of Winder to help implement Project Lifesaver International, a locating system using personalized tracking bracelets that allow adults with dementia or brain injuries and children with disorders such as autism or Down Syndrome who wander away and become lost to be located by the Sheriff’s Office.
- $5,000 to Quilts for Kids – Northeast Georgia, a non-profit organization that uses volunteers to sew comforting quilts that are distributed to children at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Gateway Domestic Violence Shelter and Family Promise of Hall County, for the purchase of fabric.
- $2,500 to Gainesville/Hall Community Food Pantry to purchase food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the Georgia Mountain Food Bank.
- $2,500 to Jefferson First Baptist Food Pantry to purchase food from the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.
- $2,000 to Camp to Belong Georgia, a free summer camp that reunites brothers and sisters living separately in foster care or other out-of-home care to strengthen relationships, increase self-esteem, create healthier attitudes and childhood memories.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to repair the roof of a disabled woman.
- $838 to purchase a lift chair for a disabled woman.
January 2014
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $96,250 in grants during their January meeting, including $89,250 to organizations and $7,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Challenged Child and Friends, a Gainesville non-profit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Tech Accelerating Opportunity Program which pairs English as Second Language and Technical Education instructors in the classroom to advance students in both basic and professional/technical skills, working toward degrees and/or certificates, and preparing them for employment to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
- $15,000 to Rainbow Village, a Duluth long-term, transformational housing program that provides fully furnished apartments and comprehensive support for homeless families with children in North Metro Atlanta, to help provide residents of its transitional housing with early childhood development facilities at the organization’s newly build community center.
- $12,500 to the Ark of Jackson County, a community outreach effort by area churches that assists individuals who have experienced a loss of income due to circumstances beyond their control, to help fund emergency housing assistance for rent or mortgage, and prescription medicine assistance.
- $10,750 to Creative Enterprises, a Lawrenceville agency serving the disabled, to help provide 50 weekly therapeutic sessions for 12 clients at DreamQuest, an equine-facilitated psychotherapy and therapeutic riding program that offers a unique counseling approach to personal growth and wellness.
- $10,000 to the Georgia Children’s Chorus, an organization that provides vocal and choral training to young people who wish to pursue that field, to help 29 students from low-income families participate in the training program and concerts.
- $10,000 to L.A.M.P. Ministries in Gainesville for its Community Youth Outreach program, three-month sessions that combine group counseling and community activities to provide high risk youths with a positive alternative to gangs and other delinquent behavior.
- $1,000 to the Jackson County Arts Council to purchase art supplies for the middle and high school participants in its second annual Celebrate the Arts show, which allows serious art students to display their work and receive recognition for their achievements.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace the roof of a senior citizen.
- $3,500 to purchase a computer with adaptive technology for a vision-impaired man and wife.
December 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $73,440 in grants during their December meeting, including $70,290 to organizations and $3,150 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Banks County Literacy Council to help purchase age-appropriate books for pre-Kindergarten children through the Imagination Library program to improve the reading efficiency of children entering the county’s education system, as well as distribution of books through schools and community event, and GED assistance.
- $15,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides clients with emergency food supplies, buying them time to deal with the difficult and frequently temporary circumstances they are facing and helping them get back on their feet.
- $10,000 to the Norcross Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Shelter Assistance Program, which provides up to four weeks stay at a local hotel for families that find themselves homeless.
- $5,500 to Citizens Advocacy Athens-Clarke, a non-profit agency that develops one-to-one personal relationships between people with disabilities and local citizens for advocacy and protection, to help pay the salary of a part-time support coordinator.
- $5,290 to the Athens Area Homeless Shelter to fund two sets of Going Home Kits, basic household supplies used to establish families in apartments through its rehousing program, which also provides case management support, budgeting skills training and rental/utility assistance as a permanent solution to homelessness.
- $5,000 to the Rotary Club of Gainesville for its Accessibility Ramp Program, to purchase materials and supplies to construct solid, safe accessibility ramps at the primary entrance to the homes of local citizens with disabilities or other mobility challenges.
- $5,000 to Georgia Community Support Solutions in Norcross, which provides developmentally disabled adults and youth with a variety of facility and community-based activities that help them achieve independence, personal development and community inclusion; to purchase training/educational materials for parents and staff, therapeutic supplies and community outings.
- $4,500 to NOA’s Ark, a Dahlonega emergency shelter and comprehensive support program for battered women and children, to help fund a Trauma Counseling Service that will reduce the risk of posttraumatic stress and other psychological problems.
- $2,500 to Books for Keeps, an Athens nonprofit organization that works to improve children’s reading achievement, to expand its Stop Summer Slide program, which provides 12 books for summer reading to each child in elementary schools where 90 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced lunches.
- $2,500 to the Rotary Club of Banks County to purchase food for its Food2Kids Backpack Program, which provides a backpack of food for at-risk students to take home on weekends during the school year to ensure they have adequate nourishment.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,150 to help catch up mortgage and car payments for the mother of four disabled children.
November 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $100,766 in grants during their November meeting, including $97,352 to organizations and $3,414 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Athens Nurses Clinic to help cover the costs of expanding the current clinic hours of operation by 6 hours per week, allowing nurse practitioners to see about 24 percent more acutely ill patients a year and providing more time to focus on health promotion, education and wellness programs.
- $15,000 to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens for its monthly Mobile Pantry Program, which distributes large quantities of food before its expiration date through partner agencies in nine local counties, eliminating the need for the agencies to store the food and allowing the Food Bank to distribute thousands of pounds of food to those in need at a fraction of the cost.
- $15,000 to Tiny Stitches, Inc. in Suwanee, which uses a network of volunteers to make handmade tote bags filled with a 37-item layette that will keep the infant warm and dry for the first 2-3 months of life, donated to mothers in nine North Georgia counties who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $14,752 to Habitat for Humanity of Gwinnett County to upgrade a server and replace seven workstations in the affiliate’s office, providing more efficient use of staff time and increase the availability of decent affordable homes.
- $10,000 to Step by Step Recovery, a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization, to help purchase a 12-passenger van that will help residents comply with the courts, consistently meet with mental health providers, find gainful employment and attend 12-step meetings.
- $7,500 to Athens Urban Ministries, a grassroots organization dedicated to assisting those who need a hand up, to help provide instruction and materials for GED training to promote self-sufficiency.
- $6,100 to the Lumpkin County Family Connection for the Lumpkin County Mentor Program, which trains volunteer adult mentors to work with at-risk students in all five county schools as individual mentors, classroom mentors and tutors.
- $6,000 to the Barrow County 4-H to purchase parts, materials, power tools and technology for its robotics program, which builds science, engineering and technology skills, inspires innovation and promotes well-rounded life skills in middle and high school students.
- $6,000 to the Jackson County 4-H to purchase parts, materials, power tools and technology for its robotics program, which builds science, engineering and technology skills, inspires innovation and promotes well-rounded life skills in middle and high school students.
- $2,000 to Reins of Life, a Franklin County non-profit that uses hippotherapy treatment to special needs and at-risk children, youth and their families, to help construct a larger covered arena that will provide patients a longer riding straight-away to fully benefit from the horse’s movement.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,914 to help purchase a wheelchair accessible van for a disabled woman.
- $500 to replace a leaking refrigerator for a disabled man.
October 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $81,941 in grants during their October meeting, including $78,441 to organizations and $3,500 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $14,941 to the Infant Car Seat Safety Program, a service of the Gwinnett Hospital System, to purchase 192 approved, rear-facing car safety seats for infants born in system facilities whose parents cannot afford to purchase them.
- $10,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society – Flowery Branch for its Aid Hot Line program, which provides emergency aid to families in crisis for rent, mortgage and temporary housing to prevent homelessness and disrupted lives.
- $10,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society – St. Michael Church in Gainesville to help fund direct aid for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage and temporary housing, for families in crisis.
- $10,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society – Jackson County for its St. Catherine Laboure assistance program which provides funds to families in crisis for rent, mortgage, food, transportation, gas, repair and insurance premium, education assistance and medical assistance.
- $10,000 to Family Promise of Gwinnett County to help fund a part-time staff member that will allow its SaltLight Center temporary shelter for homeless women to expand its operations from five nights a week to seven.
- $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Jackson County to purchase plumbing, electrical equipment, HVAC and cabinets for its eleventh house, being built for the single mother of two young children.
- $6,000 to Family Promise of Hall County to purchase four desktop computers and Microsoft licenses for the day center to provide families with a computer lab to use for applications and job searches, resumes and cover letters, as well as signing up for TANF, food stamps, birth certificates and other necessities.
- $5,000 to the Boy Scouts of America Northeast Georgia Council to provide uniforms, handbooks and summer camp fees that will help underprivileged youth participate in scouting, teaching them to make ethical choices and promoting citizenship, leadership, mental and physical fitness.
- $2,500 to the Spirit of Joy Food Bank in Flowery Branch to purchase food for the more than 30 families they serve in an average month.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace a heat pump for a disabled senior citizen.
September 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $74,953 in grants during their September meeting, including $65,500 to organizations and $9,453 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Teen Pregnancy Prevention in Gainesville to help fund the “Smart Girls” program in Hall County high schools that offers guidance and support through weekly sessions to provide girls with the knowledge, skills, self-esteem and self-confidence they need to make healthy decisions about sexual activity and dating relationships.
- $11,000 to the Indigent Patient Fund, a program of the The Medical Center Foundation of the Northeast Georgia Health System, to provide transportation to who have no access to or cannot afford transportation home from the hospital, along with medications prescribed at discharge that these patients have no resources to obtain.
- $10,500 to the Fragile Kids Foundation to help fund the purchase and installation of critical medical equipment not covered by insurance, such as electronic wheelchair van lifts, for special needs children in the counties that Jackson EMC serves.
- $10,000 to the Gwinnett Community Clinic to help fund a nurse practitioner and registrar who work with volunteer physicians and nurses to manage the clinic’s primary care and chronic disease management program for roughly 1,000 patients who are uninsured and do not qualify for Georgia Medicaid.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society – St. Monica’s Conference in Duluth, a non-profit social services agency dedicated to serving members of the community during time of need, to help provide Gwinnett County families and individuals with funds for emergency shelter, rent, food, medical needs, and transportation.
- $9,000 to Piedmont CASA, a non-profit organization that uses community volunteers to provide a voice in Juvenile Court for the best interest of abused and neglected children in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to recruit and train community volunteers. In 2012, the organization served 168 children.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,350 to replace rotten flooring in the home of a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,300 to replace a heat pump for a senior citizen.
- $2,803 to replace an HVAC system for a woman who cares for her handicapped sister.
August 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $87,998 in grants during their August meeting, including $76,800 to organizations and $11,198 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army – Athens for emergency shelter operations and to provide food to shelter residents and those in the community who are hungry and seek a meal at the nightly free dinner; the shelter typically serves 50 residents a day and 85 people from the community at night.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army – Gainesville to assist with the costs of providing Emergency Shelter to prevent homelessness and community meals for families and individuals who are struggling; the agency provided 9,027 nights of shelter and 7,750 meals last year.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army – Lawrenceville for the Family Emergency Services program, which prevents homelessness and stabilizes families by providing rent or mortgage financial assistance directly to the landlord or property holder; the agency provided 200 families with rent assistance in 2012.
- $10,000 to the YMCA-Athens to provide 28 underprivileged children access to the After School Program, providing opportunities for them to participate in activities such as study hall, football, soccer, basketball, Tae Kwon Do, cheerleading, swimming, modern dance, and arts and crafts.
- $7,500 to the Madison County Senior Center to help fund the Home Delivered Meals program, which allows frail and older citizens to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, nutrition screening, education and counseling services, and opportunities for social contact. The center currently serves 48 home delivered meals daily, five days a week, and has a waiting list of 10 people.
- $6,800 to the Hall County Library System to provide bilingual Awe Early Literacy stations, computers which have software and applications that promote six primary literacy skills, for the Blackshear Place and Murrayville Branches.
- $5,000 to the Clarke County Mentor Program, a broad-based, grassroots effort to provide individual support for public school students in 1st through 12th grades, promoting academic and personal success; to recruit, train and support new mentors.
- $2,500 to Nothing but the Truth, a faith-based organization dedicated to meeting needs in the community, to purchase food for the Weekend Food Bag Ministry that provides bags of food for the weekend to children in Gwinnett County Schools who have been identified by counselors as food insecure.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a new heat pump for a disabled woman.
- $3,489 to help a disabled woman obtain dental work necessitated by an automobile accident.
- $3,300 to purchase a new HVAC unit for a disabled man.
- $909 to purchase a bath lift for a disabled woman.
July 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $107,864 in grants during their July meeting, including $97,700 to organizations and $10,164 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Hi-Hope Service Center in Lawrenceville to help fund part-time nursing services for 24 developmentally disabled residents in Gwinnett County, providing services such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment to an increasing number of residents who require onsite nursing care.
- $15,000 to Our Neighbor, a Gainesville grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges, to provide two developmentally disabled men with a year of rent at the organization’s fifth house, groceries and personal care items, as well as extra caregiving not currently covered.
- $12,500 to the Gainesville Jaycees Vocational Rehabilitation Center, which provides vocational services to individuals with disabilities or others with similar vocational needs, to fund Follow Along Services, individualized support provided by team members, co-workers, family members and other supporters that enable individuals to work successfully, maintaining their employment and independence.
- $11,500 to I AM, Inc., in Buford to purchase supplies for the Gaining Insight & Real Life Skills (GIRLS) leadership development program for girls age 10-18, aimed at reducing the instance of high-risk behaviors, increasing self-esteem and focusing on life skills that promote success, such as self-assessment, managing money, etiquette, goal-setting, public speaking and choosing a career.
- $10,000 to the Vision and Hearing Care Program, a service of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, to help provide surgical procedures to restore sight, eye exams, and prescription eyewear for low-income residents in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves, using Lighthouse medical equipment, volunteer doctors, staff and volunteers.
- $10,000 to the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center, a multi-use science, history, culture, heritage and environmental facility located on a 700-acre campus in Buford, to allow students from low-income families to attend interpretative, hands-on field studies and educational programs.
- $7,000 to the Rainbow Children’s Home, a Dahlonega shelter for abused and neglected children, to help fund “Lydia’s Place,” a group home that provides supervision and support and that serves as a stepping stone to independent living for teens that have aged out of the foster care system.
- $5,000 to the Gainesville/Hall County Fellowship of Christian Athletes to present the One Way 2 Play – Drug Free Program, which confronts the problem of drug use among students by instilling values, encouraging goal setting and establishing accountability through positive peer pressure in middle and high schools in Banks, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $4,200 to the Barrow County Special Olympics to purchase equipment and supplies for nearly 300 special needs athletes and athletes-in-training from 16 county schools so they can compete in basketball, bocce, soccer, softball, swimming, and track and field events.
- $2,500 to iServe Ministries, a Jefferson grassroots organization that helps churches recognize community needs and helps get those needs met, for backpacks and food for its “Bags of Love” program that sends students from disadvantaged families home each weekend with enough food for 4-6 family meals and snacks.
- $2,500 to Safe Kids Athens, a coalition that works to prevent accidental injury among children under the age of 15, to help fund a Bike Rodeo that teaches bike safety and skills, check bicycles and helmets for proper adjustment, and replace helmets that do not meet federal regulations.
- $2,500 to Disabled American Veterans – Chapter 92 for its Veterans Relief Fund that provides assistance for emergency needs such as rent, medical bills, groceries, or a bus ticket home to veterans and their families.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help a disabled woman obtain dental work and dentures.
- $3,454 to purchase adaptive technology for a visually disabled man to return to school.
- $2,970 to purchase a new HVAC unit for a disabled woman.
June 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $66,380 in grants during their June meeting, including $55,880 to organizations and $10,500 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Piedmont Regional Library System to purchase current non-fiction children’s books on animals, plants, environment & conservation, space, oceanography, countries, states, biographies, mathematics and health for system libraries in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties..
- $8,000 to Next Stop, a Lawrenceville grassroots organization that provides social interaction, recreational and life skill learning opportunities to young adults with mild to moderate disabilities, for a kitchen education program that teaches practical life skills.
- $7,880 to Good Samaritan Health Center in Lawrenceville, to upgrade older computers and laptops, along with associated software, to gain the highest level of performance from the Center’s Electronic Health Record initiative, which ended the center’s reliance on paper health records.
- $7,500 to the Lilburn Cooperative Ministry to provide 30 needy families with $250 assistance for rent or mortgage payments annually, helping them to avoid foreclosure or eviction.
- $7,500 to the Partnership Against Domestic Violence in Gwinnett County to help fund the Children in Shelter program, a service provided at the domestic violence shelter that allows children and teens to improve self-esteem, modify inappropriate behavior, build skills for safety, resolve conflicts without violence and focus on healthy play.
- $5,000 to Lekotek of Georgia, a charitable organization that provides children with disabilities with accessible play, adaptive technology and toys, information and resources, to provide staff and services through its Duluth satellite office.
- $5,000 to the Girls Leadership Summer Program in Gainesville, an intensive six-week course for girls ages 13-17 that establishes mentoring relationships between the girls and women in the minority community, develops leadership and collaboration skills, and promotes the development of new leaders in the community.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to repair the roof of a senior citizen.
- $3,500 to purchase adaptive technology for a visually disabled woman.
- $3,500 to repair the roof of a disabled woman.
May 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $89,960 in grants during their May meeting, including $86,500 to organizations and $3,460 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Children’s Shelter to help fund a medical services position that manages the medical and dental needs of the shelter’s resident by providing health assessments, administering medications, completing medication audits, scheduling medical appointments, accompanying young people to medical appointments, and handling clinic duties.
- $15,000 to Lindsay’s Legacy Mentoring, Inc., in Jackson County to help fund the coordinator’s position for a program which recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students kindergarten through 12th grade in all three school systems within the county, helping to ensure those young people become healthy, educated and employable.
- $15,000 to The Tree House, a children’s advocacy center working to reduce child abuse in Barrow, Jackson and Banks counties, for the Family Services Supervised Visitation Program, which provides a neutral, child-friendly environment for visits between children in foster care and their parents to enable them to maintain and enhance family bonds and provide a safe and nurturing environment for their children when reunited.
- $10,000 to the Gainesville/Hall Co. Alliance for Literacy to purchase materials and provide instructors for basic literacy classes for adults 16 and older and GED preparation classes for students who have not completed high school. The 2011 U.S. Census reports that about 22 percent of Hall County residents are not high school graduates and 9% have less than a 9th grade education.
- $10,000 to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank for its Summer Feeding Program which provides simple meals for at-risk children through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hall County, Brenau University’s “Rise” Social Entrepreneurship Program, the Dahlonega Parks & Recreation Department and Dahlonega First United Methodist Church’s Wellington Project to ensure they receive proper nutrition while schools are in recess for the summer.
- $5,000 to Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS), a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to help provide Camp Hollywood in Lawrenceville, a unique summer day camp where children with developmental disabilities can build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills.
- $5,000 to Quinlan Arts, Inc., in Gainesville, to enable about 40 disadvantaged, but exceptional students with exemplary artistic skills entering 1st-8th grades at Title I schools in Hall, Jackson, Gwinnett, and Lumpkin counties attend one-week Art Camp sessions.
- $5,000 to The Ark United Ministry Outreach Center in Athens to provide emergency rent assistance to lower income residents who are facing reduced work hours, and to senior citizens living on low, fixed incomes.
- $4,000 to Nuci’s Space in Athens, a non-profit organization working to prevent suicide, to enable young people from low income families participate in Camp Amped, a summer day camp for northeast Georgia youth ages 11-18 focusing on positive mental health and music education.
- $2,500 to the Charity Baptist Church Food Bank in Homer to purchase a year of basic staples for 16 families.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,990 to get dentures for a disabled woman.
- $470 to purchase a new wheelchair for a senior citizen.
April 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $97,510 in grants during their April meeting, including $89,500 to organizations and $8,010 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Exodus Outreach, a Buford non-profit organization serving people in all walks of life who are hurting and in need of support, for a summer program that offers at-risk students in Kindergarten through eighth grade with a summer learning and development curriculum that provides supervision and readies the students to succeed in school in the fall.
- $15,000 to Peace Place, a domestic violence shelter in Winder, to help provide expanded and enhanced transitional housing support through an Empowerment Advocate who will provide direct case management and empowerment based counseling to program participants to help them address issues of safety, self-sufficiency, stable housing and employment, and financial planning.
- $15,000 the Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program designed to help at-risk middle and high school students prepare for college and careers. Held at Gainesville State College, the summer program concentrates on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $10,000 to Extra Special People in Watkinsville to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families to attend a weeklong camp where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $10,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run non-profit group in Suwanee that provides support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to enable disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 to attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program where daily activities are used to teach social skills lessons.
- $6,500 to Center Point, a Gainesville non-profit which mentors at-risk young people in Gainesville City and Hall County schools, to provide free and low-cost counseling to youth and their families who could not otherwise participate in therapy.
- $5,000 to Camp Kudzu, a year-round camping program for children with diabetes and their families to teach diabetes management skills that will reduce their risk of diabetes-related complications, as well improve their attitude about living with the disease.
- $5,000 to the Hope Resource Center in Jefferson to purchase parenting videos and equipment for its Earn While You Learn program, which provides pregnant women, mothers and fathers of babies and toddlers with crucial parenting skills to break the cycle of inadequate parenting, neglect and abuse.
- $3,000 to Gainesville 1st United Methodist Church Urban Ministry to help fund a summer soccer camp for at-risk elementary school-aged children in the Baker and Glover neighborhood.
- $5,000 to the Young Women’s Christian Organization (YWCO) to help girls from low income families attend the Girls Club, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls ages 5-14 from low-to-moderate income families, and to help defray bus transportation expenses.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,390 to repair rotted flooring in the home of a senior citizen.
- $2,870 to install a heat pump for a senior citizen.
- $1,750 to install a stair lift for a disabled man.
March 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $70,879 in grants during their March meeting, including $66,000 to organizations and $4,879 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Hebron Community Health Center in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization providing medical and dental care to low-income, uninsured Gwinnett residents, to provide diagnostic follow-up testing, eye exams and prescription glasses, and prescription medication, glucose monitors and glucose strips.
- $12,500 to My Sister’s Place, a Gainesville shelter for homeless women and children, to purchase appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerator, freezer and oven, along with desktop computers for the shelter’s expansion at a new location that will enable it to serve a greater number of people.
- $8,000 to The Potter’s House to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs such as adult literacy to men recovering from substance abuse through an intensive residential program of the Atlanta Mission on a 570-acre working farm in Jefferson.
- $7,500 to American Heart Association – Athens to purchase CPR Anytime for Family and Friends kits that contain everything needed to learn basic CPR skills, for distribution to community organizations in Clarke, Barrow and Madison counties.
- $7,500 to American Heart Association –Gainesville to purchase CPR Anytime for Family and Friends kits that contain everything needed to learn basic CPR skills, for distribution to community organizations in Hall, Gwinnett, Jackson, Banks and Lumpkin counties.
- $5,500 to the Guest House, a Gainesville nonprofit that helps seniors with functional impairments maintain some independence and social contact while providing caregivers with a respite, to help provide a hot, balanced and nutritious lunch and snack to these frail, elderly clients.
- $5,000 to the Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, a Gwinnett non-profit organization that helps individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury to regain employment and living skills, to provide 12 months of rehabilitation program fees for brain injured adults in the counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $2,500 to Childkind, a non-profit supporting families that care for children with special health care needs and developmental disabilities, to purchase supplies for its Home Based Services program that prepares parents to adequately and successfully care for their child or foster child at home.
- $2,500 to Diamond in the Rough, a Snellville faith-based youth development and leadership program for girls 10-18, for the Clusters long-term mentoring and leadership development program which uses small group meetings one day per week for 1-2 hours during the school year to build self-image, character, leadership, health and wellness, financial stewardship, healthy relationships and spiritual enrichment.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,190 to repair damaged bathroom flooring and replace a dangerous porch for a senior citizen.
- $1,689 to help a disabled senior citizen purchase a hearing impaired phone assistance device and a rolling walker, and repair a dangerous walkway.
February 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $78,621 in grants during their February meeting, including $68,691 to organizations and $9,930 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to CFY-Atlanta to help fund the “Digital Learning Program” at Louise Radloff Middle School in Duluth where about 300 sixth graders, 75 percent of whom are disadvantaged, will receive free refurbished computers pre-loaded with a suite of educational and word processing software to improve home learning, involve parents and help students stay engaged in school work.
- $14,691 to Success by 6, a program of the United Way of Northeast Georgia, to help print “Critical Years, Critical Needs” booklets in English and Spanish, a resource guide on early childhood developmental needs and good child care practices that is distributed to new parents through a partnership with St. Mary’s Hospital, Athens Regional Medical Center and Barrow County Medical Center.
- $10,000 to Meet the Need Ministry, Inc., a Barrow County non-profit organization that clothes, houses, feeds and transports men who find themselves homeless, hungry, addicted to drugs or alcohol, or just need a helping hand, to help cover rental expenses for a group home located in Gwinnett County that houses the men as they work toward recovery and self-sufficiency.
- $9,000 to Eagle Ranch, a Chestnut Mountain home for boys and girls in crisis, to help build a secure outdoor fitness area that will enable children to two group homes to participate in regular exercise and recreational activities to help them develop self-discipline and establish a healthy lifestyle.
- $7,500 to Choices Pregnancy Care Center in Gainesville to purchase parenting videos and literature, and incentive baby items for its My Baby Counts program, which provides pregnant women, mothers and fathers of babies and toddlers with crucial parenting skills to break the cycle of inadequate parenting, neglect and abuse.
- $7,500 to Three Dimensional Life in Gainesville, a non-profit organization that provides a long-term residential recovery for young men 14-20 years of age who are struggling with addiction, to help purchase a passenger van used for character building activities.
- $2,500 to the Community CarePointe Food Bank, a ministry of the Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, to purchase food supplies.
- $2,500 to the Gainesville/Hall Community Food Pantry to purchase food supplies.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace the heating and air conditioning unit of a low-income resident.
- $3,430 to help with dental work and dentures for a senior citizen.
- $3,000 to purchase hearing aids for a senior citizen.
January 2013
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $84,196 in grants during their January meeting, including $82,960 to organizations and $1,236 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Challenged Child & Friends, a Gainesville non-profit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $15,000 to Mercy Health Center, an Athens ministry using 623 volunteers to provide primary and specialty medical care, dental and pharmacy services for low income uninsured patients, to help furnish an expanded facility that will allow the clinic to grow from 2,800 square feet of space to 10,000 square feet to serve more clients.
- $14,960 to View Point Health, a Gwinnett County agency providing support to clients with behavioral health conditions, addictive diseases and developmental disabilities, to provide uninsured and underinsured clients with primary and specialty health care by assisting with copays for office visits, lab work, and pharmacy screenings through Four Corners Primary Care.
- $10,000 to the American Red Cross – East Georgia Chapter to train disaster response volunteers, purchase disaster education materials, and provide disaster relief, including food, shelter and clothing, to families in Jackson, Banks and Barrow counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $10,000 to the Ark of Jackson County, a community outreach effort by area churches that assists individuals who have experienced a loss of income due to circumstances beyond their control, to help fund emergency housing assistance for rent or mortgage, and prescription medicine assistance.
- $7,500 to Good Samaritan Ministries in Buford to help fund the residential inmate recovery program, which provides inmates three months of self-study, classes and work therapy, followed by nine months of employment either inside or outside the ministry, to help them become productive members of society by working on drug and alcohol issues.
- $7,500 to L.A.M.P. Ministries in Gainesville for its Community Youth Outreach program, three-month sessions that combine group counseling and community activities to provide high risk youths with a positive alternative to gangs and other delinquent behavior.
- $3,000 to the American Red Cross – Northeast Georgia Chapter to recruit and train disaster response volunteers in Hall and Lumpkin counties, and to provide Family Emergency Disaster Relief to families in those counties who lose their homes in a fire.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,236 to help cover funeral expenses of an emotionally challenged youth shot by police during a domestic disturbance.
December 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $98,620 in grants during their December meeting, including $97,000 to organizations and $1,620 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County for its Power Hour comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, which provides members with the support, resources and guidance necessary to complete their homework, and to renew licenses for Kidtrax membership tracking software that will enable the club to track and report membership information.
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta’s Lawrenceville Club for its Academic Success program, a comprehensive homework help and educational program that uses high-yield learning activities designed to involve members in actions that reinforce what they are learning in school, such as a food preparation class that teaches fractions.
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Winder-Barrow County for its Power Hour comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, which provides members with the support, resources and guidance necessary to complete their homework.
- $15,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides clients with emergency food supplies, buying them time to deal with the difficult and frequently temporary circumstances they are facing and helping them get back on their feet.
- $15,000 to the North Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry for its Medication Assistance Program, which covers the cost of non-narcotic/controlled substance prescriptions for senior citizens and families that qualify for assistance when the amount of medication is too much or the co-pays are too costly.
- $10,000 to the Norcross Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Assistance Program, which provides emergency rent funds to families who are experiencing temporary or long-term hardship, many of whom are referred by local churches, schools and agencies. The ministry provided rent assistance to 609 families in 2011.
- $10,000 to YMCA-Piedmont (Brad Akins Branch) in Winder to enable underprivileged children from kindergarten to 8th grade to attend the PrYme Tyme afterschool program for a year, participating in activities that include homework, sports, arts, crafts and more in a safe environment while their parents are at work.
- $2,000 to Casa de Amistad to purchase the Windows 7 Operating System for six computers used in its computer literacy program, and to purchase food for its food distribution program.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $995 to repair the septic tank of a disabled woman.
- $625 to make car repairs for a lung cancer patient who needs transportation to doctor’s and treatment appointments.
November 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $89,325 in grants during their November meeting, including $78,950 to organizations and $10,375 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gateway House, a Hall County non-profit serving victims of domestic violence and their children, to provide emergency legal assistance to request, file and enforce a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) to keep abusive partners from having contact with or harassing victims.
- $15,000 to Good News Clinics, a non-profit organization that provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Gainesville and Hall County, to ensure clients of its Sam Poole Medical Clinic have laboratory tests necessary for physicians to determine their health care needs and provide them with appropriate care.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Student Leadership Team for its student leadership program, a two-year program serving high school juniors and seniors in 22 public schools, providing practical leadership skills and training to return to their home high school to facilitate the core leadership principles with groups there to increase the capacity to develop student leaders.
- $9,750 to Step by Step Recovery, a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization which provides a safe and structured environment for both men and women over 6 months to 2 years as they complete a 12 step program to deal with drug and alcohol addiction, to assist with rent for men’s and women’s units.
- $7,500 to Athens Urban Ministries, a grassroots organization dedicated to assisting those who need a hand up, to help provide instruction and materials for GED and computer skills training to promote self-sufficiency.
- $5,700 to ACTION, Inc., for the Full Plate Food Program, which uses staff and volunteers to collect surplus food donated by Athens area restaurants, which is then redistributed to homeless shelters and other human service agencies, reducing both hunger and the food budgets of those agencies.
- $5,000 to Athens Community Council on Aging for its Project Northeast Georgia Healthy Grandparents, a program that provides support groups, health evaluations and follow-ups, and legal help with custody issues to grandparents who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren.
- $5,000 to NOA’s Ark (No One Alone), a Dahlonega emergency shelter and comprehensive support program for battered women and children, to help fund a Trauma Counseling Service that will reduce the risk of posttraumatic stress and other psychological problems.
- $1,000 to Reins of Life, a Franklin County non-profit, for its Heads Up Hippotherapy Program, a physical therapy treatment that uses the horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace a heat pump for a senior citizen.
- $3,500 to purchase a used car for a single mother who cannot get a job without transportation.
- $2,675 to make repairs to a ramp and porch entrance for a disabled senior citizen.
- $700 to repair the heating and air system of a disabled woman.
October 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $81,965 in grants during their October meeting, including $73,000 to organizations and $8,965 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center to provide child forensic interviews of child sexual abuse victims, which can include duplication of testimony and evidence for law enforcement, child protective services and the courts, as well as follow-up exams for at risk children to protect against and treat sexually transmitted diseases resulting from their victimization.
- $15,000 to Rainbow Village, a Duluth nonprofit that helps families in domestic or economic crisis rebuild their lives, to provide residents of its transitional housing case management to develop comprehensive self-sufficiency plans and contracts, and evaluate their progress in meeting family financial plans and goals.
- $11,000 to Gainesville Action Ministries, a network of more than 20 Hall County congregations that work to prevent homelessness by providing emergency financial, food and clothing assistance, and children’s services, to help provide rent assistance, a financial workshop and GED test fees.
- $10,000 to Family Promise of Gwinnett County for its Family Mentoring Program, which assigns trained volunteer mentors who work one-on-one over an extended period of time with low-income families that have overcome homelessness to help them manage stresses that can disrupt their lives and lead to recurring homelessness.
- $7,500 to the Banks County Senior Center to help fund the Home Delivered Meals program, which allows older citizens who are homebound to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, additional wellness services and opportunities for social contact.
- $5,000 to Rock Goodbye Angel a non-profit serving Hall and Gwinnett counties to help provide a support system and peer support network for women and families who have experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth, perinatal or neonatal death.
- $4,000 to Prevent Child Abuse –Athens, a grassroots organization focused on ending neglect and abuse, to offer the First Steps primary prevention program that offers support, parenting education and community referrals to new parents to help them with the challenges of parenting.
- $3,000 to the Madison County Youth Leadership Development Program, which uses instructional materials from the University of Georgia’s Fannin Institute to teach Madison County High School students skills that will allow them to be effective leaders, for a ropes course at Camp Mikell Blue Ridge Outdoor Center and instructor/participant manuals.
- $2,500 to Spirit of Joy Food Bank in Flowery Branch to purchase food for the more than 30 families they serve in an average month.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to install a wheelchair lift for a disabled woman.
- $3,115 to replace a heat pump for a senior citizen.
- $1,800 to help replace a new heat pump for a disabled woman.
- $550 to help purchase a lift chair for a disabled man.
September 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $69,693 in grants during their September meeting, including $68,000 to organizations and $1,693 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Housing Resource Partnership in Duluth, to help pay childcare expenses for homeless families in the Transitional Housing Program, so that adults can seek and gain employment to help them make permanent lifestyle changes.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul – St. Monica’s Conference in Duluth, to help provide Gwinnett County families and individuals in need with funds for emergency shelter, rent, food, medical needs, transportation, clothing and general assistance.
- $10,000 to St. Vincent de Paul – St. Michael’s Conference in Gainesville to help provide Hall County families and individuals in need with funds for housing assistance, including rent, mortgage payments or temporary housing when needed.
- $10,000 to Tiny Stitches, Inc. in Suwanee, which uses a network of volunteers to make handmade tote bags filled with a 37-item layette that are donated to mothers in nine North Georgia counties who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $7,500 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves and gloves.
- $5,500 to Place of Seven Springs, a Snellville non-profit which provides food and emergency assistance to Gwinnett County residents in need, to provide funds for food and non-narcotic prescription medicine.
- $5,000 to the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta to fund the Girls Excelling in Middle School program, which encourages adoption of healthy lifestyles and avoidance of risky behaviors, at Sweetwater, Moore and Richards Middle Schools in Gwinnett County.
- $5,000 to Teen Pregnancy Prevention in Gainesville to help fund the “Choosing the Best Journey” program, which takes the messages of healthy futures, decision making and abstinence to ninth grade health classes in Hall County and Gainesville City Schools.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,693 to help purchase a hearing aid for a hearing-impaired woman.
August 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $89,973 in grants during their August meeting, including $83,950 to organizations and $6,023 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens for its monthly Mobile Pantry Program, which distributes large quantities of food before its expiration date through partner agencies in nine local counties, eliminating the need for the agencies to store the food and allowing the Food Bank to distribute thousands of pounds of food to those in need at a fraction of the cost.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army – Lawrenceville for the Family Emergency Services program, which prevents homelessness and stabilizes families by providing rent or mortgage financial assistance directly to the landlord or property holder.
- $12,000 to the Salvation Army – Athens to assist with the increasing costs of providing meals served to both shelter residents and those who are served each night at the community meal.; the agency generally serves 50 shelter residents a day and 85 people each evening.
- $12,000 to the Salvation Army – Gainesville to assist with the costs of providing Emergency Shelter to prevent homelessness and community meals for families and individuals who are struggling; the agency provided 7,577 nights of shelter and more than 10,000 meals last year.
- $8,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Hall County to help purchase plumbing and electrical materials and labor, insulation and a heat pump for one of four homes the affiliate plans to construct in the county this year..
- $8,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Jackson County to help purchase electrical wiring, HVAC unit and kitchen cabinets for the tenth house the affiliate has built in the county.
- $5,000 to The Healing Place of Athens, which provides a residential drug and alcohol recovery program for homeless men, to purchase recovery program materials and supplies.
- $4,250 to NEGA Youth Science & Technology Center, a nonprofit educational organization working to increase underserved students’ interest in science, math and the technologies, to offer Family Math and Science Nights at Banks County schools. The night’s hands-on activities help students and their families become more excited and informed about learning math and science.
- $3,500 to Citizen Advocacy – Clarke County, a non-profit agency that develops one-to-one personal relationships between people with disabilities and local citizens for advocacy and protection, to help pay the salary of a part-time support coordinator.
- $1,200 to CASA Enotah, which serves Lumpkin County by training community volunteers who represent the best interests of abused and neglected children, to help upgrade the data management system.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,140 to convert a bathroom to handicap accessible for a disabled senior citizen.
- $2,883 to install a wheelchair lift for a disabled woman.
July 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $88,103 in grants during their July meeting, including $76,600 to organizations and $11,503 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hall County for computers and software, instructor training and course instructor for Project Generation D, a creative digital arts curriculum which teaches club members 12-18 years old how to use technology to create digital content that effectively communicates their ideas and vision, and apply what they learn to their future careers.
- $15,000 to the Hi-Hope Service Center in Lawrenceville to help fund part-time nursing services for 25 developmentally disabled residents in Gwinnett County, providing services such as daily medication, insulin, blood checks and specialized medical treatment to an increasing number of residents who require onsite nursing care.
- $12,000 to the United Methodist Children’s Home of North Georgia for its Financial Aid Program, which assists low income families with temporary family housing, medical bills and other related needs, such as transportation and child care, that impact their quality of life.
- $10,000 to the Athens YMCA to provide 28 underprivileged children access to the After School Program, providing opportunities for them to participate in activities such as football, soccer, basketball, roller hockey, cheerleading, modern dance, swimming, creative writing and art.
- $10,000 to the Vision and Hearing Care Program, a service of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, to help provide surgical procedures to restore sight, eye exams, and prescription eyewear for low-income residents in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves, using Lighthouse medical equipment, volunteer doctors, staff and volunteers.
- $9,600 to Our Neighbor, a Gainesville grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges, to provide two developmentally disabled women with room, board, transportation, life skills training and social activities at Terrie’s House for Women, the organization’s first independent living facility for females.
- $5,000 to Project Safe, an Athens agency serving families experiencing domestic violence in Clarke, Madison, Oglethorpe and Oconee counties, for a Transitional Housing Initiative that provides long-term housing and support services to domestic violence survivors who need extra assistance to become emotionally and financially self-sufficient.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,477 to convert a bathroom to handicap accessible for a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,300 to replace the HVAC system of a senior citizen.
- $2,875 to replace the HVAC system of a disabled man.
- $1,850 to install an electric scooter lift for a disabled woman.
June 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $101,524 in grants during their June meeting, including $95,899 to organizations and $5,625 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Children’s Center for Hope & Healing in Gainesville to provide 30 children who have been sexually abused with therapy to reduce trauma symptoms such as nightmares, bed wetting, anxiousness, depression, anger, fatigue and self-hatred.
- $15,000 to the Fragile Kids Foundation to help fund the purchase and installation of critical medical equipment not covered by insurance, such as electronic wheelchair van lifts, for special needs children in the counties that Jackson EMC serves.
- $14,143 to Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett in Lawrenceville, to provide laptops, mounting hardware, software licenses, technical services for cabling and networking installation for the Electronic Health Record Project that will end the reliance on paper health records.
- $10,200 to Junior Achievement of Georgia – Gainesville District to help cover the costs, such as workbooks and activities of a program that teaches school students the fundamentals of the private enterprise economic system and provides them with practical hands-0n experience in the economics of life.
- $10,000 to the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center, a multi-use science, history, culture, heritage and environmental facility located on a 700-acre campus in Buford, to allow students from low-income families to attend interpretative, hands-on field studies and educational programs.
- $10,000 to Hope Haven of Northeast Georgia, an Athens agency providing a variety of programs to support developmentally disabled individuals, to help purchase an accessible lift-equipped van for non-ambulatory individuals that will eliminate the transportation barrier preventing clients from using the agency’s services.
- $5,000 to Children First, a part of the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program serving Clarke and Oconee Counties, to provide transportation for children in foster care to and from the Family Time Community Visitation Center, along with supervision and assistance with parenting skills for family members.
- $5,000 to the Girls Leadership Summer Program in Gainesville, an intensive six-week course for girls ages 13-17 that establishes mentoring relationships between the girls and women in the minority community, develops leadership and collaboration skills, and promotes the development of new leaders in the community.
- $5,000 to the Rotary Club of Gainesville for its Accessibility Ramp Program, to purchase materials and supplies to construct solid, safe accessibility ramps as the primary entrance to the homes of local citizens with disabilities or other mobility challenges.
- $3,556 to the Athens Nurses Clinic, which serves residents who do not have health insurance and need medical attention, to purchase an EKG machine, electrodes, adhesive print paper and EKG Review Manuals, to provide annual EKGs to patients who are at greater risk for cardiac events due to chronic illness.
- $3,000 to the Rainbow Children’s Home, a Lumpkin County long-term care shelter for abused and neglected teenage girls, to create a visitation room with the capability to record supervised visits that help develop recommendations for reunifying children with their family.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,825 to install a stair lift for a disabled senior citizen.
- $2,800 to replace the HVAC system of a senior citizen.
May 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $91,717 in grants during their May meeting, including $86,517 to organizations and $5,200 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia in Homer to provide about 70 Banks County underprivileged 3rd through 6th grade students who are referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that provides positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills and build personal relationships.$15,000 to the Madison County Senior Center to help fund the Home Delivered Meals program, which allows frail and older citizens to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, nutrition screening, education and counseling services, and opportunities for social contact. The center currently serves 32 home delivered meals daily, five days a week, and has a waiting list of 37 people.
- $15,000 to the Madison County Senior Center to help fund the Home Delivered Meals program, which allows frail and older citizens to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, nutrition screening, education and counseling services, and opportunities for social contact. The center currently serves 32 home delivered meals daily, five days a week, and has a waiting list of 37 people.
- $14,000 to Jackson Creative Community Services in Commerce to help purchase a van that will be used to transport clients to various community activities and jobs, helping integrate developmentally disabled adults into the community and providing them with life-skill training.
- $10,000 to the Gainesville/Hall County Alliance for Literacy to purchase materials and provide instructors for basic literacy classes for adults 16 and older and GED preparation classes for students who have not completed high school. The Alliance estimates that more than 29 percent of Hall County residents are not high school graduates and generally earn 35 percent less per week than graduates.
- $9,217 to Piedmont CASA, a non-profit organization that uses community volunteers to provide a voice in Juvenile Court for the best interest of abused and neglected children in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to recruit and train community volunteers. In 2011, the organization served 169 children.
- $7,500 to My Sister’s Place in Gainesville, a temporary shelter for homeless women and their children from all counties served by Jackson EMC, for a Parenting Support Program that will provide counseling and training, as well as referrals for child care centers, pediatricians and other children’s direct service providers.
- $5,000 to the Quinlan Visual Arts Center in Gainesville, to enable about 40 children entering 1st-8th grades at Title I schools in Hall County to attend one-week “Folk Art Road Trip” Art Camp sessions where students will make art with a variety of materials, painting, face jugs, weaving, found object sculpture, mobiles and more.
- $4,000 to Nuci’s Space in Athens, a non-profit organization working to prevent suicide and promote community wellbeing, to enable young people from low income families participate in Camp Amped, a summer music day camp for Northeast Georgia youth ages 11-18 focusing on positive mental health and music education.
- $3,600 to Kidstuff USA in Lawrenceville to enable youth with Autism Spectrum disorder, ages 4-22, from low-income families to attend a weeklong Art Camp with their siblings, and purchase art supplies.
- $3,200 to Friends of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens to produce calendars used as learning tools by Garden Earth Naturalist Clubs, after-school science clubs that encourage youth ages 8-10 to study and explore natural habitats..
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,700 to purchase dentures for a disabled woman.
- $3,500 to repair the roof of a disabled couple.
April 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $114,243 in grants during their April meeting, including $105,000 to organizations and $9,243 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Exodus Outreach, a Buford non-profit organization serving people in all walks of life who are hurting and in need of support, for a summer program that offers at-risk students in Kindergarten through eighth grade with a summer learning and development curriculum that provides supervision and readies the students to succeed in school in the fall.
- $15,000 to Project Adam, a Winder non-profit organization providing education, treatment and prevention services to those affected by drug and alcohol addictions, to purchase food for its residential facility and a web-based management system for outpatient treatment services.
- $12,000 to Hope Clinic in Lawrenceville, a primary care internal medicine clinic founded to provide the uninsured working poor with affordable care, to help purchase medical equipment for the clinic’s second floor expansion that will allow it to double the number of clients served.
- $10,500 to I Am, Inc., in Buford to purchase supplies for the Gaining Insight & Real Life Skills (GIRLS) leadership development program for girls age 10-18, aimed at reducing the instance of high-risk behaviors, increasing self-esteem and focusing on life skills that promote success, such as self-assessment, managing money, etiquette, goal-setting, public speaking and choosing a career.
- $10,000 to the Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run non-profit group in Suwanee that provides support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to enable disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 to attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program where daily activities are used to teach social skills lessons.
- $10,000 to Avita Community Partners in Gainesville, an agency assisting adults, children, adolescents and families affected by mental illness, emotional disorders, addictive diseases and developmental disabilities, to help purchase a van that will transport adolescents recovering from substance abuse.
- $10,000 to Extra Special People in Watkinsville to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families to attend a weeklong camp where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.$7,500 to NSPIRE Outreach in Lawrenceville, an outreach effort providing homeless men and women in Gwinnett County with skills and tools that will help them leave the streets and become independent, to provide continuing education through GED courses, online courses, career training, or courses at local colleges or technical schools.
- $5,000 to Families of Children Under Stress (FOCUS), a nonprofit agency serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to help provide Camp Hollywood in Lawrenceville, a unique summer day camp where children with developmental disabilities can build social skills, self-respect, character and community living skills.$5,000 to Camp Kudzu, a year-round camping program for children with diabetes and their families to teach diabetes management skills that will reduce their risk of diabetes-related complications, as well improve their attitude about living with the disease.
- $5,000 to the Young Women’s Christian Organization (YWCO) in Athens to help girls from low income families attend the Girls Club, a structured recreational and educational summer program targeting young girls ages 5-14 from low-to-moderate income families, and to help defray bus transportation expenses.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace the heat pump for a disabled woman.
- $3,500 to build a wheelchair ramp for a profoundly disabled child.
- $2,243 to help make car repairs for a disabled senior citizen.
March 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $65,859 in grants during their March meeting, including $57,500 to organizations and $8,359 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Banks County Literacy Council to help purchase age-appropriate books for pre-Kindergarten children through the Imagination Library program to improve the reading efficiency of children entering the county’s education system, as well as Family Literacy Nights to teach parents effective ways to use reading with their children, and GED assistance.
- $15,000 to Lindsay’s Legacy in Jackson County to help fund the coordinator’s position for a program which recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students kindergarten through 12th grade in all three school systems within the county, helping to ensure those young people become healthy, educated and employable.
- $10,000 to Gwinnett Coalition for Health & Human Services to make upgrades in technology infrastructure supporting the Gwinnett Helpline, a one-stop referral resource for Gwinnett County residents seeking assistance for a diverse range of needs, to speed response time to clients.
- $5,000 to the Boy Scouts of America Northeast Georgia Council to provide uniforms, handbooks and summer camp fees that will help underprivileged youth participate in scouting, teaching them to make ethical choices and promoting citizenship, leadership, mental and physical fitness.
- $5,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Jackson County to provide emergency financial assistance for rent/mortgage assistance, food, transportation, education and medical expenses to families in crisis in Jackson and Banks counties.
- $5,000 to the Sexual Assault Center & Children’s Advocacy Center in Athens to help cover the cost of individual therapy sessions for Spanish-speaking clients.
- $2,500 to the Community Based Mentoring Program of the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation to recruit and train mentors who provide guidance and caring support to at-risk young men in middle school, a group that makes up the largest percentage of students who fail to fail to advance and fail to graduate.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help make repairs to the well pump, plumbing and kitchen cooking area for a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,284 to replace rotted flooring in the manufactured home of a disabled senior citizen.
- $1,575 to purchase dentures for a disabled senior citizen.
February 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $63,835 in grants during their February meeting, including $56,900 to organizations and $6,935 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to YMCA – Georgia Mountains in Gainesville to help 30 underprivileged children kindergarten to 8th grade attend the Kids Time Afterschool Program, which provides a safe environment with homework assistance, enrichment activities, relationship building, sports, games and arts and crafts on site at Hall County and Gainesville City elementary schools.
- $10,000 to The Potters House to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs such as adult literacy to men recovering from substance abuse through an intensive residential program of the Atlanta Mission on a 570-acre working farm in Jefferson.
- $7,000 to Center Point, a Gainesville non-profit which mentors at-risk young people in Gainesville City and Hall County schools, to provide free and low-cost counseling to youth and their families who could not otherwise participate in therapy.
- $5,000 to the Gwinnett Community Clinic to help fund a part-time nurse practitioner who works with volunteer physicians and nurses to manage the care of the clinic’s roughly 750 patients who are uninsured and do not qualify for Georgia Medicaid.
- $5,000 to the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens, a network of 19 area congregations that provides temporary housing and services to homeless families in need, to cover building and transportation expenses, and provide childcare so homeless parents can work or seek work.
- $5,000 to Lekotek of Georgia, a charitable organization that provides children with disabilities with accessible play, adaptive technology and toys, information and resources, to purchase additional toys and educational materials for its satellite location at Children’s Healthcare in Duluth.
- $4,900 to Clarke County Special Olympics to allow about 70 local athletes to compete in the Georgia Special Olympics Fall and Winter games, which provide students the opportunity to compete and further develop their independence, social and behavioral interactions.
- $2,500 to the Gainesville/Hall Community Food Pantry to purchase food.
- $2,500 to Region 5 DFCS Resource Development Unit in Jefferson to help fund the B.O.O.T. (Building Outstanding Opportunities Together) Camp two-day retreat that provides local foster and adoptive parents with parent development training, peer support and advocacy.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,435 to help cover dental bills and dentures for a disabled woman.
- $3,500 to help relocate a manufactured home for a senior citizen whose former home was destroyed by fire.
January 2012
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $82,934 in grants during their January meeting, including $72,000 to organizations and $10,934 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Challenged Child & Friends, a Gainesville non-profit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $15,000 to the Hebron Community Health Center in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization providing medical and dental care to low-income, uninsured Gwinnett residents, to provide diagnostic mammograms and biopsies, as well as glucose monitors, glucose strips and medication for about 540 patients suffering from diabetes.
- $10,000 to the American Red Cross – East Georgia Chapter to train disaster response volunteers, purchase disaster education materials, and provide disaster relief, including food, shelter and clothing, to families in Jackson and Banks counties who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $7,500 to the American Heart Association – Northeast Georgia Chapter to purchase CPR Anytime for Family and Friends kits that contain everything needed to learn basic CPR skills, for distribution to community organizations in Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties.
- $7,500 to L.A.M.P. Ministries in Gainesville for its Community Youth Outreach program, three-month sessions that combine group counseling and community activities to provide high risk youths with a positive alternative to gangs and other delinquent behavior.
- $7,000 to Rape Response, Inc., a Gainesville community-based non-profit that provides comprehensive services to adolescent and adult victims of sexual violence in Hall and Lumpkin Counties, to help fund aftercare and Emergency Room clothing and comfort items for victims, as well as recruitment and training for volunteer advocates.
- $5,000 to the Rotary Club of Madison County to purchase materials for 10 handicap ramps, which are constructed by Rotary Club members for local individuals who cannot afford them, increasing their general mobility and improving safety in the event they need to evacuate their home .
- $2,500 to the Community Helping Place in Dahlonega for its Medical Clinic, which provides the uninsured working poor with primary and acute care, laboratory services, medication assistance and referrals.
- $2,500 to Safe Kids of Gainesville/Hall County, a program focusing on child safety education and injury prevention, to help provide smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors for the homes of families that cannot afford to purchase them.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicap accessible van for a disabled man.
- $3,300 to replace an HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
- $3,000 to purchase hearing aids for a disabled senior citizen.
- $1,134 to replace a faulty breaker box and thermostat for a disabled senior citizen.
December 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $90,556 in grants during their December meeting, including $85,100 to organizations and $5,456 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry to provide clients with emergency funds for water bills, prescription medicine and shelter through its Emergency Assistance Program, helping them deal with difficult and frequently temporary circumstances and getting them back on their feet.
- $15,000 to the YMCA-Piedmont in Winder to enable ten underprivileged children from kindergarten to 8th grade to attend the PrYme Tyme afterschool program for a year, participating in activities that include homework, sports, arts, crafts and more in a safe environment while their parents are at work.
- $15,000 to Friends of the Gwinnett County Senior Services, a non-profit organization that works with the county’s agency on aging, to help provide home-delivered meals to senior citizens as well as meals served at Senior Centers.
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrenceville for supplies and incentives used in “Power Hour,” a comprehensive homework help and tutoring program attended by club members ages 6-18.
- $10,000 to The Ark of Jackson County, a community outreach effort by area churches that assists individuals who have experienced a loss of income due to circumstances beyond their control, to help fund emergency housing, dental and prescription medicine assistance.
- $7,500 to the Lilburn Cooperative Ministry to provide 30 needy families with $250 assistance for rent or mortgage payments annually, helping them to avoid foreclosure or eviction.
- $5,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society – St. Luke’s Conference in Dahlonega to help fund the Direct Aid program that offers financial assistance to those in need for medical or dental care, prescription medicine, counseling, rent or housing, food, legal fees, transportation, burials and education.
- $2,600 to the Jackson County 4-H to fund the livestock and llama education programs that enable students to gain new knowledge, skills and attitudes through real life experiences.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a used car for a man so he can support himself.
- $1,956 to catch up car payments and make repairs so a disabled man can get to doctor’s appointments.
November 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $108,351 in grants during their November meeting, including $97,951 to organizations and $10,400 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Student Leadership Team to help support its student leadership program, serving high school juniors and seniors in 20 public schools. The two-year program provides students with practical leadership skills and trains them to return to their home high school to facilitate the core leadership principles with groups there, increasing the capacity to develop student leaders.
- $15,000 to the Piedmont Regional Library System, which serves residents of Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to join the Georgia Download Destination (GADD), a consortium of 24 public library systems in the state that allows library patrons to browse, checkout and download electronic books (ebooks) and audiobooks free of charge.
- $15,000 to The Tree House, a children’s advocacy center working to reduce child abuse in Barrow, Jackson and Banks counties, for the Supervised Visitation Program, which provides a neutral, child-friendly environment for visits between children in foster care and their parents to enable them to maintain and enhance family bonds and provide a safe and nurturing environment for their children when reunited.
- $13,837 to Success By 6, a program of the United Way of Northeast Georgia, to help print “Critical Years, Critical Needs” booklets in English and Spanish, a resource guide on early childhood developmental needs and good child care practices that is distributed to new parents through a partnership with St. Mary’s Hospital, Athens Regional Medical Center and Barrow County Medical Center.
- $10,000 to the Gainesville Care Center, a pregnancy resource center, to replace an ultrasound machine for which parts are no longer available with an upgradable machine that should serve clients for years.
- $7,864 to Action Ministries-Athens, a grassroots organization dedicated to assisting those who need a hand up, to help provide instruction and materials for GED and computer skills training to promote self-sufficiency.
- $5,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Athens to help fund the Passport to Manhood program that helps adolescent boys ages 11-14 address several key areas of development while promoting positive attitudes and the character traits they need to become responsible men.
- $5,000 to IDEALS Leadership School, a Lawrenceville program that helps high school athletes develop into positive role models and influential leaders in their schools and on their teams.
- $4,750 to the Madison County Pregnancy Center, a volunteer, Christian ministry that provides testing, counseling, and parenting classes for expectant teens and their families, to help provide the “Earn While You Learn” program that teaches parenting skills and provides essential child care items.
- $4,500 to Community Connection of Northeast Georgia to fund a software upgrade and annual support fee for the 2-1-1 Information and Referral database used to provide the public a one-stop resource for human and social services information and referral.
- $2,000 to the Duds & Spuds Food & Clothing Pantry in Braselton to purchase bulk food for its food pantry.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to make roof repairs for a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,500 to install a wheelchair lift for a disabled woman.
- $3,400 to purchase a portable oxygen tank for a disabled senior citizen.
October 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $81,008 in grants during their October meeting, including $69,600 to organizations and $11,408 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Health Access Initiative, a Gainesville non-profit that provides medical care to uninsured, indigent Hall County adults through a collaboration of 215 private physicians, to help fund a position that processes referrals, conducts screening interviews and enrolls clients, as well as coordinating physician appointments, arranging diagnostic tests and following up with clients.
- $12,000 to Barrow County Family Connection for the Youth Action Team, a collaborative group of middle and high school aged youth who plan, implement and lead peer-focused prevention education and community service projects that will train, mobilize and empower their peers to prevent self-destructive behavior.
- $10,000 to Signs and Wonders in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization that offers assistance to the homeless and needy on a non-discriminating basis, to purchase two storage sheds that will be used to store nonperishable food items, improving the capability to serve needy senior citizens and families in Gwinnett County.
- $7,500 to the Athens Area Homeless Shelter to provide child care vouchers to single, homeless mothers with children in the Transitional Shelter Program so they may seek and maintain the employment, educational and or professional training opportunities that will enable them to achieve self-sufficiency.
- $7,500 to Athens-Clarke County Literate Community Alliance to help fund a series of workshops to equip 30 volunteers who teach GED, adult literacy and English as a second language courses with the latest in adult education strategies, giving them the potential to reach 400 adult learners every year.
- $7,600 to Good Samaritan Ministries in Buford to help fund the residential inmate recovery program, which provides inmates three months of self-study, classes and work therapy, followed by nine months of employment either inside or outside the ministry, to help them become productive members of society by working on drug and alcohol issues, and building discipline and self-esteem.
- $4,000 to the Madison County Youth Leadership Program, which uses instructional materials from the University of Georgia’s Fannin Institute to teach Madison County High School students how groups work and how to cooperate in a group, as well as skills that will allow them to be effective leaders, for a ropes course at Camp Mikell Blue Ridge Outdoor Center and instructor/participant manuals.
- $2,500 to the Charity Baptist Food Bank in Homer to purchase food for the 14 families it serves in an average month.
- $2,500 to the Spirit of Joy Food Bank in Flowery Branch to purchase food for the more than 30 families they serve in an average month.
- $1,000 to Reins of Life, a Franklin County non-profit, for its Heads Up Hippotherapy Program, a physical therapy treatment that uses the horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help pay past due bills for a man disabled by cancer.
- $3,500 to help a woman who is raising funds for a liver transplant.
- $3,214 to install a wheelchair lift for a disabled man.
- $1,194 to pay past due car payments for a cancer patient and her disabled husband.
September 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $68,640 in grants during their September meeting, including $62,500 to organizations and $6,140 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Children’s Shelter in Lawrenceville, to help support its PACTS program of weekly parenting classes that seeks to decrease family violence by helping parents develop and improve their parenting skills and helping teens better understand parenting issues and family dynamics.
- $15,000 to Teen Pregnancy Prevention in Gainesville to help fund the “Choosing the Best Journey” program, which takes the messages of healthy futures, decision making and abstinence to ninth grade health classes in Hall County and Gainesville City Schools.
- $12,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society of Duluth, a non-profit social service organization dedicated to serving members of the community during time of need, to assist with rent and mortgage assistance, temporary lodging, transportation, food and medical expenses.
- $10,000 to Meet the Need Ministry, Inc., a Gwinnett County non-profit organization that clothes, houses, feeds and transports men who find themselves homeless, hungry, addicted to drugs or alcohol, or just need a helping hand, to help cover rental expenses for five homes located in Gwinnett and Barrow counties that house the men as they work toward recovery and self-sufficiency.
- $7,500 to Step by Step Recovery, a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization which provides a safe and structured environment for both men and women over 6 months to 2 years as they complete a 12 step program to deal with drug and alcohol addiction, for help with rent of men’s and women’s units.
- $3,000 to the Housing First Program of the Stable Foundation, an Athens non-profit with the mission of eradicating homelessness, to provide housing subsidies as part of a program that also provides case management and housing coordination to families so they can become self-sufficient and maintain stable housing.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help make a bathroom handicap accessible for a disabled senior citizen.
- $2,640 to replace a heating and air unit for a senior citizen.
August 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $81,800 in grants during their August meeting, including $75,000 to organizations and $6,800 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Peace Place, a domestic violence shelter in Winder, to help proactively provide access to services by reaching out to Barrow County domestic violence victims and survivors through a community liaison in the county Magistrates Court.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army – Lawrenceville for the Family Emergency Services program, which prevents homelessness and stabilizes families by providing rent or mortgage financial assistance directly to the landlord or property holder.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army – Gainesville for the Social Services Program, which prevents homeless by providing emergency financial assistance for rent and clothing vouchers to individuals and families who have experienced a lack of income or other crisis.
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army – Athens to assist with the increasing costs of providing meals served to both shelter residents and those who are served each night at the community meal.
- $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Madison County for the construction of its seventh house, a 1,050 square foot model being built for a young family with a two-year-old child, in memory of Forrest Vereen, a young former Habitat volunteer who died in a 2009 motorcycle accident.
- $5,000 to Tiny Stitches, Inc. in Suwanee, which uses a network of volunteers to make handmade tote bags filled with a 35-item layette that are donated to mothers in nine North Georgia counties who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $2,500 to the Disabled American Veterans – Chapter 92 for its Veterans Relief Fund that provides assistance for emergency needs such as rent, medical bills, groceries, or a bus ticket home to veterans and their families.
- $2,500 to Cross Pointe Food Pantry, an all-volunteer outreach of Cross Pointe Church at Gwinnett Center, that provides food to needy families in the community.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help pay living expenses for a single woman with cancer.
- $3,300 to replace a heating and air unit for a disabled woman.
July 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $100,451 in grants during their July meeting, including $93,150 to organizations and $7,301 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County for its Power Hour comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, which provides members with the support, resources and guidance necessary to complete their homework, and to renew licenses for Kidstrax membership tracking software that will enable the club to track and report membership information.
- $15,000 to Family Promise of Gwinnett County for its Family Mentoring Program, which assigns trained volunteer mentors who work one-on-one over an extended period of time with low-income families that have overcome homelessness to help them manage stresses that can disrupt their lives and lead to recurring homelessness.
- $15,000 to Rainbow Village, a Duluth nonprofit that helps families in domestic or economic crisis rebuild their lives, to provide counseling for residents of its transitional housing to help adult heads of households gain financial skills, such as budgeting and establishing strategies to address financial problems, that will help them become self-sufficient.
- $14,850 to Mercy Health Center, an Athens ministry providing primary and specialty medical care, dental and pharmacy services for low income uninsured patients, to provide salaries for professional staff and supplies that will allow the clinics to increase the number of patients served by 66 a year and add 330more patient encounters.
- $10,000 to the Vision and Hearing Care Program, a service of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, to help provide surgical procedures to restore sight, eye exams, prescription eyewear and digital hearing aids for low-income residents in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves, using Lighthouse medical equipment, volunteer doctors, staff and volunteers.
- $8,300 to Guest House, a Gainesville nonprofit that helps seniors with functional impairments maintain some independence and social contact while providing caregivers with a respite, to help provide a hot, balanced and nutritious lunch and snack to these frail, elderly clients.
- $5,000 to The Ark United Ministry Outreach Center in Athens to provide emergency rent assistance to lower income residents who have been laid off and for the Noah Fund that provides grants to senior citizens.
- $5,000 to NOA’s Ark (No One Alone), a Dahlonega emergency shelter and comprehensive support program for battered women and children, to help fund a Trauma Counseling Service that will reduce the risk of posttraumatic stress and other psychological problems.
- $5,000 to the Healing Place of Athens to help provide homeless men with shelter, food, clothing, personal items, transportation to medical and mental health appointments and job searches, to support and encourage them in their pursuit of an independent and productive life of sobriety.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to relocate the manufactured home of a widow to a location she can afford.
- $3,200 to replace a heating and air unit for a disabled woman.
- $601 to replace a bariatric rolling walker and clothes dryer for a disabled man.
June 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $106,655 in grants during their June meeting, including $93,400 to organizations and $13,255 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Hi-Hope Service Center in Lawrenceville to help fund part-time nursing services for developmentally disabled residents in six Gwinnett County group homes, providing an increasing number of residents who require onsite nursing services such as daily medication and blood checks with that care.
- $15,000 to the Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program designed to help at-risk middle and high school students prepare for college and careers. Held at Gainesville State College, the summer program concentrates on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Hall County to fund the windows, doors, driveway and final grading for the group’s next house, an energy efficient 3-bedroom, 2-bath home which will be built off of Dawsonville Highway in Gainesville for a single mother with two daughters.
- $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Jackson County to fund the windows and trim, cabinetry, grading and landscaping for the group’s next house, an energy efficient 3-bedroom, 2-bath home which will be built in Commerce.
- $10,000 to the YMCA of Athens for its Summer Day Camp project, which serves nearly 700 young people by offering supervised sports and other activities, as well as teaching values and responsibility that help kids feel good about themselves, enjoy life and avoid the dangers of drugs or gangs.
- $7,500 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves and gloves.
- $7,500 to Three Dimensional Life in Gainesville, a non-profit organization that provides a long-term residential recovery for young men 14-20 years of age who are struggling with addiction, to help replace a passenger van used for character building activities.
- $5,400 to the Athens Community Council on Aging for its Project Northeast Georgia Healthy Grandparents, a program that provides support groups, health evaluations and follow-ups, and legal help with custody issues to grandparents who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren.
- $5,000 to the Girls Leadership Program in Gainesville, an intensive six-week course for girls ages 13-17 that establishes mentoring relationships between the girls and women in the minority community, develops leadership and collaboration skills, and promotes the development of new leaders in the community.
- $5,000 to Next Stop, a Lawrenceville grassroots organization that provides social interaction, recreational and life skill learning opportunities to young adults with mild to moderate disabilities, for a part-time planning assistant who creates activities for participants and handles some administrative duties.
- $3,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Lumpkin County for its Minor Repair Project, to fund four repair projects that address health, access and/or safety issues in the homes of elderly, handicapped and low income residents.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,438 to install a wheelchair lift in a disabled man’s vehicle.
- $3,000 to repair the septic tank of a senior citizen.
- $2,800 to repair the septic tank of a senior citizen.
- $2,600 to purchase dentures for a senior citizen.
- $1,721 to help make handicap accessible van modifications for a mother with a disabled son.
May 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $102,785 in grants during their May meeting, including $91,494 to organizations and $11,291 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia in Homer to provide about 70 Banks County underprivileged 3rd through 6th grade students who are referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that provides positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Winder-Barrow to help fund after school programs and activities for school-age youth, providing young people from disadvantaged circumstances with constructive activities as well as educational support, healthy habits and a positive self-image.
- $15,000 to the Fragile Kids Foundation to help fund the purchase and installation of critical medical equipment not covered by insurance, such as electronic wheelchair van lifts, for special needs children in the counties that Jackson EMC serves.
- $15,000 to the Madison County Senior Center to help fund the Home Delivered Meals program, which allows frail and older citizens to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, nutrition screening, education and counseling services, and opportunities for social contact. The center currently serves 50 home delivered meals daily, five days a week, and has a waiting list of 15 people.
- $10,000 to the Gainesville-Hall County Alliance for Literacy to purchase materials and provide instructors for basic literacy classes for adults 16 and older and GED preparation classes for students who have not completed high school. The Alliance estimates that more than 29 percent of Hall County residents are not high school graduates and generally earn 35 percent less per week than graduates.
- $10,000 to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank for its Summer Feeding Program, which provides simple meals for at-risk children at two Gainesville Boys & Girls Clubs to ensure they receive proper nutrition while schools are in recess for the summer.
- $5,094 to Piedmont CASA, a non-profit organization that uses community volunteers to provide a voice in Juvenile Court for the best interest of abused and neglected children in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to recruit and train community volunteers. In 2010, the organization served 151 children.
- $4,000 to Nuci’s Space in Athens, a non-profit organization working to prevent suicide and promote community wellbeing, to enable young people from low income families participate in Camp Amped, a summer music day camp for Northeast Georgia youth ages 11-18 focusing on positive mental health and music education.
- $2,400 to Prevent Child Abuse Athens, a grassroots organization focused on ending neglect and abuse, to help fund 24 Parenting Skills classes to teach positive discipline, communication, how to handle feelings, stress reduction and child development stages.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,445 to repair a senior citizen’s roof.
- $3,290 to repair a senior citizen’s roof.
- $2,665 to make repairs to a disabled man’s home and build a wheelchair ramp.
- $1,056 to have a lump removed and biopsied for a woman without health care benefits.
April 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $88,050 in grants during their April meeting, including $75,874 to organizations and $12,176 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Computers for Youth to help fund the “Take It Home” program at Sweetwater Middle School in Lawrenceville where about 465 sixth graders, 86 percent of whom are disadvantaged, will receive free refurbished computers pre-loaded with a suite of educational and word processing software to improve home learning, involve parents and help students stay engaged in school.
- $12,000 to Hope Clinic in Lawrenceville, a primary care internal medicine clinic founded to provide the uninsured working poor with affordable care, to help purchase a BVI 9600 Patient Assessment Kit, a 3-D ultrasound instrument which can provide preventative and lifesaving diagnoses of urinary system disorders and abdominal aortic aneurysms.
- $10,000 to Exodus Outreach, a Buford non-profit organization serving people in all walks of life who are hurting and in need of support, for a summer program that offers at-risk students in Kindergarten through eighth grade with a summer learning and development curriculum that provides supervision and readies the students to succeed in school in the fall.
- $10,000 to Extra Special People in Watkinsville to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families to attend a weeklong camp where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $10,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run non-profit group in Suwanee that provides support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to enable disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 to attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program where daily activities are used to teach social skills lessons.
- $7,500 to Nspire Outreach in Lawrenceville, an outreach effort providing homeless men and women in Gwinnett County with skills and tools that will help them leave the streets and become independent, to provide continuing education through GED courses, online courses, career training, or courses at local colleges or technical schools.
- $5,000 to the Athens Young Women’s Christian Organization (YWCO) to help girls from the Hispanic community attend the Girls Club, which provides a structured recreational and educational summer program for young girls ages 5-14 from low-moderate income families, and help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $3,500 to the Muscular Dystrophy Association to help children and young adults with neuromuscular diseases from the counties served by Jackson EMC attend Camp Walk N’ Roll, a week-long summer program with no boundaries for physical disabilities where campers can build confidence and independence while their caregivers have a break from the demands of constant care.
- $2,874 to the Pilot Club of Madison County to hold a Child Safety Day for the residents of Madison and surrounding counties that will teach car seat safety and the safe use of helmets to prevent brain injuries.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to provide clinical evaluation and driver training for a disabled young woman.
- $3,500 to repair the roof a disabled applicant.
- $3,000 to provide assistance with past due car payments for a single mother who had surgery.
- $2,176 to help a senior citizen pay past due bills for medication.
March 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $91,788 in grants during their March meeting, including $77,788 to organizations and $14,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gateway House, a Hall County non-profit serving victims of domestic violence and their children, to provide emergency legal assistance to request, file and enforce a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) to keep abusive partners from having contact with or harassing victims.
- $15,000 to Jackson County Family Connection to help fund the coordinator’s position for the Lindsey’s Legacy mentoring program, which recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students kindergarten through 12th grade in all three school systems within the county, helping to ensure those young people become healthy, educated and employable.
- $15,000 to Partnership Against Domestic Violence – Gwinnett for its Children & Youth Program at the Gwinnett Safe House, to help battered women understand the impact of domestic violence on their children, teach children to be safe and cope with violence they have witnessed or experienced, and empower parents and children to interact through nonviolent means.
- $7,500 to the Clarke County Mentor Program, a broad-based, grassroots effort to provide individual support for public school students in 1st through 12th grades, promoting academic and personal success; to recruit, train and support new mentors.
- $7,500 to the Northeast Georgia History Center in Gainesville, to develop history exhibits in a trunk that could be checked out by teachers in the region for use in their classrooms to teach the history of the Cherokee, Georgia pioneer life, the Civil War, World War II and the general history of Northeast Georgia.
- $7,500 to Our Neighbor, a Gainesville grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges, for The Next Chapter Book Store, which trains and employs young adults with disabilities, helping them fund independent housing, build self-esteem and increase confidence.
- $5,288 to Opportunity House, a Franklin County non-profit that provides support for adults with intellectual disabilities, to purchase touchscreen computers and comprehensive life skills software that will enable clients to learn while enjoying social interaction, being intellectually stimulated and building self-worth.
- $5,000 to Lumpkin County Family Connection to help fund Family Advocates who provide services and case management through local schools to families who are living in poverty, at risk of abusing or neglecting their children or experiencing other crisis situations that affect their children.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace the HVAC system of a senior citizen.
- $3,500 to repair the roof a senior citizen.
- $3,500 to making handicap accessible modifications to a disabled senior citizen’s bathroom.
- $3,500 to help a disabled applicant purchase a handicap accessible van.
February 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $77,215 in grants during their February meeting, including $72,325 to organizations and $4,890 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Gainesville Action Ministries, a network of 17 Hall County churches that work to prevent homelessness by providing emergency financial, food and clothing assistance, and children’s services, to help provide long-term rent assistance to give families much needed time to work toward self-sufficiency.
- $15,000 to Good News Clinics, a non-profit organization that provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Gainesville and Hall County, to provide prescription medication for patients of its Sam Poole Medical Clinic and Green Warren Dental Clinic.
- $10,000 to the Georgia Children’s Chorus, an organization that provides vocal and choral training to young people who wish to pursue that field, to help 29 students from low-income families participate in the training program and concerts.
- $10,000 to the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center, a multi-use science, history, culture, heritage and environmental facility located on a 700-acre campus in Buford, to allow students from low-income families to attend interpretative, hands-on field studies and educational programs.
- $10,000 to the Potters House, an intensive residential recovery program of the Atlanta Union Mission located on a 570-acre working farm in Jefferson; to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs such as adult literacy to men recovering from substance abuse.
- $5,000 to the Side-by-Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, a Gwinnett non-profit organization that helps individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury to regain employment and living skills, to provide 12 months of rehabilitation program fees for five brain injured adults in the counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $5,000 to the Southern Ballet Theatre of Georgia in Lawrenceville to provide tickets to its production of Aladdin to 400 underprivileged Gwinnett County children who might otherwise never experience ballet, along with a classroom study guide for teachers to use before and after the performance.
- $2,325 to Diamond in the Rough, a Snellville faith-based youth development and leadership program for girls 10-18, for the Clusters long-term mentoring and leadership development program which uses small group meetings one day per week for 1-2 hours during the school year to build self-image, character, leadership, health and wellness, financial stewardship, healthy relationships and spiritual enrichment.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to repair the septic tank of a disabled man.
- $956 to catch up mortgage payments for a cancer patient.
- $434 to pay medical bills for a senior citizen.
January 2011
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $70,604 in grants during their January meeting, including $65,908 to organizations and $4,696 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Dream House for Medically Fragile Children in Snellville to help fund the Family for Keeps Transition Care Home, a facility manned by a clinical care team providing respite care for up to six medically fragile children while their own biological, foster and adoptive families take a temporary break from the often exhausting challenges faced by caregivers.
- $15,000 to the Hebron Community Health Center in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization providing medical and dental care to low-income Gwinnett residents with no health insurance, to provide diagnostic mammograms and biopsies, and medication for patients suffering from hypertension and diabetes.
- $9,408 to the American Red Cross – East Georgia Chapter to train disaster response volunteers, purchase disaster education materials, and provide disaster relief, including food, shelter and clothing, to six Jackson County families who have lost their home to a fire or natural disaster.
- $7,000 to Center Point, a Gainesville non-profit which mentors at-risk young people in Gainesville City and Hall County schools, to provide free and low-cost counseling to youth and their families who could not otherwise participate in therapy.
- $5,000 to Children First, a part of the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program serving Clarke and Oconee Counties, to provide transportation to and from supervised family visits for children who have been abused or neglected, supervision during the visit and assistance with parenting skills.
- $5,000 to Georgia Options in Bogart to help purchase a van that will provide flexible wheelchair-accessible transportation for 15 people with significant disabilities, allowing them to work, attend school and be involved in community functions.
- $5,000 to Project Safe, an Athens agency that serves families experiencing domestic violence in Clarke, Madison, Oglethorpe and Oconee counties, for a Transitional Housing Initiative that provides long-term housing and support services to domestic violence survivors who need extra assistance to become emotionally and financially self-sufficient.
- $2,500 to the Gainesville/ Hall Community Food Pantry to purchase food.
- $2,000 to the South Hall Community Food Pantry in Oakwood to purchase food and household items.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,306 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a disabled woman.
- $1,390 to repair the roof of a disabled woman.
December 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $76,486 in grants during their December meeting, including $67,310 to organizations and $9,176 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides clients with emergency food supplies, buying them time to deal with the difficult and frequently temporary circumstances they are facing and helping them get back on their feet.
- $14,810 to I Am, Inc. in Buford to purchase supplies for Gaining Insight & Real Life Skills (GIRLS) leadership development program for girls age 10-18, aimed at reducing the instance of high-risk behaviors, increasing self-esteem and focusing on life skills that promote success, such as self-assessment, managing money, etiquette, goal-setting, public speaking and choosing a career.
- $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Barrow County to help purchase materials for the A Brush of Kindness Program which repairs and rehabilitates the owner occupied homes of low income and elderly residents using some donated materials and volunteer labor.
- $7,500 to the Ark of Jackson County, a community outreach effort by area churches that provides assistance to individuals who have experienced a loss of income due to circumstances beyond their control, to help fund emergency housing and prescription medicine assistance.
- $7,500 to Eagle Ranch, a Chestnut Mountain home for boys and girls in crisis, to provide twelve months of counseling services to help children and their families make the transition after the child graduates from the program and returns home.
- $5,000 to the Banks County Literacy Council to help purchase age-appropriate books for pre-Kindergarten children through the Imagination Library program to improve the reading efficiency of children entering the county’s education system.
- $5,000 to the Lilburn Cooperative Ministry to provide needy families with $250 assistance for rent or mortgage payments annually, helping them avoid foreclosure or eviction.
- $2,500 to the Twelve Baskets Food Ministry in Buford to purchase bulk food for its food pantry.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to replace a broken heating and air unit for a senior citizen.
- $3,500 to catch up mortgage payments for a single mother who had open heart surgery.
- $2,176 to replace a furnace and hot water heater for a disabled woman.
November 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $72,538 in grants during their November meeting, including $66,438 to organizations and $6,100 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Creative Enterprises, a Lawrenceville agency serving the disabled, to help purchase a mini-van that will enable the agency to meet new federal and state regulations requiring each client to be accompanied by a staff member on all community outings, rather than having a group of clients accompanied by one staff member.
- $13,738 to Set Free of Gainesville, a faith-based ministry that assists those who are needy, hurting, homeless, addicted, hungry and struggling, to help purchase a used passenger van that will provide transportation to medical care, drug and alcohol counseling, mental health and medical appointments, as well as pick up food donations.
- $10,000 to Family Ties, a Gainesville organization that educates the community on recognizing and preventing child abuse and neglect, to provide materials, facilitators and childcare workers for free 9-12 week parenting classes offered in both English and Spanish.
- $7,500 to Athens Urban Ministries, a grassroots organization dedicated to assisting those who need a hand up, to help provide instruction and case management sessions, maintenance and supervision for a newly-funded computer lab.
- $7,000 to the Athens Pregnancy Center to help provide free ultrasound screenings for women dealing with the consequences and circumstances of unintended pregnancies.
- $5,000 to Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia to help offer the “It’s Your World: Change It!” program to girls in the underserved areas of Hall, Jackson and Barrow counties, giving them the opportunity to serve their communities, explore the outdoors and build the skills needed to support themselves.
- $5,000 to the IDEALS Leadership School, a Lawrenceville program that helps high school athletes develop into positive role models and influential leaders in their schools and on their teams.
- $3,200 to the Friends of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens to produce calendars used as learning tools by Garden Earth Naturalist Clubs, after-school science clubs that encourage youth ages 8-10 to study and explore natural habitats.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a used car that will enable a disabled senior citizen to get to dialysis and medical appointments.
- $2,000 to repair the roof of a senior citizen’s home.
- $600 to help purchase a lift chair for a disabled woman.
October 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $82,450 in grants during their October meeting, including $75,500 to organizations and $6,950 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Jail Inmate GED Diploma Program offered through the Gwinnett Tech Foundation, which offers inmates without a high school degree the opportunity to earn a GED diploma while in jail awaiting release, trial or transfer to prison.
- $12,600 to the Gwinnett Coalition for Health & Human Services to make upgrades in technology infrastructure to speed client response time and effectively track client information, and to develop a new website for the Gwinnett Helpline.
- $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Hall County for the Read to Succeed Program that will help at-risk club members increase their reading skills, with a goal of improving reading skills by one or two grade levels by the end of the school year.
- $9,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta’s Lawrenceville and Norcross clubs for supplies and incentives used in “Power Hour,” a comprehensive homework help and tutoring program attended by club members ages 6-18.
- $7,500 to L.A.M.P. Ministries, in Gainesville, to help provide high risk youths with a positive alternative to gangs and other delinquent behavior through its Community Youth Outreach program, offered in 3-month sessions that combine group counseling and community activities.
- $7,500 to the Junior Achievement of Georgia – Gainesville District to help cover the costs, such as workbooks and activities of a program that teaches school students the fundamentals of the private enterprise economic system and provides them with practical hands-0n experience in the economics of life.
- $5,000 to Camp Twin Lakes, a not-for-profit organization which offers year-round recreational, therapeutic and educational programs for children facing serious illness and other challenges, to help children in Jackson EMC’s 10-county service area attend its state-of-the-art, fully accessible campsites.
- $3,400 to the Gwinnett County Public Library to help fund its 2010 Fall Into the Arts program, a series of outreach programs that provide multicultural arts and humanities programs at accessible venues throughout the county over a four-month period.
- $2,500 to the Spirit of Joy Food Bank in Flowery Branch to purchase food supplies for its ministry.
- $2,000 to the Duds & Spuds Food and Clothing Pantry in Braselton to purchase bulk food for its food pantry.
- $1,000 to Reins of Life, a Franklin County non-profit, for its Heads Up Hippotherapy Program, a physical therapy treatment that uses the horse’s movement to improve neuromuscular function.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to purchase a wheel chair lift for a disabled man.
- $3,450 to replace an HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
September 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $92,830 in grants during their September meeting, including $85,720 to organizations and $7,110 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $14,920 to the Foster Children’s Foundation in Duluth for its Tomorrow Matters Mentoring Program, which teaches young people ages 14-21 in the foster care program crucial independent living skills, such as money management, positive choices and employment preparation to provide skills that will help them become successful adults.
- $14,800 to the Gwinnett Student Leadership Team to help support its student leadership program, serving high school juniors and seniors in 20 public schools. The two-year program provides students with practical leadership skills and trains them to return to their home high school to facilitate the core leadership principles with groups there, increasing the capacity to develop student leaders.
- $10,000 to the Community Helping Place in Dahlonega for its Food Pantry and Summer Food Program, which provide food for families monthly as well as breakfast, lunch and a snack for at-risk children when school is out, and its Medical Clinic, which provides the uninsured working poor with primary and acute care, laboratory services, medication assistance and referrals.
- $10,000 to the Hall County Health Department to provide women in Hall and Lumpkin counties who are low income, do not qualify for Medicaid benefits and who are unable to pay for Prenatal Care Clinic services with high-quality care, including physical exam, ultrasound, non-stress test, medications and lab work that will decrease the number of low birth weight babies and help ensure the health of babies and mothers.
- $10,000 to the YMCA – Georgia Mountains in Gainesville to help more than 30 underprivileged children attend its Kids Time Afterschool Program, which provides children from kindergarten to 8th grade, with a safe environment where they have homework assistance, enrichment activities, relationship building, sports, games and arts and crafts on site at Hall County and Gainesville City elementary schools.
- $10,000 to the YMCA – Brad Akins in Winder to enable seven underprivileged children to attend the PrYme Tyme after school program for a year. Children from kindergarten to 8th grade participate in activities including homework, sports, games, arts, crafts, songs, skits, daily devotions and more in a safe environment while their parents are at work.
- $5,500 to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to present the One Way 2 Play – Drug Free Program, which confronts the problem of drug use among students by instilling values, encouraging goal setting and establishing accountability through positive peer pressure in middle and high schools in nine counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $5,000 to the Athens Nurses Clinics to help present a Diabetes Education Program for the homeless and uninsured that would require clinic patients to take a three-part class within a six-month time frame, and supply each patient with an information packet, a glucometer, test strips and lancets so they can monitor their blood glucose levels a minimum of every other day.
- $3,000 to the Madison County Youth Leadership Program, which uses instructional materials from the University of Georgia’s Fannin Institute to teach Madison County High School students how groups work and how to cooperate in a group, as well as skills that will allow them to be effective leaders, for a ropes course at Camp Mikell Blue Ridge Outdoor Center and graduation banquet.
- $2,500 to the Northeast Georgia Ballet Ensemble to allow 1,400 students from Title 1 schools to attend an outreach performance of “The Nutcracker” at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center in November, along with a pre-performance lecture and interactive experience.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,541 to purchase a wheel chair lift and replace a bathing tub system for a young woman with cerebral palsy.
- $3,210 to replace an HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
August 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $88,641 in grants during their August meeting, including $82,000 to organizations and $6,641 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Annandale at Suwanee, a nonprofit community serving adults with developmental disabilities or traumatic brain injury, to provide necessary equipment, supplies and funds to implement arts/academics, vocational and recreation programs offered through the Patricia M. Brown Center for Programs.
- $15,000 to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens for its monthly Mobile Pantry Program, which distributes large quantities of food before its expiration date through partner agencies in nine local counties, eliminating the need for the agencies to store the food and allowing the Food Bank to distribute thousands of pounds of food to those in need at a fraction of the cost.
- $15,000 to the Salvation Army of Lawrenceville for the Family Emergency Services program, which prevents homelessness and stabilizes families by providing financial assistance to pay rent, purchase clothing or buy prescription medicine, and for the on-site food pantry.
- $10,000 to Teen Pregnancy Prevention in Gainesville to help fund “Smart Girls,” a program offered in Hall County middle and high schools that offers guidance and support through weekly sessions to provide girls with the knowledge, skills, self-esteem and self-confidence they need to make healthy decisions about sexual activity and dating relationships.
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army of Athens to assist with the increasing costs of providing lodging to the homeless at its Emergency Shelter, and meals served to both shelter residents and those who are served each night at the community meal.
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army of Gainesville for the Social Services Program which prevents homeless by providing emergency financial assistance for rent and clothing vouchers to individuals and families who have experienced a lack of income or other crisis.
- $5,000 to the American Heart Association – Northeast Georgia Chapter to purchase CPR Anytime for Family and Friends kits that contain everything needed to learn basic CPR skills. Kits will be distributed to community organizations in Gwinnett County.
- $2,000 to the Brenau Nursing Department Community Outreach to purchase a Distracted and Impaired Driving kit for use in Gainesville City Schools to demonstrate to teens the effects of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $410 to help purchase a hearing aid for a senior citizen.
- $3,291 to replace an HVAC unit for a disabled senior citizen.
July 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $94,488 in grants during their July meeting, including $85,300 to organizations and $9,188 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the GRN Community Service Board, a Gwinnett provider of mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse services, to provide basic necessities such as cleaning services, personal items and $4 medications for clients with behavioral or substance abuse problems who have no other resources.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Children’s Shelter in Lawrenceville, to help support its PACTS program of weekly parenting classes that seeks to decrease family violence by helping parents develop and improve their parenting skills and helping teens better understand parenting issues and family dynamics.
- $10,000 to Meet the Need Ministry, Inc., a Gwinnett County non-profit organization that clothes, houses, feeds and transports men who find themselves homeless, hungry, addicted to drugs or alcohol, or just need a helping hand, to help cover rental expenses for six homes located in Gwinnett and Barrow counties that house the men as they work toward recovery and self-sufficiency.
- $9,700 to Citizens for a Better Auburn, a non-profit, grassroots organization formed to better the lives of present and future residents, to expand an adult literacy program, in partnership with Lanier Technical College, that will enable greater numbers of area residents to improve the quality of their lives by earning their GED.
- $7,500 to Good Samaritan Ministries in Buford to help fund the residential inmate recovery program, which provides inmates three months of self-study, classes and work therapy, followed by nine months of employment either inside or outside the ministry, to help them become productive members of society by working on drug and alcohol issues, and building discipline and self-esteem.
- $7,500 to United Way of Northeast Georgia’s Success by 6 Program to help print “Critical Years, Critical Needs” booklets in English and Spanish, a resource guide on early childhood developmental needs and good child care practices that is distributed to new parents through a partnership with St. Mary’s Hospital, Athens Regional Medical Center and Barrow County Medical Center.
- $6,500 to Come Alive Ministries of Barrow County, a non-profit community outreach funded by donations from businesses, churches and individuals, to help expand and update Pregnancy Care Center programs and provide supplies such as diapers, wipes, cribs and car seats to women facing unplanned pregnancies.
- $5,000 to Elachee Nature Science Center in Gainesville to help offer schools in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties environmental science/nature field trips that provide students with educational experiences which cannot be duplicated in the classroom.
- $5,000 to Four Corners Primary Care Center in Lawrenceville, which provides basic primary care to an underserved, uninsured population of Gwinnett County, to help offer community-based chronic disease education sessions in nursing homes, senior centers and through emergency assistance providers.
- $2,600 to the Sexual Assault Center of Northeast Georgia in Athens to fund a 24-hour crisis hotline service, as well as hotline volunteer training, that provides immediate support to victims of sexual assault or abuse.
- $1,500 to Safehouse Ministries, a domestic violence and homeless shelter in Elberton, to make interior and exterior repairs to two 14-year-old cabins that each provide two families with shelter.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,308 to replace an HVAC unit for a disabled senior citizen.
- $2,445 to make septic tank repairs for a single mother.
- $2,582 to help pay medical bills for a cancer patient.
June 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $88,152 in grants during their June meeting, including $75,900 to organizations and $12,252 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program designed to help at-risk middle and high school students prepare for college and careers. Held at Gainesville State College, the summer program concentrates on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $10,000 to the YMCA Athens for its Summer Day Camp project, which serves more than 425 young people by offering supervised sports and other activities, as well as teaching values and responsibility that help kids feel good about their selves, enjoy life and avoid the dangers of drugs or gangs.
- $10,000 to Signs & Wonders, Inc. in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization that offers assistance to the homeless and needy on a non-discriminating basis, to help operate the Quinn House group homes for the homeless and to help replace a van used to deliver meals to area homeless.
- $10,000 to the Healing Place of Athens to help provide homeless men with shelter, food, clothing and personal items, along with transportation to medical and mental health appointments and job searches, in order to support and encourage them in their pursuit of an independent and productive life of sobriety.
- $7,500 to Step by Step Recovery, a Lawrenceville community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization, to serve 25 new clients through the residential program, which provides a safe and structured environment for both men and women over 6 months to 2 years as they complete a 12 step program to deal with drug and alcohol addiction.
- $7,000 to the Infant Car Seat Safety Program, a service of the Gwinnett Hospital System, to purchase more than 100 approved, rear-facing car safety seats for infants born in system facilities whose parents cannot afford to purchase them.
- $5,000 to the Girls Leadership Summer Program in Gainesville, an intensive six-week course for girls ages 13-17 that establishes mentoring relationships between the girls and women in the minority community, develops leadership and collaboration skills, and promotes the development of new leaders in the community.
- $5,000 to Childkind, a metro-Atlanta organization that provides support to parents of medically fragile or developmentally delayed children, to provide transition support services to families in Gwinnett, Hall and Clarke counties whose medically or developmentally disabled children are being discharged from the hospital.
- $4,000 to the Madison County Health Department for its Cabbage Patch Program, which provides education, resources and support to pregnant adolescents and women who run a high risk of delivering preterm or low birth weight infants.
- $2,400 to the Lumpkin County Literacy Coalition to help purchase age-appropriate books for pre-Kindergarten children through the Imagination Library program to improve the reading efficiency of children entering the county’s education system.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,063 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,000 to replace an HVAC unit for a disabled man.
- $2,750 to help a senior citizen make repairs to a bathroom.
- $2,689 to purchase an electric scooter lift for a disabled woman.
May 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $113,998 in grants during their May meeting, including $107,235 to organizations and $6,763 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Vision and Hearing Care Program, a service of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, to help provide surgical procedures to restore sight, eye exams, prescription eyewear and digital hearing aids for low-income residents in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves, using Lighthouse medical equipment, volunteer doctors, staff and volunteers.
- $15,000 to the Madison County Senior Center, to help fund the Home Delivered Meals program, which allows frail and older citizens to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, nutrition screening, education and counseling services, and opportunities for social contact. The center currently serves 50 home delivered meals daily, five days a week, and has a waiting list of 32 people.
- $12,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Jackson County for its Power Hour comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, which provides members with the support, resources and guidance necessary to complete their homework, and to renew licenses for Kidstrax membership tracking software that will enable the club to track and report membership information.
- $12,000 to the Children’s Center for Hope & Healing in Gainesville to provide 30 children who have been sexually abused with therapy to reduce trauma symptoms such as nightmares, bed wetting, anxiousness, depression, anger, fatigue and self-hatred.
- $10,435 to the Gainesville Care Center to purchase DVDs and incentive baby items for its My Baby Counts program, which provides pregnant women, mothers of babies and toddlers and the fathers with crucial parenting skills to break the cycle of inadequate parenting, neglect and abuse.
- $10,400 to Camp Koinonia in Homer to provide about 50 Banks County underprivileged 3rd through 6th grade students who are referred by Family Connection and DFACS with a five-day camping experience that provides positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills and build personal relationships.
- $8,100 to Next Stop, a Lawrenceville grassroots organization that provides vital social interaction, recreational and life skill learning opportunities to young adults with mild to moderate disabilities, for a part-time planning assistant who creates activities for participants and handles some administrative duties.
- $7,000 to Samaritan Stand, a non-profit organization in Flowery Branch that provides opportunities for children ages 6-16 from disadvantaged homes to grow and mature in a safe environment, to help support its summer “Sandlot Sports Camp” program which offers activities such as baseball, hiking, soccer, fishing and swimming.
- $5,000 to AIDS Athens, a non-profit organization which seeks to enhance the quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS and prevent the spread of the disease, to provide insured but financially needy patients with co-pay assistance for prescribed medicine.
- $5,000 to NOA’s Ark, a Dahlonega emergency shelter and comprehensive support program for battered women and children, to help fund a Trauma Counseling Service that will reduce the risk of posttraumatic stress and other psychological problems.
- $4,800 to the Nuci Phillips Memorial Foundation in Athens, a non-profit organization working to prevent suicide and promote community wellbeing, to enable young people from low income families participate in Camp Amped, a summer music day camp for Northeast Georgia youth ages 11-18 focusing on positive mental health and music education.
- $2,500 to the Jefferson First Baptist Food Pantry to help purchase additional healthy snacks, juice and milk boxes the pantry provides during the summer to families of children who receive reduced or free lunches during the school year in order to maintain a good diet for them.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicap accessible van with hand controls for the victim of a spinal cord injury.
- $3,263 to replace an HVAC unit for a senior citizen.
April 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $70,200 in grants during their April meeting, including $68,500 to organizations and $1,700 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Project ADAM, a Winder non-profit organization providing education, treatment and prevention services to those affected by drug and alcohol addictions, to purchase replacement bedding and appliances for its residential facility.
- $15,000 to The Tree House, a children’s advocacy center providing services in Barrow, Jackson and Banks counties, to help fund a Parent Home Educator who would provide free parenting and child abuse prevention skills training to families identified as having potential risk factors.
- $10,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run non-profit group in Suwanee that provides support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to enable disadvantaged autistic individuals ages four to 22 to attend the organization’s weeklong summer camp program where daily activities are used to teach social skills lessons.
- $10,000 to Extra Special People in Watkinsville to provide an opportunity for special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families to attend a weeklong camp where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $5,000 to Exodus Outreach, a Buford non-profit organization serving people in all walks of life who are hurting and in need of support, for a summer program that offers at-risk students in Kindergarten through eighth grade with a summer learning and development curriculum that provides supervision and readies the students to succeed in school in the fall.
- $5,000 to the Young Women’s Christian Organization in Athens, to help girls from the Hispanic community attend its Girls Club, which provides a structured recreational and educational summer program for young girls ages 5-14 from low-moderate income families, and help defray bus transportation expenses.
- $3,000 to Project Kids Eat, an outreach program of the Campus Church of Christ in Norcross that provides the children of homeless families living in local extended stay facilities with meals during periods when meals are not provided by the school system.
- $3,000 to the Stable Foundation, a non-profit Athens agency dedicated to eradicating homelessness, to provide three months of rent subsidies for a family that needs a bridge between living in a shelter and entering long-term housing.
- $2,500 to the Muscular Dystrophy Association to help children and young adults with neuromuscular diseases from the counties served by Jackson EMC attend Camp Walk N’ Roll, a week-long summer program with no boundaries for physical disabilities where campers can build confidence and independence while their caregivers have a break from the demands of constant care.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,626 to purchase a front-loading washing and dryer for a disabled woman.
March 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $83,307 in grants during their March meeting, including $78,000 to organizations and $5,307 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Health Access Initiatives, a Gainesville non-profit that provides medical care to uninsured, indigent Hall County adults through a network of 190 volunteer medical specialists, to help fund a position that processes referrals, conducts screening interviews and enrolls clients, as well as coordinating physician appointments, arranging diagnostic tests and following up with clients.
- $14,000 to Nspire Outreach in Lawrenceville, an outreach effort that provides homeless men and women in Gwinnett County with skills and tools that will help them leave the streets and become independent; to provide continuing education through GED courses, online courses, career training, or courses at local colleges or technical schools.
- $10,000 to Computers for Youth to help fund the “Take It Home” program at Louise Radloff Middle School in Duluth where about 420 sixth graders, 85 percent of whom are disadvantaged, will receive free refurbished computers pre-loaded with a suite of educational and word processing software to improve home learning, involve parents and help students stay engaged in school.
- $10,000 to Gainesville/Hall County Alliance for Literacy to purchase materials and provide instructors for basic literacy classes for adults 16 and older and GED preparation classes for students who have not completed high school. The Alliance estimates that more than 29 percent of Hall County residents are not high school graduates and generally earn 35 percent less per week than graduates.
- $8,000 to Rape Response Inc., a Gainesville community-based non-profit that provides comprehensive services to adolescent and adult victims of sexual violence in Hall and Lumpkin Counties, to help fund aftercare and Emergency Room clothing and comfort items for victims, as well as recruitment and training for volunteer advocates.
- $5,000 to the Boy Scouts of America – Northeast Georgia Council to provide uniforms, handbooks and summer camp fees that will help underprivileged youth participate in scouting, teaching them to make ethical choices and promoting citizenship, leadership, mental and physical fitness.
- $5,000 to the Madison County Rotary Foundation to help purchase age-appropriate books for pre-Kindergarten children under the organization’s Literacy Program, which is designed to improve the reading efficiency of elementary school children in the county.
- $5,000 to the Gwinnett Community Clinic, a Snellville volunteer-based not-for-profit clinic that serves the working poor of the area, to help fund a part-time nurse practitioner position that has helped the clinic increase the number of patients seen by 50 percent, ensure the continuity of care and increase efficiency in communication and recordkeeping.
- $3,000 to the Northeast Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center, a nonprofit educational organization working to increase underserved students’ interest in science, math and the technologies, to offer Family Math and Science Nights at Banks County schools. The night’s hands-on activities help students and their families become more excited and informed about learning math and science.
- $3,000 to the Gwinnett Enrichment Center in Norcross, which provides developmentally disabled adults and youth with a variety of facility and community-based activities that help them achieve independence, personal development and community inclusion; to purchase training materials.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,800 to repair the covered porch access on the home of a disabled man.
- $2,507 to pay past due dental bill and make repairs to the truck of a disabled senior citizen so he can get to doctors appointments.
February 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $85,863 in grants during their February meeting, including $72,973 to organizations and $12,890 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Hall County to help fund the construction of the group’s next house, an energy efficient 3-bedroom, 2-bath home which will be built in Flowery Branch on land donated by a South Hall County family.
- $14,000 to the Jackson County Family Connection to help fund the coordinator’s position for the Lindsey’s Legacy mentoring program, which recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students kindergarten through 12th grade in all three school systems within the county, helping to ensure those young people become healthy, educated and employable.
- $11,000 to the Barrow County Special Olympics to purchase equipment for nearly 300 special needs athletes and athletes-in-training from 16 county schools so they can compete in basketball, bowling, soccer, softball, alpine skiing, and track and field events.
- $6,000 to The Potter’s House, a residential recovery program of the Atlanta Union Mission, located on a 570-acre working farm in Jefferson; to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs such as adult literacy to men recovering from substance abuse.
- $5,000 to the Southern Ballet Theatre of Georgia in Lawrenceville to provide tickets to its production of Cinderella to 500 underprivileged Gwinnett County children who might otherwise never experience ballet.
- $5,000 to the Clarke County Mentor Program, a broad-based, grassroots effort to provide individual support for public school students in 1st through 12th grades, promoting academic and personal success; to recruit, train and support new mentors.
- $5,000 to the Cobb Health Care Center, a Madison County long-term and home care provider, to purchase pedal wheelchairs and tilt recliners not covered by Medicaid. Pedal wheelchairs allow patients without hand and arm function to move about, while tilt recliners allow patients confined to beds to safely move from bed to chair.
- $4,074 to Mercy Health Care Center, an Athens non-profit organization that provides volunteer-based medical, dental and pharmaceutical care to the area’s uninsured residents; to purchase a cavitron, a dental tool that uses high frequency sound waves to clean teeth, and supplies for the center’s Healthy Hygiene Dental Program.
- $2,899 to Pilot Club of Madison County to provide child safety seats, class materials and registration fees for a four-day local training program of the National Standardized Child Passenger Safety Seat Technician Certification Course that will be attended by the county’s law enforcement, EMS personnel and First Responders.
- $2,500 to the Hall County Foster Parent Association, a grassroots organization formed for the safety, health and welfare of the county’s foster children and parents; to help equip its new Poplar Springs service center that will provide tutoring, art classes, independent living skills and job search training, a clothes closet and foster parent training.
- $2,500 to the Madison County Mentor Program, a non-profit, community-based volunteer program which helps students improve academic performance, behaviors and attitudes; to recruit and train mentors, and help fund mentor/mentee activity boxes and events to unite mentors, parents and teachers.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to repair the roof on a senior citizen’s home.
- $3,500 to replace the HVAC unit in the home of a cancer patient.
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicapped accessible van for a man born with spina bifida.
- $2,280 for dental work for a divorced mother of five.
January 2010
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $82,162 in grants during their January meeting, including $72,522 to organizations and $9,640 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Winder-Barrow to help fund after school programs and activities for school-age youth, providing young people from disadvantaged circumstances with constructive activities as well as educational support, healthy habits and a positive self-image.
- $15,000 to the Fragile Kids Foundation to help fund the purchase and installation of electronic wheelchair van lifts for special needs children in the counties that Jackson EMC serves who need critical equipment not covered by insurance.
- $10,000 to the Athens Justice Project, non-profit organization that works to break the cycle of crime and poverty, to help fund a workforce rehabilitation project that will provide job training and employment enhancement, counseling and crime prevention services for those who have committed crimes.
- $10,000 to Rehabilitation Industries of Northeast Georgia (RING) in Gainesville for the League of Our Own Program, which provides independent living and pre-vocational training beyond school-based transition programs for individuals with mild to moderate disabilities.
- $10,022 to Piedmont CASA, a non-profit organization that uses community volunteers to provide a voice in Juvenile Court for the best interest of abused and neglected children in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to recruit and train community volunteers. Since 2004, the organization has served 285 children.
- $7,500 to the Athens Community Council on Aging for its Project Northeast Georgia Healthy Grandparents, a program that provides social, legal and health support to grandparents who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren. Grandparents and their grandchildren can participate in support groups, receive health evaluations and follow-ups, and obtain legal help with custody issues.
- $3,000 to Harmony House Child Advocacy Center, a non-profit organization serving Madison, Franklin and Oglethorpe counties that coordinates child abuse investigation and intervention services, to help fund a counselor/therapist and supplies for group, individual and special needs therapy sessions.
- $2,000 to the South Hall Community Food Pantry, , a community outreach effort by five Oakwood churches that help Hall County residents who have fallen on hard times, to purchase supplies for the emergency food program that provides at least three days worth of food for individuals and families.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to repair the foundation of a widow’s home.
- $3,500 to replace the furnace in a senior citizen’s manufactured home.
- $2,640 to replace the HVAC unit in the home of a senior citizen.
December 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $99,715 in grants during their December meeting, including $95,815 to organizations and $3,900 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Dream House for Medically Fragile Children in Snellville to help fund the Family for Keeps Transition Care Home, a facility manned by a clinical care team providing respite care for up to six medically fragile children while their own biological, foster and adoptive families take a temporary break from the often exhausting challenges faced by caregivers.
- $15,000 to Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministries for its Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides clients with emergency food supplies, buying them time to deal with the difficult and frequently temporary circumstances they are facing and helping them get back on their feet.
- $11,090 to Jackson Creative Community Resource Center in Commerce to convert a donated ambulance into a lift van that will be used to transport mobility-impaired clients to various community activities and jobs, helping integrate developmentally disabled adults into the community and providing them with life-skill training.
- $10,000 to Hebron Community Health Center in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization providing medical and dental care to low-income Gwinnett residents with no health insurance, to help support the Head to Toe program which provides clients with dental exams, dental care and dentures, as well as foot care and treatment.
- $10,000 to Interlocking Communities, a grassroots community service organization in Lawrenceville, to upgrade the educational software used to teach English as a second language classes that enables students to better able to communicate with their children’s teachers, sustain employment and become more productive citizens.
- $10,000 to Rainbow Village, a Duluth nonprofit that helps families in domestic or economic crisis rebuild their lives, to provide after-school tutoring for children of resident and graduate families. The program provides homework assistance, increases performance and prepares the children for CRCT exams in a safe, nurturing environment.
- $6,000 to the Veterans & Community Outreach, a Gainesville/Hall County community service group organized by local veterans, to purchase food for the group’s afterschool program that provides children from low-income families with academic, enrichment and recreational activities that improve school performance and discourage unhealthy behaviors.
- $5,725 to Multiple Choices Center for Independent Living, an Athens agency serving individuals with disabilities, to help fund a micro enterprise program that provides training, technical assistance and financial management to help disabled individuals who are chronically unemployed develop new businesses and become self-sufficient.
- $5,000 to the American Red Cross – Northeast Georgia Chapter to provide Family Emergency Disaster Relief to families in Hall and Lumpkin counties who lose their homes in a fire, including supplying temporary shelter, clothing and food vouchers, toiletries, medications, bedding and baby items.
- $5,000 to the Athens Area Habitat for Humanity to support the construction cost of a Habitat home built through the Women Build program. Habitat homes are constructed by volunteers with donated materials and funds; homeowners must contribute “sweat equity” hours to the home as well as assume an interest-free mortgage.
- $3,000 to Prevent Child Abuse Athens, a grassroots organization focused on ending neglect and abuse, to help fund the Healthy Families Program of regular home visits that teach parenting skills to at-risk parents of newborns and link families with a range of community support services.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,495 to purchase a CCTV computer screen for a visually impaired man.
- $405 to purchase dentures for a disabled woman.
November 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $82,945 in grants during their November meeting, including $78,255 to organizations and $4,690 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $10,000 to American Legion Post 215 in Homer to add space and make improvements to their community building, which serves all members of the community in an area with very limited meeting space.
- $10,000 to the Ark of Jackson County, a community outreach effort by area churches that provides assistance to individuals who have experienced a loss of income due to circumstances beyond their control, to provide funds for emergency housing and prescription medicine expenses.
- $10,000 to Barnabas Ministries, a Gwinnett County faith-based organization which works to reduce recidivism and help prisoners successfully return to their families and society, for rent on transitional housing and to purchase materials for employment and life skills training.
- $8,200 to Gateway House, a Gainesville organization providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, legal advocacy and support services to victims of domestic violence, to help fund the Domestic Violence Outreach and Education Program for elementary and middle school students.
- $7,500 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that provides breast cancer patients with items that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves and gloves.
- $7,500 to Good News Clinics, a non-profit organization that provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Gainesville and Hall County, to ensure clients of its Sam Poole Medical Clinic have necessary laboratory tests.
- $6,055 to Athens Urban Ministries, a grassroots organization dedicated to assisting those who need a hand up, to provide homeless clients with case management services that will help them to overcome barriers to health care, services and employment.
- $5,000 to Empowered Youth Programs, an Athens nonprofit that works to increase school attendance, reduce discipline referrals and improve exam and academic performance, to provide stipends for certified math and science teachers who tutor students during Saturday Academy and exam preparation.
- $5,000 to Guest House, a Gainesville nonprofit that helps seniors with functional impairments maintain some independence and social contact while providing caregivers with a respite, to help provide a hot, balanced and nutritious lunch and snack to these frail, elderly clients.
- $5,000 to Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, a Gwinnett non-profit organization that helps individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury to regain employment and living skills, to provide rehabilitation program fees for seven brain injured adults in the counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $4,000 to Diamond in the Rough, a Snellville faith-based youth development and leadership program for girls 10-18, to provide a mobile computer lab for the Clusters mentoring program.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,190 to help pay medical bills for a woman fighting cancer.
- $3,500 to hook up city water for the single mother of disabled child whose well has gone dry.
October 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $81,781 in grants during their October meeting, including $76,312 to organizations and $5,469 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $13,550 to Mended Hearts, Inc. in Commerce, a support group for individuals with heart disease, to assist with the purchase of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), portable electronic devices that diagnose and treat cardiac arrest by re-establishing an effective heart rhythm, to be placed in Commerce schools. American Red Cross statistics suggest that of the more than 200,000 annual sudden cardiac arrest deaths, about one-quarter could have been prevented if an AED had been available.
- $12,000 to the Barrow County Family Connection, a grassroots collaborative that works on issues affecting families and children, to help fund the organization’s Youth Connection program, which provides youth with information and tools to make healthy choices and avoid risky situations; and to help fund the Performance Learning Center, which offers a unique, non-traditional learning environment for high school students who are not successful in a traditional high school setting.
- $10,000 to Piedmont Regional Library System, which serves libraries in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to purchase juvenile non-fiction books for the libraries and Bookmobile. Eighty percent of the system’s juvenile non-fiction collection is more than 9 years old, and 23 percent predates 1970.
- $8,910 to Peace Place, a domestic violence shelter in Winder, to purchase furnaces for two renovated homes that serve as transitional housing for families leaving the shelter.
- $7,500 to Eagle Ranch, a Chestnut Mountain home for boys and girls in crisis, to help purchase tables and chairs for the facility’s new Community Lodge, a gathering place for movies, dinners and special events as well as meeting and dining space for community groups.
- $7,000 to The Ark: United Ministry Outreach Center in Athens to provide emergency rent assistance to lower income residents who have had their work hours cut back and for the Noah Fund that provides grants to senior citizens.
- $5,000 to the Lumpkin County Family Connection to help fund Family Advocates who provide services and case management through local schools to families who are living in poverty, at risk of abusing or neglecting their children or experiencing other crisis situations that affect their children.
- $5,000 to Camp Kudzu, a year-round camping program for children with diabetes and their families to teach diabetes management skills that will reduce their risk of diabetes-related complications, as well improve their attitude about living with the disease.
- $3,000 to IDEALS Leadership, a Lawrenceville program that helps high school athletes develop into positive role models and influential leaders in their schools and on their teams.
- $2,852 to Sandy Creek Nature Center in Athens to fund hot water solar panels for the center’s Environment, Natural Science and Technology (ENSAT) Center educational facility, which is planned as a LEED certified building that will house Agriculture, Woodland and Urban interactive learning centers.
- $1,500 to Spirit of Joy Food Bank in Flowery Branch to purchase food supplies for its ministry, which in 2008 served more than 2,900 people, many referred by DFACS, Gainesville Ministry Cooperative, churches and other non-profit organizations.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,418 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a child with severe anoxic brain injury.
- $3,051 to purchase heating/air conditioning units for the manufactured home of a senior citizen suffering from cancer.
September 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $88,648 in grants during their September meeting, including $86,200 to organizations and $2,448 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Northeast Georgia Medical Center to fund the First Steps Gainesville Program. Formerly offered through Prevent Child Abuse of Gainesville, the program provides families of newborns with supplies, emotional support, educational materials and contacts to community resources in their county.
- $15,000 to Hi-Hope Service Center in Lawrenceville to help fund part-time nursing services for developmentally disabled residents in six Gwinnett County group homes, providing an increasing number of residents who require onsite nursing services such as daily medication and blood checks with that care.
- $15,000 to YMCA Piedmont in Winder to enable 28 underprivileged children to attend the PrYme Tyme after school program. The program provides activities for children from kindergarten to 8th grade, including homework, sports, games, arts, crafts, songs, skits, daily devotions, and more in a safe environment while their parents are at work.
- $10,000 to Creative Community Services to purchase educational supplies, individual tutoring and life skills resources for the STEP Program, which helps prepare youths to transition out of the state foster care system and into independent adulthood, preventing them from ending up in mental institutions, homeless shelters or jails as adults.
- $7,500 to the Athens Regional Foundation to help provide digital Mobile Mammography Unit services to rural areas without mammography facilities, serving women with less access to medical services, the working poor and the medically indigent.
- $5,200 to Medlink Georgia to help purchase carts, supply boxes, bins, brackets and cabinets that will be used to set up emergency “crash carts” in the non-profit primary care provider’s area facilities so emergency services can be offered to those who lack access to quality medical care because of finances, transportation or few physicians in the community.
- $5,000 to Georgia Children’s Chorus, an organization that provides vocal and choral training to young people who wish to pursue that field, to help students from low-income families participate in the training program and concerts.
- $5,000 to Music Time Learning Center for “Raising Musical Children” music education classes provided to Gwinnett County schools and daycare centers serving low-income families or children with developmental disabilities, helping improve learning skills, attitudes and readiness to learn.
- $5,000 to Lilburn Cooperative Ministry to assist needy families with $250 assistance annually for rent or mortgage payments, helping them avoid foreclosure or eviction. The ministry’s 40 partner churches minister to the material and spiritual needs of those in crisis, including providing a food pantry and thrift store, as well as English as a second language classes and a single parent support group.
- $2,500 to Twelve Baskets Food Ministry of Buford to purchase bulk food for its food pantry.
- $1,000 to Duds & Spuds Food & Clothing Ministry in Braselton to purchase bulk food for its food pantry.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,503 to make handicap accessible bathroom modifications in the home of a disabled man.
- $945 to purchase dentures for a disabled senior citizen.
August 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $70,067 in grants during their August meeting, including $58,050 to organizations and $12,017 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center to fund a follow-up forensic-medical care program that provides assessment, examination, laboratory tests and antibiotics to protect the physical well-being and recovery of sexual assault victims, as well as provide an opportunity to monitor further physical, emotional and psychological needs of sexual assault victims and their families.
- $15,000 to Teen Pregnancy Prevention in Gainesville to help fund “Smart Girls,” a program offered in Hall County middle and high schools that offers guidance and support through weekly sessions to provide girls with the knowledge, skills, self-esteem and self-confidence they need to make healthy decisions about sexual activity and dating relationships.
- $13,050 to Piedmont Rape Crisis Center in Winder, to fund a 24-hour crisis hotline that will provide adult sexual assault victims and concerned community members with access to comprehensive services that include crisis counseling, sexual assault exam accompaniment, personal advocacy, victim compensation information and assistance, criminal justice support and legal advocacy.
- $10,000 to Our Neighbor, a grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges, for the Resident Assistance Program that provides cost of living support for the residents of Randy’s House, an innovative, affordable and wheelchair accessible home that offers an opportunity for independent living.
- $5,000 to the Northeast Atlanta Ballet Ensemble, in Lilburn, for its outreach program that provides school groups and home-schooled children with the opportunity, perhaps for the first time, to experience a full-scale classical ballet performance. Funds will be used to help cover the costs of four school-length performances of two ballets at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to make handicap modifications to the home of a man disabled in an automobile accident.
- $3,250 to replace a septic tank for a breast cancer patient.
- $2,959 to repair or replace handicap equipment in the home of a man disabled in a motorcycle accident.
- $2,307 to purchase hand controls for the vehicle of a disabled man.
July 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $119,317 in grants during their July meeting, including $112,317 to organizations and $7,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Banks County Literacy Council to promote literacy in the county by enrolling 300 children in the Imagination Library, a non-profit program that promotes literacy by providing children with a book a month until age five, and holding four Family Literacy Nights with activities to make literacy a fun, family experience.
- $15,000 to Meet the Need Ministry, a Gwinnett County non-profit organization that clothes, houses, feeds and transports men who find themselves homeless, hungry, addicted to drugs or alcohol, or just need a helping hand, to help cover rental expenses for six homes located in Gwinnett and Barrow counties that house the men as they work toward recovery and self-sufficiency.
- $13,577 to Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett in Lawrenceville, to help provide medical personnel and supplies for the Children’s Health Program, which medical, optometry, dental and counseling services to children of the county’s working poor who do not qualify for government assistance and are unable to afford health insurance.
- $10,000 to Friends of the Gwinnett County Senior Services, a non-profit organization that works with the county’s agency on aging, to help provide home-delivered meals to senior citizens as well as meals served at Senior Centers, and to offer seniors emergency financial assistance for home repairs they cannot afford to make.
- $5,000 to Center Point Mentor Program, a Gainesville non-profit which mentors at-risk young people in Gainesville City and Hall County schools, to expand the number of students served by offering a group mentoring program, and to tailor group intervention to meet the needs of children served by CASA. Encouragement, advice and academic help provided by the program enable students to complete their high school education and go on to succeed in life.
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army of Athens to assist with family emergency assistance for rent, clothing vouchers and medical prescriptions, as well as breakfast, sack lunch and supper for transitional housing program participants and those served by the soup kitchen for breakfast and supper.
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army of Gainesville to assist with family emergency assistance for rent, clothing vouchers and medical prescriptions, as well as breakfast, sack lunch and supper for transitional housing program participants and those served by the soup kitchen for breakfast and supper.
- $10,000 to the Salvation Army of Lawrenceville for the Family Emergency Services program, which provides families with financial assistance to pay rent, purchase clothing or buy prescription medicine, and for the on-site food pantry.
- $8,740 to Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic to help increase the number of recorded textbooks provided in Jackson EMC’s service area to the visually impaired, dyslexic or those with other physical disabilities who cannot read standard print. Funds will help expand the organization’s outreach efforts, volunteer base and textbook production.
- $7,500 to L.A.M.P. Ministries, in Gainesville, to help provide high risk youths with a positive alternative to gangs and other delinquent behavior through its Community Youth Outreach program, offered in 3-month sessions that combine group counseling and community activities.
- $7,500 to Junior Achievement of Georgia – Gainesville District to help cover program costs, such as workbooks and activities. Junior Achievement teaches school students the fundamentals of the private enterprise economic system and provides them with practical hands-0n experience in the economics of life, including finances, career opportunities and good consumer habits.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to pay past due dental bills for the victim of a drunk driver.
- $3,500 to replace the HVAC system in the home of a single mother and children who suffer from asthma.
June 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $104,893 in grants during their June meeting, including $97,710 to organizations and $7,183 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Four Corners Primary Care Centers in Lawrenceville, which provides basic primary care to an underserved, uninsured population of Gwinnett County that previously funneled through local emergency rooms, to help keep the clinic open 40 hours per week during period marked by greater use of the facility and a critical gap in revenues.
- $15,000 to the Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program designed to help at-risk middle and high school students prepare for college and careers. Held at Gainesville State College, the summer program concentrates on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $15,000 to Step by Step Recovery, a community-based grassroots addiction recovery organization in Lawrenceville, to serve 50 new clients through the residential program, which provides a safe and structured environment for both men and women over 6 months to 2 years as they complete a 12 step program to deal with drug and alcohol addiction.
- $14,710 to the Winder-Barrow Coalition for Adult & Continuing Education’s Statham Adult Education Program that will enable area residents to improve the quality of their lives by earning their GED; used to fund an instructor, curriculum books and tests to provide adult literacy classes in cooperation with Lanier Technical College.
- $10,000 to the Healing Place of Athens to help provide homeless men with shelter, food, clothing and personal items, along with transportation to medical and mental health appointments and job searches, in order to support and encourage them in their pursuit of an independent and productive life of sobriety.
- $10,000 to Norcross Cooperative Ministry’s Emergency Assistance Program, providing emergency rent funds to families who are experiencing temporary or long-term hardship, many of whom are referred by local churches, schools and agencies. The ministry provided rent assistance to 545 families in 2008, a significant increase from the 398 families served in 2007.
- $7,500 to the YMCA of Athens for its Summer Day Camp project, which serves more than 425 young people by offering supervised sports and other activities, as well as teaching values and responsibility, that help kids feel good about their selves, enjoy life and avoid the dangers of drugs or gangs.
- $5,500 to the CASA Hall/Dawson Program, Inc., which trains and supervises community volunteer advocates for abused and neglected children in Juvenile Court proceedings in Hall and Dawson counties, to furnish a visitation room for the children served, purchase a computer for education of CASA children, and purchase 50 volunteer training manuals.
- $5,000 to the Girls Summer Leadership Project in Gainesville, an intensive six-week course for girls ages 13-17 that establishes mentoring relationships between the girls and women in the minority community, develops leadership and collaboration skills, and promotes the development of new leaders in the community.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,400 for a neuro-prosthetic to help a woman who has suffered several strokes walk more normally.
- $3,200 to replace the HVAC system in a disabled woman’s manufactured home.
- $584 to help a mother of three who is going to school catch up payments on her van after her husband was laid off.
May 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $105,975 in grants during their May meeting, including $99,740 to organizations and $6,235 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia in Cornelia to provide about 40 Banks County underprivileged 3rd through 6th grade students, referred by Family Connection and DFACS, with a five-day camping experience that provides positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills and build personal relationships.
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Barrow County to purchase plumbing, electrical wiring, HVAC equipment and concrete work for the affiliate’s 11th Habitat house, which is being constructed for a single mother with two young sons. Habitat homes are constructed by volunteers with donated materials and funds, and homeowners must contribute “sweat equity” hours to the home as well as assume an interest-free mortgage.
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Jackson County to purchase kitchen cabinets, plumbing, electrical wiring and HVAC equipment for the affiliate’s 8th Habitat house, which is being constructed for a single mother with a young son. Habitat homes are constructed by volunteers with donated materials and funds, and homeowners must contribute “sweat equity” hours to the home as well as assume an interest-free mortgage.
- $14,940 to I Am, Inc. in Buford to purchase supplies for Gaining Insight & Real Life Skills (GIRLS) leadership development program for girls age 10-18, aimed at reducing the instance of high-risk behaviors, increasing self-esteem and focusing on life skills that promote success, such as self-assessment, managing money, etiquette, goal-setting, public speaking and choosing a career.
- $12,000 to the Gwinnett Student Leadership Team to help support its student leadership program, serving high school juniors and seniors in 20 public schools. The two-year program provides students with practical leadership skills and trains them to return to their home high school to facilitate the core leadership principles with groups there, increasing the capacity to develop student leaders.
- $10,000 to Hoop 4 Life, Inc., a Winder non-profit organization that helps young people embrace excellence in life skills, academic knowledge and physical fitness, for its mentoring programs – B.O.U.N.C.E. for boys ages 12-18 and M.V.P. for girls ages 5-18 – that provide the resources and skills needed to master difficulties as they transition into adulthood, ensuring good self-esteem and positive self-image.
- $7,500 to Samaritan Stand Corporation, a non-profit organization in Chestnut Mountain that works to provide opportunities for children of disadvantaged homes to grow and mature in a safe environment, to help support its summer “Sandlot Sports Camp” program for children ages 6-16 offering activities such as baseball, basketball, hiking, soccer and swimming.
- $7,500 to the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta’s Lawrenceville and Norcross clubs for supplies and incentives used in “Power Hour,” a comprehensive homework help and tutoring program attended by club members ages 6-18.
- $3,300 to the Nuci Phillips Memorial Foundation in Athens, a non-profit organization which works to prevent suicide and promote community wellbeing, to enable young people from low income families participate in Camp Amped, a summer music day camp for Northeast Georgia youth ages 11-18 that focuses on positive mental health and music education
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,315 to repair the leaking roof on the home of a senior citizen.
- $2,920 to repair the leaking roof on the home of a senior citizen.
April 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $83,900 in grants during their April meeting, including $70,700 to organizations and $13,200 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the American Heart Association – Northeast Georgia Chapter in Athens, to purchase and distribute in Hall and Jackson counties Start! Walking Kits to employers that encourage employee walking programs, and CPR Anytime for Family and Friends kits to community organizations that contain everything needed to learn basic CPR skills.
- $15,000 to the Foster Children’s Foundation in Duluth for its Tomorrow Matters Mentoring Program, which teaches young people ages 14-21 in the foster care program crucial independent living skills, such as money management, positive choices and employment preparation to prepare them to become successful adults.
- $15,000 to the Muscular Dystrophy Association to allow nineteen children and young adults with neuromuscular diseases from the counties served by Jackson EMC attend Camp Walk N’ Roll in Rutledge, where campers have no boundaries for their physical disabilities and can build confidence and independence, while their caregivers have a break from the demands of constant care.
- $10,000 to Tiny Stitches, Inc. in Suwanee, which uses a network of more than 200 volunteers to make handmade tote bags filled with a 35-item layette that are donated through social workers and nurses at hospitals, health departments and other facilities in a nine county area to mothers who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $9,200 to United Way of Northeast Georgia’s Success by 6 Program to help print “Critical Years, Critical Needs” booklets in English and Spanish, a resource guide on early childhood developmental needs and good child care practices that is distributed to new parents through a partnership with St. Mary’s Hospital, Athens Regional Medical Center and Barrow County Medical Center.
- $4,500 to Reins of Life, a Franklin County non-profit, for its Heads Up Hippotherapy Program, a physical therapy treatment that uses the horse’s movement as part of an integrated program to improve neuromuscular function in children, young people and adults with autism, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and other conditions..
- $2,000 to Friends of the Pendergrass Library for the acquisition of additional children’s and young adults’ reading materials that will stimulate young readers’ desire to learn and succeed.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a wheelchair lift for a woman paralyzed by a car accident.
- $2,700 to repair the roof on the home of a senior citizen.
- $3,500 to dig a new well for a disabled couple who have no water.
- $3,200 to repair the septic tank of a disabled couple.
March 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $106,230 in grants during their March meeting, including $99,630 to organizations and $6,600 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Louise Radloff Middle School in Duluth to help fund the Computers for Youth "Take It Home" program which provides disadvantaged sixth graders with free refurbished computers pre-loaded with a suite of educational and word processing software to improve home learning, involve parents and help students stay engaged in school.
- $15,000 to Community Helping Place in Dahlonega for its Client Assistance Program that provides food, baby supplies, a summer food program for children, emergency assistance for rent and prescriptions, and a free medical clinic for the working poor who do not have health insurance and cannot afford medical care.
- $15,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Jackson County for its Power Hour comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, which provides members with the support, resources and guidance necessary to complete their homework, and to purchase Kidstrax membership tracking software that will enable the club to track and report membership information.
- $15,000 to Project Safe, an Athens agency that serves families experiencing domestic violence in Clarke, Madison, Oglethorpe and Oconee counties, to help provide residents of the 16-bed emergency shelter with transportation, food and supplies, prescriptions, and assist them in moving out of households where domestic violence is occurring.
- $13,288 to Family Promise of Gwinnett County to help purchase a 15-passenger van that will transport homeless families from their host congregations in the Norcross area to the day center for daily activities, such as child care and seeking employment or housing.
- $11,342 to Creative Enterprises, a Lawrenceville agency serving the disabled, to purchase a utility vehicle that will help clients in the agency's horticulture program tend a retail greenhouse where bedding plants, perennials, shrubs and ornamental trees are sold, as well as summer and fall vegetable gardens that grow produce sold at the Lawrenceville Farmer's Market.
- $10,000 to NOA's Ark (No One Alone), a Dahlonega emergency shelter and comprehensive support program for battered women and children, to help fund a Trauma Counseling Service that will reduce the risk of post-traumatic stress, depression and other psychological problems experienced by both adult and child domestic violence victims so that families can heal together.
- $5,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Society - St. Luke's Conference in Dahlonega to help fund the Direct Aid program that offers financial assistance to those in need for medical or dental care, prescription medicine, counseling, rent or housing, food, legal fees, transportation, burials and education.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,100 to help purchase a specialized bath and toilet chair for a disabled woman and help move her into a handicapped-accessible apartment.
- $3,500 for assistance with a down-payment on a vehicle to help a single mother get to and from work.
February 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $53,777 in grants during their February meeting, including $46,000 to organizations and $7,777 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Annandale Village, a nonprofit community in Suwanee serving adults with developmental disabilities or traumatic brain injury, to replace heavy duty washers and dryers in residences. Villagers are taught life skills, including the proper way to wash, dry and put away their clothing and linens, so that they can be independent, self-confident and properly groomed.
- $10,000 to the Athens Vision Clinic, a service of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, to help provide low-income area residents with surgical procedures that can restore sight. Surgeries, including treatment to correct diabetic retinopathy, cataracts and detached retinas, are performed in donated space, using Lighthouse medical equipment, volunteer doctors, staff, volunteers and funding for prescriptions.
- $6,000 to the American Cancer Society for its Road to Recovery program which provides transportation to and from cancer-related medical treatments for cancer patients in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties, to reimburse the mileage of volunteer drivers.
- $5,500 to the Boy Scouts of America Northeast Georgia Council to provide uniforms, handbooks and summer camp fees that will help underprivileged youth participate in scouting, teaching them to make ethical choices and promoting citizenship, leadership, mental and physical fitness.
- $4,000 to the ProMusica Concert Series, a Gainesville nonprofit that provides North Georgia youth the opportunity to experience world-class music and artistry in a variety of settings and formats, to fund Young People's Concerts at local schools and the Community Outreach Partnership, which creates opportunities for at-risk youth to be educated and entertained by top-notch regional musicians.
- $3,000 to the Northeast Georgia Youth Science and Technology Center, a nonprofit educational organization headquartered at Kennesaw State University that works to increase interest and enthusiasm in science, math and the technologies among underserved students, to offer Family Math and Science Nights at Banks County schools. These events provide hands-on, inquiry-based activities that help students and their families become more excited and informed about learning math and science.
- $2,500 to the Jefferson First Baptist Food Pantry to help purchase food the pantry provides on a monthly basis to Jackson County families who have experienced hardship situations, such as the loss of a job, illness, reduction in work hours or layoff. The pantry is serving a rapidly increasing number of families, from 93 in March 2008 to 432 in November 2009.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,500 to help purchase a used car for a disabled woman who must have reliable transportation for kidney dialysis.
- $3,500 to help purchase a van wheelchair ramp for the family of a child with cerebral palsy.
- $1,777 to replace a hot water heater for a disabled senior citizen.
January 2009
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $68,486 in grants during their January meeting, including $59,602 to organizations and $8,884 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Hall County to purchase crawlspace, framing and drywall materials for two houses that will be built under the Habitat High Program, a cooperative effort with the Hall County School System that provides students interested in a construction/homebuilding career with four hours per school day of practical experience and builds affordable homes for area residents who are living in substandard conditions.
- $15,000 to the Hall County Health Department to provide comprehensive, affordable prenatal care for low-income, uninsured women in Hall and Lumpkin counties to decrease the number of low birth weight babies and help ensure the health of babies and mothers. The department provided prenatal care to more than 1,000 low income women in 2007.
- $10,000 to the Gainesville/Hall County Alliance for Literacy to purchase materials and provide instructors for basic literacy classes for adults 16 and older and GED preparation classes for students who have not completed high school. The Alliance estimates that more than 29 percent of Hall County residents are not high school graduates, and generally earn $7,000 less per year than residents who have a high school diploma.
- $8,473 to Madison County Special Olympics to purchase equipment and pay fees so that disabled athletes may participate in local and Georgia Summer and Winter Games. The Special Olympics provides opportunities for disabled persons to participate in activities that allow them to become accepted, respected and productive citizens, while exposing the typical population to those who face such challenges so they can find common ground and form friendships.
- $6,129 to the Piedmont CASA Program, a non-profit organization that uses community volunteers to provide a voice in Juvenile Court for the best interest of abused and neglected children in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties, to recruit and train community volunteers. Since 2001, the organization has served nearly 300 children.
- $5,000 to Bridge The Gap Ministries, a Snellville non-profit organization that provides a bridge for incarcerated individuals and those who are addicted to drugs and alcohol that will connect them with support services, to provide assistance with temporary housing, bus transportation, life skills study courses and practical publications.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,424 to purchase a wheelchair lift and help with medical bills for a disabled senior couple.
- $3,200 to install a new furnace to heat the home of a disabled woman.
- $1,429 to purchase a lift chair for a disabled senior citizen.
- $830 to pay medical bills for the birth of a child for the family of a student working his way through school.
December 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $83,931 in grants during their December meeting, including $80,431 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to NSPIRE Atlanta, an outreach effort of St. David's Community Church in Suwanee that provides skills and tools to local homeless men, women and children that will help them leave the streets and become independent; to provide continuing education through GED courses, online courses, career training or attending a local college or technical school.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Children's Shelter in Lawrenceville, to help support its PACTS program of weekly parenting classes that seeks to decrease family violence by helping parents develop and improve their parenting skills and helping teens better understand parenting issues and family dynamics.
- $15,000 to the Georgia Mountain YMCA in Gainesville to permit 40 underprivileged children to attend its Afterschool Program, which gives children from kindergarten to 8th grade a home-away-from-home environment with activities that include homework assistance, enrichment activities, relationship building, sports and games, and arts and crafts.
- $15,000 to Jackson County Family Connection to fund the coordinator's position for the Lindsey's Legacy mentoring program, which recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students kindergarten through 12th grade in all three county school systems, helping to ensure those young people become healthy, educated, employable and connected through participation in family and community life.
- $9,000 to Women to the World, Inc., in Athens for its Partnering Ambassadors for Life and Service program that offers impoverished adult women a unique, individualized program to obtain their GED and mentors capable of teaching skills for self-sustaining employment; to purchase new computers and software for GED and keyboarding training classes.
- $6,000 to The Potter's House, a residential recovery program of the Atlanta Union Mission, located on a 570-acre working farm in Jefferson; to help feed, house, counsel and provide educational programs such as adult literacy to men recovering from substance abuse.
- $5,431 to the Gwinnett Community Clinic, a Snellville volunteer-based not-for-profit clinic that serves the working poor of the area, to update the clinic's telephone system, greatly reducing the time required to handle messages left on the answering system and eliminating unnecessary appointments by providing quicker access for questions that can be handled by a nurse practitioner.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help a family build a handicapped accessible addition on their manufactured home for their disabled daughter.
November 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $101,100 in grants during their November meeting, including $94,400 to organizations and $6,700 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Challenged Child & Friends, a Gainesville non-profit organization providing educational, therapeutic, nursing and family support services to children with disabilities, to support the Early Intervention Program that provides special needs children with classroom instruction, individualized therapy and nursing services.
- $15,000 to A Step to Independence in Dacula, a non-profit organization serving children with motor and/or movement disabilities, to help provide Conductive Education that incorporates repetition, cognitive discipline, social learning and fun to train children how to crawl, kneel, sit, stand, transition from one position to another and even walk without assistance.
- $15,000 to the Ark of Jackson County, a community outreach effort by area churches that provides assistance to individuals who have experienced a loss of income due to circumstances beyond their control, to provide funds for emergency housing and prescription medicine expenses.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Coalition for Health & Human Services, a collaborative of providers that seeks to increase Gwinnett residents’ independence and access to support services, to upgrade the network server for the Gwinnett Helpline referral resource, publish informational materials and to support the Gwinnett Neighborhood Leadership Institute.
- $15,000 to Health Access Initiative, a non-profit agency that provides medical care to uninsured, indigent Hall County adults through a network of 171 volunteer physicians, to help fund a position that processes referrals, conducts screening interviews and enrolls clients, as well as coordinates physician appointments, arranges diagnostic tests and follows up with clients.
- $8,400 to Mercy Health Center an Athens non-profit organization that provides volunteer-based medical, dental and pharmaceutical care to the area’s uninsured residents, to develop a Volunteer Command Center and training program that will provide up-to-date, concise training for the center’s more than 350 volunteers.
- $6,000 to the Georgia CHIP (Child Identification Program), a free service provided through the Georgia Masonic Charities that provides parents with a comprehensive child identification package, to purchase additional computers that would allow Georgia CHIP to respond to growing demand for the program.
- $5,000 to March of Dimes North Georgia Division to purchase and stock a bedside reading cart in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville that will enable parents to read to their premature babies, as well as other children in the family, and promote crucial bonding.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a disabled senior citizen’s vehicle.
- $3,200 to replace the HVAC unit of a single mother who returned to school in order to get the education that would help her support her three children.
October 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $72,264 in grants during their October meeting, including $62,000 to organizations and $10,264 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Fragile Kids Foundation to support the "Single Mother and Grandmother" project, which provides rehabilitation equipment, respite services and critical supplies to women, who are the sole caregivers of medically fragile children in nearly half of all cases, in the counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $15,000 to Parkwood Farms Therapy Center in Snellville, a nonprofit organization that provides hippo-therapy for special needs children, to allow 320 visits by children who participate in therapy through horsemanship, farm and yard maintenance and related chores.
- $15,000 to the Children's Center for Hope & Healing in Gainesville, formerly the Family Relations Program, to provide 30 children who have been sexually abused with therapy to reduce trauma symptoms such as nightmares, bed wetting, anxiousness, depression, anger, fatigue and self-hatred.
- $10,000 to the Hebron Community Health Center in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization providing medical and dental care to low-income Gwinnett residents with no health insurance, to help cover the costs of patient tests previously provided at no cost by other medical facilities.
- $5,000 to the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens, a subsidiary of the Family Promise organization that assists homeless families in need, to provide homeless families served by the network's 14 area congregations with childcare so parents can work or seek work and to cover emergency dental, medical and prescription medicine expenses.
- $2,000 to the South Hall Community Food Pantry, a community outreach effort by three Oakwood churches that help Hall County residents who have fallen on hard times, to purchase supplies for the emergency food program that provides at least three days worth of food for individuals and families.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to repair a disabled senior citizen's leaky roof.
- $3,375 to repair a senior citizen's leaky roof.
- $3,039 to purchase a wheelchair lift for the vehicle of a senior citizen with a disabled daughter.
- $350 to install a donated wheelchair lift in the vehicle of a disabled woman.
September 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $92,501 in grants during their September meeting, including $82,275 to organizations and $10,226 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Hope Clinic in Lawrenceville, a primary care internal medicine clinic founded to provide the uninsured working poor with affordable care, to assist in the cost of treating chronically ill patients who cannot work due to their illness and who cannot afford treatment for their complex conditions.
- $15,000 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Gainesville's St. Michael Catholic Church, a nonprofit volunteer organization that provides support to those in need regardless of background or faith, to assist individuals and families with rent, medical needs, emergency shelter, transportation, food, clothing and other emergency assistance required.
- $15,000 to Signs & Wonders, Inc. in Lawrenceville, a nonprofit organization that offers assistance to the homeless and needy on a non-discriminating basis, to help operate the Quinn House group homes for the homeless which provide shelter to men with alcohol and substance abuse problems and women with children under 10 years of age who need a hand-up while they become employed and financially stable.
- $15,000 to Rainbow Village in Norcross, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing for homeless families in domestic or economic crisis, and enables them to rebuild their lives and become self-sufficient. Funds will be used to hire a part-time case manager who will work with the growing number of families served by the expanding facility.
- $15,000 to YMCA Piedmont in Winder to enable 20 underprivileged children to attend the Pryme Tyme after school program. The program provides activities for children from kindergarten to 8th grade, including homework, sports, games, arts, crafts, songs, skits, daily devotions, and more in a safe environment while their parents are at work.
- $7,275 to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens for its Garden Earth Naturalist environmental education program that provides children Pre-K through grade 12 with a living classroom on the environment and science as it relates to their lives, and the Forest Fest and Insectival bi-annual family festivals.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to a disabled man to help purchase a wheelchair accessible van.
- $2,695 to make repairs to the manufactured home of a disabled woman.
- $3,230 to help bring current the mortgage of the mother of five children who is suffering from a brain tumor.
August 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $58,362 in grants during their August meeting, including $48,750 to organizations and $9,612 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $10,000 to the Lilburn Cooperative Ministry to assist needy families with $250 assistance annually for rent or mortgage payments, helping them avoid foreclosure or eviction. The ministry's 40 partner churches minister to the material and spiritual needs of those in crisis, including providing a food pantry and thrift store, as well as English as a second language classes and a single parent support group.
- $10,000 to Lumpkin County Family Connection to fund four Family Advocates who provide services and case management through local schools to families who are living in poverty, at risk of abusing or neglecting their children or experiencing other crisis situations that affect their children. Family Advocates provide food and clothing, help families develop plans to help their children succeed in school and link these families with other agencies that can provide assistance.
- $10,000 to The Tree House, a children's advocacy center providing services in Barrow, Jackson and Banks counties, to help continue and expand the Stop It Now program that creates awareness of healthy sexual development in children and behavioral warning signs of potential perpetrators, and the Someone To Talk To program that uses a puppet show to teach 2nd graders about child abuse in an age appropriate manner and makes children award of personal safety issues and who they should talk with.
- $5,200 to the Franklin Adoptive and Foster Parent Association, a non-profit, grassroots group that provides support to adoptive and foster parents and children, to purchase a portable building that will be used as a food bank to ensure these children receive adequate nutrition.
- $5,000 to Friends of the Braselton-West Jackson Library to purchase large print books for senior citizens and DVDs for children and adults as part of the group's mission to enrich the lives of area citizens and increase literacy.
- $3,000 to the Sexual Assault Center of Northeast Georgia in Athens, to help provide victims of sexual assault and sexual abuse with counseling and trauma-focused therapy that will help them begin their healing process.
- $3,000 to the Clarke County Mentor Program to assist with the broad-based, grassroots effort to provide individual support for public school students in 1st through 12th grades, promoting academic and personal success. Founded as a partnership between the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and the Clarke County School District, the program has grown from 30 original mentors to more than 900.
- $2,550 to the Gainesville Care Center to purchase printed materials for the "Hang On To Your Hormones" class that is presented to Hall County middle and high school students. The class discusses sexual abstinence and sexually transmitted diseases, and encourages student to make wise choices.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to make handicapped-accessible modifications to the bathroom of a man who was paralyzed by a spinal cord injury, and to purchase food and/or gas during his transition from The Shepherd Center to home.
- $1,408 to purchase a new central air conditioning unit for a disabled woman.
- $3,204 to purchase hand controls for the wheelchair-accessible van of a young woman who is physically disabled due to a childhood injury.
July 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $88,545 in grants during their July meeting, including $84,070 to organizations and $4,475 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Good Samaritan Ministries in Buford to help fund the residential inmate recovery program. The program provides inmates three months of self-study, classes and work therapy, followed by nine months of employment either inside or outside the ministry, to help them become productive members of society by working on drug and alcohol issues, and building discipline and self-esteem.
- $15,000 to Teen Pregnancy Prevention in Gainesville to help fund "Smart Girls," a program offered in Hall County middle and high schools that provides girls with the knowledge, skills, self-esteem and self-confidence to make healthy decisions about sexual activity and dating relationships.
- $13,830 to Citizens for a Better Auburn, a non-profit, grassroots organization formed to better the lives of present and future residents, to fund adult literacy classes in cooperation with Lanier Technical College that will enable area residents to improve the quality of their lives by earning their GED.
- $10,000 to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens for the Mobile Pantry Program. Through monthly mobile pantries, the Food Bank moves large quantities of food to partner agencies in nine local counties, distributing it before its expiration date, eliminating the need for the agencies to store the food and allowing the Food Bank to distribute thousands of pounds of food to those in need at a fraction of the cost.
- $8,200 to Gateway House, a Gainesville organization providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, legal advocacy and support services to victims of domestic violence, to help fund the Domestic Violence Outreach and Education Program for elementary and middle school students.
- $7,500 to Junior Achievement of Georgia - Gainesville District to recruit, train and place business and community volunteers in local schools. The Junior Achievement program teaches students the fundamentals of the private enterprise economic system and provides them with the practical and realistic hands-on experience in the economics of life, including finances, career opportunities and good consumer habits.
- $5,040 to the Side By Side Brain Injury Clubhouse, a Gwinnett non-profit organization that helps individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury to regain employment and living skills, to provide rehabilitation program fees for seven brain injured adults in the counties served by Jackson EMC.
- $5,000 to the Young Women's Christian Organization of Athens to help with expenses for buses leased from the Clarke County School System to provide transportation for its Girls Club, which provides a structured recreational and educational summer program for young girls ages 5-14 from low to moderate income families.
- $2,500 to the Parachute Packers Mentor Program, a group of Flowery Branch High School sophomore students who mentor at-risk Davis Middle School eighth graders, for meetings and teambuilding activities. The mentoring program better prepares the middle school students for the transition to high school and gives them the necessary tools for success.
- $2,000 to North Gwinnett Cooperative Ministries, a non-profit that provides food, clothing, medication and utility assistance to Buford families in need, to purchase four new upright freezers.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help a disabled man purchase a wheelchair accessible van.
- $975 to help a disabled woman have a wheelchair lift installed in her van.
June 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $102,500 in grants during their June meeting, including $99,000 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Come Alive Ministries of Barrow County, a non-profit community outreach funded by donations from businesses, churches and individuals, to expand and update Pregnancy Care Center programs, and provide supplies such as diapers, wipes, cribs and car seats to women facing unplanned pregnancies.
- $15,000 to the Summer Scholars Institute, a three-year academic enrichment program designed to help at-risk middle and high school students prepare for college and careers. The summer program, held at Gainesville State College, concentrates on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $15,000 to the Madison County Rotary to purchase books and dictionaries for the organization's Literacy Program, a four-phase effort beginning at the pre-Kindergarten level designed to improve the reading efficiency of elementary and intermediate school children in the county.
- $15,000 to Meet the Need Ministry, a Gwinnett County non-profit organization that clothes, houses, feeds and transports men who find themselves homeless, hungry, addicted to drugs or alcohol, or just need a helping hand, to help cover rental expenses for five homes that house the men as they work toward recovery and self-sufficiency.
- $8,000 to the Barrow County Transition Council, a coalition of educators, businesspeople and parents that assists special education students leaving high school for the workforce, for "Employment Now" grants that would purchase work clothes, such as uniforms, workpants and steel-toed shoes, and tools for students.
- $7,500 to the YMCA of Athens to provide 22 underprivileged children access to the After School Program, providing opportunities for them to participate in activities such as football, soccer, basketball, roller hockey, cheerleading, modern dance, swimming, creative writing and art.
- $6,000 to the American Red Cross - East Georgia Chapter to provide Family Emergency Disaster Relief to eight families in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Jackson, Madison and Oglethorpe counties who lose their homes in a fire, including supplying temporary shelter, clothing and food vouchers, toiletries, medications, bedding and baby items.
- $5,000 to Center Point Mentor Program in Gainesville to recruit, train and place caring mentors with at-risk young people in Gainesville City and Hall County schools. Mentors provide one-on-one support to offer encouragement, advice and academic help to complete their high school education and go on to succeed in life.
- $5,000 to Newtown Community Land Trust, a Gainesville non-profit organization which acquires and develops real estate in the community to make housing available to low-to-moderate income residents who cannot afford it on their own, to help subsidize the construction of two new houses.
- $5,000 to the Northeast Atlanta Ballet Ensemble in Lilburn, for its outreach program that provides school groups and home-schooled children with the opportunity, perhaps for the first time, to experience a full-scale classical ballet performance. Funds will be used to help cover the costs of four school-length performances of two ballets at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center.
- $2,500 to the Spirit of Joy Church in Flowery Branch to purchase food supplies for its food bank, which in 2007 served nearly 1,600 people, many referred by DFACS, Gainesville Ministry Cooperative, churches and other non-profit organizations.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help a senior citizen replace a badly leaking roof.
May 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $90,158 in grants during their May meeting, including $77,000 to organizations and $13,158 to individuals.
Organization Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Next Stop, a Lawrenceville grassroots organization that provides vital social interaction, recreational and life skill learning opportunities to young adults with mild to moderate special needs, to add an employee who would help create new activities for participants and handle some administrative duties.
- $15,000 to Spectrum Autism Support Group, a parent-run non-profit group in Grayson that provides support, education and resources for the entire spectrum of autism disorders, to enable 50-55 autistic individuals ages four-22 to attend the organization's weeklong summer camp program that uses daily activities to teach social skills lessons.
- $11,000 to the EV Education Program, a statewide grassroots education effort designed to provide high school and middle school students with a hands-on learning experiences with electric vehicles, to purchase a Master Teaching Vehicle kit that can be used at workshops to train teachers and provide three participating schools with matching funds to start an EV Education Program.
- $10,500 to the Project Adam Community Assistance Center, a Winder non-profit facility providing education, treatment and prevention services to those affected by drug and alcohol addictions, to provide for the health care needs of indigent inpatient clients and to purchase an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) device.
- $7,500 to L.A.M.P. (Latin American Missionary Program) Ministries, in Gainesville, to help provide high risk youths with a positive alternative to gangs and other delinquent behavior through its Community Youth Outreach program, 3-month sessions that combine group counseling and community activities.
- $6,500 to the Boys and Girls Club of Hall County to provide software, computers, books and educational supplies for its Reading Program, which provides members in grades 2-5 with hour-long sessions five days per week designed to increase reading levels using Merit Reading Comprehensive Booster software and the Book Adventure online reading comprehensive program.
- $5,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Barrow County for its "Power Hour" comprehensive homework help and tutoring program, which provides members with support, resources and guidance to complete their homework and start the school day with a sense of self-confidence and ability.
- $3,000 to Madison County Mentor Program, a non-profit, community-based volunteer program which helps students improve academic performance, behaviors and attitudes, to recruit and train mentors, and help fund sharing sessions between mentors, parents and teachers.
- $2,500 to the Nuci Phillips Memorial Foundation in Athens, a non-profit organization which works to prevent suicide and promote community wellbeing, to enable young people from low income families to participate in Camp Amped, a summer music day camp for Northeast Georgia youth ages 11-18 that focuses on positive mental health and music education.
- $1,000 to Safe Kids Gainesville/Hall County, a program focusing on child safety education and injury prevention, to help provide helmets to the city and county schools' second grade children, the highest risk age group for these types of head-related injuries, who could not otherwise afford them.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help a senior citizen replace a worn out furnace.
- $3,500 to help pay past due medical bills for a woman involved in an automobile accident.
- $3,350 to purchase a hearing aid for a senior citizen.
- $2,808 to install an automatic door operator for an elderly stroke victim.
April 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $54,850 in grants during their April meeting, including $50,850 to organizations and $4,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Madison County Habitat for Humanity to help construct the third house in the organization's planned 15-home Habitat Community, and install an energy-efficient heat pump and ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washer.
- $10,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry for its Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides clients with emergency food supplies, buying them time to deal with the difficult and frequently temporary circumstances they are facing and helping them get back on their feet.
- $7,500 to Good News Clinics, a non-profit organization that provides free medical and dental care to the underserved and uninsured residents of Gainesville and Hall County, to provide toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss to individuals attending a dental education program on proper brushing and flossing techniques for children and their parents.
- $7,350 to Sonrise Camp, Inc., a summer camp for special needs children, to provide children from low-income families with access to the camp. Sonrise Camp uses a sensory-rich environment and activities to help children become more aware of their bodies and how the interpret sensory input, improve muscle tone and coordination, increase motor skills and build relationships.
- $5,000 to Camp Kudzu, a summer camp for children with diabetes, where they are taught diabetes management skills to reduce their risk of suffering from diabetes-related complications and are exposed to positive role models facing similar medical challenges to improve their attitude about living with the disease, as well as build their social skills and self-esteem.
- $3,000 to Harmony House Child Advocacy Center, a non-profit organization serving Madison, Franklin and Oglethorpe counties that coordinates child abuse investigation and intervention services, to help purchase a colposcope for the S.A.N.E. (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Examination Room where victims are interviewed, examined and evidence collected in a secure facility.
- $3,000 to the Enotah CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Program which serves Lumpkin county by training community volunteers who represent the best interests of abused and neglected children, to fund the needs of CASA children not covered by DFCS, such as therapeutic needs, special medical needs and school activities.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help pay past due medical bills for a cancer patient.
- $500 to repair the HVAC system for a senior citizen.
March 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $94,500 in grants during their March meeting, including $86,000 to organizations and $8,500 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the UGA Cooperative Extension Service of Banks County to help purchase a mini-bus that would be used to safely transport small groups of Banks County 4-H Club members to events and competitions that help them increase their knowledge, life skills and independence.
- $10,000 to NOA's (No One Alone) Ark, a Dahlonega program providing emergency shelter and comprehensive support services to battered women and children, to help fund a Trauma Counseling Service that will reduce the risk of posttraumatic stress, depression and other psychological problems experienced by both adult and child victims of domestic violence.
- $10,000 to the Georgia Children's Chorus, an organization that provides and concerts.
- $9,000 to Barrow County Family Connection, a grassroots collaborative organization of key stakeholders who work together on issues affecting families and children, to fund the organization's three year evaluation which will be closely tied to its Community Strategic Plan, and to help fund the organization's Youth Connections program.
- $6,000 to Music Time Learning Center for "Raising Musical Children" music vocal and choral training to young people who wish to pursue that field, to help up to 16 students from low-income families participate in the training program education classes provided to Gwinnett County schools and daycare centers serving low-income families or children with developmental disabilities, helping improve learning skills, attitudes and readiness to learn.
- $6,000 to Young At Heart, a Lumpkin County non-profit organization serving clients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, to help fund the Alzheimer's Respite Program offering a weekly break for caregivers at no charge and refreshments, group activities and social opportunities for patients in a setting supervised by trained volunteers.
- $5,000 to the Athens Justice Project, a non-profit organization that works to break the cycle of crime and poverty with a combination of legal representation, social work and employment opportunities, to help fund the Recovery and Reentry Program's job readiness and employment assistance support.
- $5,000 to the Madison County Health Department for its Cabbage Patch Program, which provides education, resources and support to pregnant adolescents and women who run a high risk of delivering preterm or low birth weight infants.
- $5,000 to the Winder-Barrow Community Theater to help fund its Children's Summer Drama Camp, a half-day, week-long "hands-on" learning experience in theater arts, offering small group training in movement, flexibility, self-expression, team work and coordination to all local children 6-11 and 12-16 years of age at no cost.
- $5,000 to the Athens Tutorial Project, a community-based after-school tutorial and cultural enrichment effort serving students in grades K-12 who are experiencing academic and social problems, to help fund the "Project Techno Boost" program that uses computers to reinforce reading, math and writing skills.
- $5,000 to the Rainbow Children's Home, a Lumpkin County facility that has transitioned from a children's emergency shelter to a long-term care shelter for abused and neglected teenage girls, for a Youth Mentoring Program that will help the girls deal with trauma related to physical, sexual and emotional abuse, extreme neglect and parental substance abuse that makes it difficult or impossible for them to thrive in traditional family and school settings.
- $5,000 to Prevent Child Abuse Athens to help fund the Healthy Families Program, which provides at-risk parents of newborns with intensive home visits that teach parenting skills and link the families with a range of community support services.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,600 to purchase a new wheelchair that allows a handicapped man to "stand up" so that he can work.
- $3,500 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,500 to repair the roof of a senior citizen's home.
February 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $94,024 in grants during their February meeting, including $87,024 to organizations and $7,000 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $13, 024 to Barnabas Ministries, a Gwinnett County faith-based organization which works to reduce recidivism and help prisoners successfully return to their families and society by providing temporary support, counseling, life skills training and temporary housing to men while in prison and upon their release, to cover one year's rent for office facilities and a transitional house, and purchase supplies.
- $10,000 to Hope House of Dahlonega to provide residential substance abuse treatment free of charge, or for a reduced fee, to 7-30 clients who lack the necessary financial resources to attend on their own.
- $10,000 to the Gwinnett Sexual Assault Center and Children's Advocacy Center to help fund the TACT (Thorough Assault Case Tracking) information and data management system, which stores information about individual sexual assaults and produces discharge instructions tailored to each victim's individual needs.
- $10,000 to the Healing Place of Athens to help provide homeless men with shelter, food, clothing and personal items, along with transportation to medical and mental health appointments and job searches, in order to support and encourage them in their pursuit of an independent and productive life of sobriety.
- $10,000 to Norcross Cooperative Ministry's Emergency Assistance Program, which provides emergency funds for rent, mortgage and temporary lodging each month to more than 900 families that are experiencing temporary or long-term hardship, many of whom are referred by local churches, schools and agencies.
- $9,000 to the Piedmont Rape Crisis Center in Winder to purchase a new colposcope, a lighted magnifying instrument used to examine rape victims and gather evidence that can later be used in court to show physical injuries and provide the substantial evidence needed to find and arrest sexual offenders.
- $7,500 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that purchases items for breast cancer patients that are not covered by insurance, such as wigs, bras, compression sleeves and gloves.
- $7,500 to Creative Enterprises, a Lawrenceville agency serving the disabled, to help purchase a mini-van that would be used to transport smaller groups of clients on outings and to activities in the community such as classes and work.
- $5,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Athens to help fund the Career Prep Program, which educates young teens about career opportunities and builds skills in older teens that they will need to find, obtain, keep and excel in a job.
- $5,000 to AIDS Athens to purchase books and supplies for an AIDS Education Library that will provide people with the disease, caregivers and health professionals with up-to-date resources on the disease, medical tests and treatments, nutrition, prevention, and mental and spiritual health.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help put a new roof on the home of a senior citizen suffering from Lymphoma.
- $3,500 to help a cancer patient purchase a vehicle that will enable her to get to work and doctor's appointments.
January 2008
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $104,722 in grants during their January meeting, including $94,580 to organizations and $10,142 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Good Samaritan Health Center's Giving Well program, which provides a "medical home" for the working poor who do not qualify for government assistance and are unable to afford health insurance, to help provide a full-time physician's assistant.
- $10,000 to The Salvation Army of Athens to assist with family emergency assistance for rent, clothing vouchers and medical prescriptions, as well as breakfast, sack lunch and supper for transitional housing program participants and those served by the soup kitchen for breakfast and supper.
- $15,000 to Peace Place, a domestic violence shelter in Winder, to make repairs and renovations to two houses donated to the agency that will be used as transitional housing for families leaving the shelter.
- $10,000 to The Salvation Army of Gainesville to assist with family emergency assistance for rent, clothing vouchers and medical prescriptions, as well as breakfast, sack lunch and supper for transitional housing program participants and those served by the soup kitchen for breakfast and supper.
- $12,380 to the YMCA of Metro Atlanta in Lawrenceville for its Partner With Youth program, which provides financial support for after school care, summer day camp, swim lessons or teen/senior programs to individual low income or refugee families, or families that are experiencing hardship due to loss of work or serious medical issues.
- $10,000 to Gainesville Action Ministries, a network of 20 Hall County churches that work to prevent homelessness by providing emergency financial, food and clothing assistance, and children's services, to enable the ministry to increase rent assistance to a month's rent for up to three months.
- $10,000 to The Salvation Army of Lawrenceville for the Family Emergency Services program, which provides families with financial assistance to pay rent, purchase clothing or buy prescription medicine.
- $7,200 to United Way of Northeast Georgia to help print "Critical Years, Critical Needs" booklets, a resource guide in English and Spanish on early childhood developmental needs and good child care practices and distribute to new parents through a partnership with St. Mary's and Athens Regional hospitals.
- $5,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta's Lawrenceville and Norcross clubs for supplies and incentives used in "Power Hour," a comprehensive homework help and tutoring program attended by all club members.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to help purchase a wheelchair-accessible van for the mother of a child disabled by cerebral palsy.
- $3,331 to help the father of a child suffering from Budd-Chiari Syndrome with past due bills incurred while caring for the child.
- $3,156 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a man disabled by a spinal cord injury.
- $154 to assist an elderly woman with dental work.
December 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $89,314 in grants during their December meeting, including $83,345 to organizations and $5,969 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Jackson County to purchase an outdoor fitness center for students ages 5-8 that will encourage daily exercise, maintenance of a healthy weight and focus in the classroom.
- $15,000 to Family Promise of Gwinnett County to help purchase a 15-passenger van that will transport homeless families from their host congregations to the day center for daily activities such as child care and seeking employment or housing.
- $15,000 to Christian Outreach Ministry in Commerce to help remodel a home that will serve as a Kid's Resource Center, providing a safe and healthy temporary home for young people who are in state custody or have run away from home.
- $14,075 to I AM in Buford to purchase supplies for the I am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. leadership development program for girls age 10-19, aimed at reducing the instance of high-risk behaviors and focusing on life skills that promote success.
- $10,000 to Georgia Options in Bogart to help purchase a van that will provide flexible wheelchair-accessible transportation for 13 people with significant disabilities, allowing them to work, attend school and be involved in community functions.
- $4,850 to Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America to purchase 200 Eagle Scout Recognition Kits, presented to those who achieve the Boy Scout's highest honor, that include the Eagle Scout badge, medal, father's pin, mother's pin and certificate.
- $3,500 to Home Development Resources, a Hall County organization that provides housing rehabilitation and down payment assistance, to help make repairs to the unsanitary, unsafe and deteriorating home of a disabled Vietnam veteran.
- $3,420 to Bigger Vision of Athens to pay the February and March rent of an emergency shelter for area homeless individuals, where they can find a safe and warm place to sleep as well as assistance with employment opportunities, financial literacy and mental health and substance abuse counseling.
- $2,500 to Reins of Life in Eastanolee to provide assistance with the STRIDES program, which uses trained therapy horses in a therapeutic approach to help regional at-risk young people and families with emotional and behavioral issues.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to assist in the purchase of a reliable vehicle for a disabled woman who cares for her disabled grandson.
- $1,594 to make repairs to a van for a family with disabled children.
- $875 to build a wheelchair ramp for an elderly disabled woman.
November 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $78,243 in grants during their November meeting, including $68,500 to organizations and $9,743 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Hall County to purchase framing packages for two houses that will be built by the High School Build Program, a joint venture between the Hall County School System, the Habitat affiliate and the Hall County Homebuilders Association, which gives high school students seeking a construction industry career the opportunity to learn all aspects of home building.
- $15,000 to Tiny Stitches, Inc., which uses a network of more than 200 volunteers to make hand-made tote bags filled with a 35-item layette that are donated through social workers and nurses at hospitals, health departments and other facilities in a nine county area to mothers who have little or nothing for their newborns.
- $15,000 to Prevent Child Abuse -- Gainesville, an organization that educates the community on recognizing and preventing child abuse and neglect, for materials, facilitators and childcare workers that will help the agency provide free 8-9 week parenting classes in both English and Spanish.
- $13,500 to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 92 to help purchase a van through the DAV Transportation Network to transport veterans who have no way to get to medical facilities for treatment to and from the Athens VA Clinic, which will serve an estimated 4,000 veterans in the surrounding seven county area by the end of this year.
- $10,000 to the Madison County Pregnancy Center, a volunteer, Christian ministry that provides testing, counseling and parenting classes for expectant teens and their families, to purchase supplies such as diapers, baby wipes, car seats and strollers which are distributed to teen mothers.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,400 to install a new septic tank system for a man disabled following a series of strokes.
- $3,350 to purchase a hearing aid for a woman suffering from Treacher Collins Syndrome.
- $2,993 to provide assistance with medical bills for a woman disabled following a brain tumor operation.
October 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $109,967 in grants during their October meeting, including $96,345 to organizations and $13, 621 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Community Helping Place, a charitable humanitarian services organization in Lumpkin County, for the baby pantry, emergency assistance for families, installation of a small phone system, client management and follow-up software, and a payroll increase to provide additional part-time employee hours so more clients can be served.
- $15,000 to the Jackson County Family Connection to fund the coordinator's position for the Lindsey's Legacy mentoring program, which recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students kindergarten through 12th grade in all three county school systems, helping to ensure those young people become healthy, educated, employable and connected through participation in family and community life.
- $15,000 to the Piedmont Regional Library System for the Winder Library Children's Services program, which offers a weekly story time program, bi-weekly Head Start program presentations, and an annual Vacation Reading program with weekly events and performers; to purchase 1,000 Easy Reader collection books for those beginning to ready or not yet reading and 30-40 books on DC that will update the library's current worn and outdated collection.
- $13,800 to Project Safe in Athens, an agency that serves families experiencing domestic violence in Clarke, Madison, Oglethorpe and Oconee counties, to help upgrade and maintain their 16-bed emergency shelter by replacing 21 windows that are rotting and covering labor costs for window and gutter installation.
- $12,000 to the Diamond in the Rough Youth Development Program, a Snellville faith-based youth program for girls 10-18, for the Clusters long-term mentoring and leadership development program which uses small group meetings one day per week for 1-2 hours during the school year to build self-image, character, leadership, health and wellness, financial stewardship, healthy relationships and spiritual enrichment.
- $10,000 to the Hebron Community Health Center, a Lawrenceville free clinic staffed by volunteer medical personnel which offers medical and dental services to low income, uninsured residents; to provide central information on each patient by unifying medical and dental files, replace broken and antiquated instruments and equipment, and provide prescription medicine.
- $8,145 to the Piedmont CASA Program to recruit and train community volunteers to advocate for the best interest of abused and neglected children in Juvenile Court proceedings in Banks, Barrow and Jackson counties.
- $7,400 to the Hall-Dawson CASA Program, which trains and supervises community volunteer advocates for abused and neglected children in Juvenile Court proceedings in Hall and Dawson counties, to provide crisis intervention funds, furnish a visitation room for the children served, purchase a DVD laptop for use in training and parent education, and purchase 40 volunteer training manuals.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a young man disabled following a brain tumor operation.
- $3,418 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a disabled woman.
- $3,402 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a man disabled by post-polio syndrome.
- $1,700 to repair the heating and air conditioning system of a senior citizen who cares for her disabled daughter.
- $1,600 to purchase a special lift chair that will enable a disabled woman to more easily get into and out of her wheelchair.
September 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded at total of $70,388 in grants during their September meeting, including $62,475 to organizations and $7,913 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Foster Children's Foundation in Duluth for the SPEAR Program, which will enhance an existing mentoring program for teens in foster care by furnishing a Resource Center with training tables, chairs, shelves, partitions and educational resource materials to teach life skills to help them reach their potential.
- $15,000 to the Jackson County Certified Literate Community Program to provide a teacher, materials and supplies to teach GED classes in partnership with the Jackson County Adult Learning Center.
- $15,000 to the YMCA of Winder-Barrow for 20 underprivileged children to attend the PrYme Tyme after school program. The program provides activities for children from kindergarten to 8th grade, including homework, sports, games, arts, crafts, songs, skits, daily devotions, and more, in a safe environment while their parents are at work.
- $7,475 to fund the Jackson County Choices Program, an interactive decision-making workshop, taught by area business volunteers, that empowers 7th grade students to achieve academic success and pursue their career and life goals by making them aware of the lifelong impact that the choices they make today can have on their lives.
- $5,000 to the Gwinnett Community Clinic to help purchase a new EKG machine for the non-profit, volunteer center that provides basic health care to uninsured, unemployed and low income residents of the county.
- $5,000 to the Gainesville Care Center to help provide free testing for sexually transmitted diseases for low income residents in the area, helping to stop the spread of those diseases, preventing STD-caused infertility and encouraging clients who test positive to make lifestyle changes.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to assist a single mother with car repairs to get to work.
- $2,613 to assist a cancer patient to help with medical and prescription drug expenses.
- $1,800 to help pay medical and prescription drug bills for a disabled couple.
August 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $85,934 in grants during their August meeting, including $64,320 to organizations and $21,614 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Empowered Youth Program in Athens to support the Saturday Academy’s Reading Comprehension Rotation program that, by encouraging participants to read more, increases vocabulary, reading comprehension and overall love of reading. EYP’s goals are to increase enrollment in college prep courses, increase school attendance, reduce discipline referrals, and improve exam and academic performance.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Coalition for Health & Human Services to upgrade the Gwinnett Helpline, which provides a one-stop referral source for callers in crisis or in need of assistance; and to provide tuition assistance for the Leadership Institute, a program that trains and educates community leaders on issues facing Gwinnett County so that they can promote positive change in their neighborhoods and communities.
- $14,820 to The Disability Resource Center to purchase equipment and software that will allow the agency to provide individualized instruction in basic computer and assistive technology skills to people with disabilities. Training will increase client’s access to information, technology skills and employability, while improving their self-confidence in their ability to master those skills.
- $7,500 to Gwinnett Council for the Arts' smART Honors Program, an ongoing program that enables at-risk students who excel in art but are otherwise underserved to attend advanced art instruction at the Hudgens Arts Center each Saturday morning throughout the school year. Funds will be used to purchase art supplies for the smART scholarship recipients.
- $12,000 to The Ark of Jackson County to increase emergency rent and prescription medicine assistance provided to families who have experienced a loss of income, sickness or death.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,500 to install a heating and air conditioning system for a disabled man.
- $2,664 to purchase a smaller wheelchair and vehicle hand controls for a disabled man.
- $3,335 to replace the heating and air conditioning unit for a senior citizen and her disabled granddaughter.
- $3,500 to help with past due mortgage for a mother of four going through a divorce.
- $3,500 to help pay for a handicapped accessible van for a man with multiple sclerosis.
- $995 to purchase dentures for a disabled woman.
- $620 to purchase dentures for a senior citizen.
July 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $100,549 in grants during their July meeting, including $83,084 to organizations and $17,465 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Winder-Barrow Coalition for Adults & Continuing Education to replace 18 computers purchased in 1999 for the adult literacy program’s learning lab. The computers are used for reading, language, math and job search instruction. Since its founding in 1993, the Coalition has helped more than 7,340 individuals improve their literacy skills, learn to read, write and speak English, or earn a GED diploma.
- $15,000 to the Clarke County Mentor Program to assist with the broad-based, grass-roots effort to provide individual support for public school students in first through 12th grade, promoting academic and personal success. Founded as a partnership between the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and the Clarke County School District, the program has grown from 30 original mentors to more than 850.
- $15,000 to the Lumpkin County Family Connection to fund four Family Advocates who are housed in local schools and provide services and case management to families who are living in poverty, at risk of abusing or neglecting their children, or experiencing other crisis situations that affect their children. Family Advocates provide food and clothing, help families develop plans to help their children succeed in school and link these families with other agencies who can provide assistance.
- $14,880 to the Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia to provide 250 underprivileged girls in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties with Girl Scout membership assistance. Part of the Strong Troops Obtaining Maximum Potential (STOMP) program, this outreach effort offers Scouting to girls in public housing, low income and other hard-to-serve areas, giving girls an opportunity to develop their potential and become a vital part of their communities.
- $13,600 to Good Samaritan Ministries in Buford to help fund the Good Samaritan Inn, a one-year residential prison inmate recovery program that provides three months of classes and work therapy and nine months of employment either inside or outside the ministry. The program is designed to help inmates become productive members of society by working on drug and alcohol issues, and building discipline and self esteem.
- $7,800 to the Gainesville Area Citizen Advocacy, community-based organization that organizes voluntary citizen advocacy relationships for the developmentally disabled, to assist with program costs, including replacing outdated computers and office equipment, and refurbishing the organization’s office. The organization recruits, matches and supports over 35 local disabled citizens and their volunteer advocates to bring persons with developmental disabilities into greater contact with the community.
- $1,804 to the West Jackson Lions Club to expand The Dictionary Project, which has purchased student dictionaries for third grade students at West Jackson Intermediate School, to third grade students in all Jackson County public and private schools. The program is designed to increase children’s reading ability and comprehension.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to install a walk-in shower for a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,500 to replace the heating and air conditioning unit of a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,500 to help purchase a handicapped accessible van for a disabled man.
- $3,500 to purchase a wheelchair lift for a disabled man.
- $3,100 to replace the heating and air conditioning unit for a disabled senior citizen.
- $365 to replace upper dentures for a disabled woman.
June 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $103,796 in grants during their June meeting, including $87,500 to organizations and $16,296 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Housing Resource Partnership in Duluth for the Home Investment Academy, which provides money management classes for underprivileged Gwinnett County residents to help prepare them for housing issues and homeownership.
- $15,000 to Extra Special People in Watkinsville to provide an opportunity for 35 special needs or seriously ill children from low income or financially distressed families to attend a weeklong camp where they can explore nature, discover their own abilities, master new skills and make new friends.
- $15,000 to Hope Clinic in Lawrenceville, an agency that provides primary and internal medicine care to the uninsured, to help fund a bi-lingual full-time physician’s assistant position that will enable the clinic to meet growing patient demand and non-emergency referrals from local hospitals.
- $15,000 to Teen Pregnancy Prevention in Gainesville to help fund “Smart Girls,” a program offered in Hall County middle and high schools that provides girls with the knowledge, skills, self-esteem and self-confidence to make healthy decisions about sexual activity and dating relationships.
- $15,000 to Camp Koinonia in Cornelia to provide about 40 Banks County underprivileged children, referred by Family Connection, with a five-day camping experience that provides positive learning experiences to establish strong character, leadership and teambuilding skills and personal relationships.
- $7,500 to the YMCA of Athens to provide 22 underprivileged children access to the After School Program, providing opportunities for the children to participate in activities such as football, soccer, basketball, roller hockey, cheerleading, modern dance, swimming, creative writing and art.
- $5,000 to Family Connection Partnership to help volunteers who work with Family Connection collaborative in the counties served by Jackson EMC participate in the 2007 Family Connection Conference where they can gather information , including the latest research and best practices, that they use to help strengthen their communities.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to make repairs to a truck equipped with a wheelchair lift for a child with Cerebral Palsy.
- $3,500 to install a wheelchair lift on the vehicle of a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,468 to repair the storm damage to the roof of a senior citizen.
- $2,308 to help pay medical and pharmacy bills for a woman whose illness caused financial hardship.
- $2,820 to repair the roof of an older manufactured home for a senior citizen.
- $700 to make repairs to a septic system for a senior citizen.
May 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $79,288 in grants during their May meeting, including $60,395 to organizations and $18,893 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $12,000 to The Ark: United Ministry Outreach Center in Athens to provide emergency rent or mortgage assistance to lower income residents who have suffered a loss of income, and to help senior citizens who cannot afford medical costs or have assumed parenting responsibilities for their grandchildren.
- $15,000 to the Barrow County Boys and Girls Club to provide the Homework Power Hour, a comprehensive homework help and tutoring program that provides club members with support, resources and guidance to complete their homework and start the school day with a sense of confidence and ability.
- $5,495 to Jackson County 4-H to help 70 young people and their adult volunteers participate in the County and District Project Achievement, a learning and leadership event requiring students to prepare a speech and visual aids on a topic of their choice that they present in competitions with students from other counties.
- $6,000 to Rising Son Ministries in Gainesville to help fund Operation Global Impact, a program that reaches out to fatherless sons, providing resources and training for mentors and opportunities for fatherless young men and their mentors to engage in activities that will help those young men develop life skills, character and work ethics.
- $6,900 to Casa de Amistad in Athens to expand its Youth and Family Education Project computer lab by upgrading hardware and software to provide directed computer instruction for Latino children that will help with homework and provide tutoring, as well provide instruction for adults that would increase job readiness, including GED and English classes.
- $15,000 to Mercy Health Center in Athens to help renovate and prepare a new, larger facility that will allow it to expand the non-profit, volunteer-based medical, dental and pharmaceutical care it offers to the area’s uninsured residents, and accept additional volunteers.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to install a wheelchair lift for a disabled senior citizen who lives alone.
- $3,400 to install a heating and air conditioning unit in the home of a single mother whose husband passed away last year.
- $2,200 to replace a well pump that was hit by lightning for a disabled woman who lives alone.
- $2,800 to replace the roof of an older manufactured home for a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,493 to purchase specialized computer equipment for a legally blind man so that he can work from home.
- $3,500 to install a wheelchair lift on the vehicle of a disabled senior citizen.
April 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $73,235 in grants during their April meeting, including $70,000 to organizations and $3,235 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Annandale Village in Suwannee to help create a self-sustaining micro-enterprise program that will allow developmentally disabled adults to create, market and sell art items, providing them with a sense of accomplishment, pride and improved self-image. Funds from the sales will be returned to participating individuals as income and be used by them to purchase additional art supplies.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett SeniorNet Learning Center to help purchase computers for a Satellite Learning Center at the George Pierce Park in Suwanee and replace five-year-old computers at the SeniorNet Learning Center at Bethesda Park. SeniorNet is an international, volunteer-based organization that provides computer and computer program education for adults 50 years and older, enabling them to access Internet information and maintain social contact.
- $15,000 to Our Neighbor, Inc. in Gainesville to help purchase a handicapped accessible van that will allow the four physically disabled residents of a group home to remain independent and active in the community. Currently the residents are dependent on public transportation and are home-bound when it is not in service.
- $10,000 to the Athens Community Council on Aging for its Project Northeast Georgia Healthy Grandparents, a program that provides social, legal and health support to grandparents who are primary caregivers for their grandchildren. Grandparents and their grandchildren can participate in support groups, receive health evaluations and follow-ups, and obtain legal help with custody issues.
- $10,000 to the Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic to produce five textbooks through “Adopt-A-Text,” a program providing educational materials in an audio format that allows students with disabilities to bookmark where they stop and use the recording as study material. The books would be made available to schools in Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall and Clarke counties.
- $5,000 to the East Hall Branch Special Needs Library to help replace worn and purchase new equipment for special needs children and adults. The equipment for the East Hall Branch includes such items as a scanner/reader, closed circuit televisions, lighted magnifiers, hand-held lighted magnifiers, a personal amplification system for the reading room and a laptop with voice recognition and signing program.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $1,400 to install a new well for a disabled couple with no access to county or city water.
- $1,835 to install a walk-in shower in the home of a senior citizen who lives alone and cannot use the tub by himself.
March 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $36,995 in grants during their March meeting, including $26,000 to organizations and $10,995 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy in Gainesville to help provide training and program expenses for the Plain Talk Program, a neighborhood- based initiative that helps adults, parents and community leaders develop the skills needed to effectively communicate the importance of abstinence to young people.
- $15,000 to Mended Hearts, Inc. in Commerce, a support group for individuals with heart disease, to assist with the purchase of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for public buildings in Banks County.
- $1,000 to the Spirit of Joy Food Bank in Flowery Branch to purchase food that the organization distributes to people who are in need due to such transitional events as illness, loss of job, etc.
- $5,000 to the Gainesville/Hall County Alliance for Literacy to help teach basic literacy skills to adults 16 years and older who have not graduated from high school, and provide instruction that prepares students to successfully pass the GED test.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,100 to a disabled, home-bound man for the installation of a heating and air conditioning system.
- $3,500 to a senior citizen who lives alone on a fixed income to replace a water heater, furnace and air conditioning coils.
- $3,500 to a severely disabled woman to purchase a mini-van that will be used for transportation to medical appointments.
- $895 to a disabled senior citizen to assist with the purchase of dentures.
February 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $72,800 in grants during their February meeting, including $59,500 to organizations and $13,300 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $7,000 to the Barrow County Special Olympics to purchase equipment for about 200 special needs athletes and athletes-in-training from 17 county schools so they can compete in basketball, bocce, bowling, soccer, softball, alpine skiing, swimming, and track and field events.
- $7,500 to the Center Point Mentor Program in Gainesville to recruit, train and place caring mentors with at-risk young people in Gainesville City and Hall County schools. Mentors provide one-on-one support to provide encouragement, advice and academic help to complete their high school education and go on to succeed in life.
- $10,000 to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens to continue supplying food to those in need through its mobile pantry program. The mobile pantry enables the Food Bank to move large quantities of food, as well as distribute food before its expiration date, and eliminates the need for storage space.
- $15,000 to assist a Summer Scholars Institute that provides intensive academic enrichment to at-risk middle and high school students. The summer program, held at Gainesville College, provides skills that will help students be successful and concentrates on the basic areas of reading, writing and mathematics, along with science for third-year students.
- $5,000 to The Guest House in Gainesville to help provide a hot, balanced and nutritious lunch and snack to frail, elderly clients who receive day health services at the agency. Guest House allows seniors with functional impairments to maintain some independence, promotes social contact and provides caregivers with a respite.
- $7,500 to provide Junior Achievement curriculum materials to 220 students in Hall County Title I schools. The program teaches students the fundamentals of the private enterprise economic system and provides them with practical and realistic hands-on experience in the economics of life, including finances, career opportunities and good consumer habits.
- $7,500 to Lilburn Cooperative Ministry to assist needy families with a maximum $250 assistance annually for rent or mortgage payments, helping them prevent foreclosure or eviction. The ministry’s 40 partner churches minister to the material and spiritual needs of those in crisis, including providing a food pantry and thrift store, as well as assistance with school supplies and Christmas gifts.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 for the installation of a heating and air conditioning system in the home of a single mother and her child.
- $2,800 for the installation of a heating and air conditioning system in the home of a visually impaired man and his disabled wife.
- $3,500 for the installation of a wheelchair lift on the truck of a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,500 to help purchase a mini-van that will be used to transport a family's special needs children to medical appointments.
January 2007
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $100,790 in grants during their January meeting, including $87,500 to organizations and $13,290 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $10,000 to Colbert Lions Club to help renovate the old Colbert School, creating a community center that could be used by all local organizations and residents. The area has no community meeting space outside of local churches, and the school building has been vacant for 20 years.
- $10,000 to help fund counseling and psychological outreach services for the Good News Clinic, Gainesville, using Brenau University student counselors. The program, an extension of a service currently offered on the Brenau campus would provide individual, couples and family counseling to low-income residents who are already seeking medical, dental and pharmaceutical services at the clinic.
- $15,000 to Dream House for Medically Fragile Children in Lawrenceville to help fund Family for Keeps, a program begun in 2005 that provides support, education and skills for those who provide care to children relying on life support, medication, therapies or equipment to live. Skills training are available to foster parents, family members, teachers, Sunday school teachers and others who care for special needs children.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett County Association for Retarded Citizens in Lawrenceville to help construct a new, completely accessible group home that will provide four developmentally disabled adults the opportunity to live an independent life. This will be the Association’s fourth group home built in Gwinnett County.
- $15,000 to Jackson Creative Community Resource Center in Commerce to help purchase a mini-van that will be used to transport clients to various community activities and jobs. The mini-van will replace an aging vehicle and allow the center to continue integrating developmentally disabled adults into the community and providing them with life-skill training.
- $15,000 to NOA’s Ark (No One Alone) in Dahlonega to help provide counseling services to victims of domestic violence. The agency provides a safe shelter for women and their children, along with advocacy and support services in a caring, nurturing environment to assure the victim’s safety, enhance children’s self-esteem and promote the positive parent-child relationship that helps keep families together.
- $7,500 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Matthew’s Church in Winder to help provide needy individuals and families with food, prescription medication and rent assistance. The volunteer organization is funded through parishioners’ monthly donations, and serves a growing client base in Barrow and Jackson counties, along with a portion of Gwinnett County.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,234 to provide needed oral surgery and dentures for an elderly man who lives alone on a fixed income.
- $2,500 to help purchase adaptive computer and software technology for a visually impaired student so that she can continue her education and remain independent.
- $3,300 for the installation of a heating and air conditioning unit in the home of a single mother.
- $756 to repay a promissory note for a disabled woman.
- $3,500 to make repairs to the leaking roof of an older manufactured home for a disabled woman.
December 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $97,750 in grants during their December meeting, including $87,500 to organizations and $10,250 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Covenant Community After-School Program, started by Covenant Presbyterian Church in Athens, which opened its doors to provide students from a neighboring middle school and high school with a safe, supervised place to gather. Grant funds will be used to update the facility’s furnishings and equipment.
- $15,000 to Health Access Initiative, a Hall County agency providing medical care, donated by area physicians, to uninsured indigent adults. Grant funds will be used to help fund a position that processes referrals, conducts screening interviews and enrolls clients, as well as coordinates appointments with HAI’s network of 126 physicians, arranges diagnostic tests and follows up with clients.
- $15,000 to L.A.M.P. (Latin American Missionary Program) Ministries, in Gainesville, to help provide high risk youths with a positive alternative to gangs and other delinquent behavior through its Community Youth Outreach program, 3-month sessions that combine group counseling and community activities.
- $15,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry, to purchase day-to-day food resources for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which offers underprivileged clients in the Lawrenceville and Dacula areas a safety net that gives them time to deal with difficult and often temporary circumstances they are facing.
- $15,000 to Safe Kids Gainesville-Hall County, a program focusing on child safety education and the distribution of safety devices, such as life jackets and smoke detectors, to families that could not otherwise afford them. Grant funds will be used to help purchase a cargo van that will help transport materials and safety devices to various sites throughout the community.
- $7,500 to the Jackson County Health Department, to assist with the Cabbage Patch Program, which provides education, resources and support to pregnant adolescents and women who run a high risk of delivering preterm or low birth weight infants.
- $5,000 to the Madison County Health Department, to assist with the Cabbage Patch Program, which provides education, resources and support to pregnant adolescents and women who run a high risk of delivering preterm or low birth weight infants.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,250 for the installation of a wheelchair lift on the vehicle of a disabled individual.
- $3,500 for assistance with a down-payment on a vehicle to help a single mother get to and from work.
- $3,500 for the installation of a wheelchair lift on the vehicle of a disabled senior citizen.
November 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $43,779 in grants during their November meeting, including $38,100 to organizations and $5,679 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $10,000 to Life Change Counseling Center, Danielsville, to help with rent assistance for office space that had previously been provided for a token amount. The center provides counseling on a donation basis to low-income residents who cannot afford professional counseling.
- $15,000 to Rising Families' Food for Life, a Jackson County food bank, to purchase food and supply means for food distribution. Last year, the food bank served an average of 250 families a month and provided more than 250,000 pounds of food through it's monthly food distributions, Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.
- $9,600 to the Elachee Nature Center, in Gainesville, to provide environmental science/nature educational experiences that cannot be duplicated in the classroom for 1,600 students in Title I schools in Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson and Lumpkin counties.
- $3,500 to the Sanford Men's Club, Nicholson, to assist with the renovation of the Sanford Community Center BBQ pit that the club uses to raise funds that go back into the community for individuals suffering a personal disaster, to assist local community organizations and to purchase complete outfits of winter clothing for 38-38 needy children each year.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $350 for the installation of a donated wheelchair lift on the vehicle of a disabled citizen.
- $2,364.30 for medical and prescription medicine bills for a disabled senior citizen.
- $2,965 to replace the windows in the home of a single mother whose home is being renovated by Habitat for Humanity.
October 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $65,210 in grants during their September meeting, including $57,343 to organizations and $7,867 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to Hope Haven, an Athens agency providing a variety of programs to support developmentally disabled individuals, to help purchase a smaller lift-equipped van that will eliminate the transportation barrier that keeps clients from small group learning experiences.
- $6,343 to the Lumpkin County Literacy Coalition to provide computer upgrades and support that will enable the Family Literacy Project to offer a computerized reading curriculum called "Reading Horizons" for adults.
- $6,000 to the Music Time Learning Center to help provide "Raising Musical Children" music education classes to underprivileged or special needs children at Gwinnett County schools and daycare centers.
- $15,000 to the Pregnancy Resource Center of Gwinnett to help provide free women's health care to women who have unplanned pregnancies to promote healthy pregnancy and alert clients to complications, such as multiple births.
- $15,000 to Tree House, Inc., an agency focused on reducing the occurrence and impact of child abuse in Barrow, Banks and Jackson counties, to upgrade its information technology system and better support its clients' research, education and therapy needs.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $867 for HVAC system repairs and prescription medication to a disabled senior citizen.
- $3,500 for electric heat system repairs to a disabled widow who suffers from emphysema and has been trying to heat her home with a fireplace.
- $3,500 to replace the heat pump and ductwork in the home of a woman who has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and cancer.
September 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $47,050 in grants during their September meeting, including $43,550 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $6,300 to Barnabas Ministries, a Gwinnett County faith-based organization providing encouragement and support to men while in prison and upon their release, to cover one year's rent for office facilities and a transitional house. To help reduce recidivism and help prisoners successfully return to their families and society, Barnabas Ministries provides temporary support, counseling, life skills training and temporary housing.
- $5,000 to the Cobb Health Care Center, a Madison County long-term and home care provider, to purchase pedal wheelchairs and tilt recliners not covered by Medicaid that will help wheelchair-bound patients regain some independent mobility. Pedal wheelchairs allow patients without hand and arm function to move about. Tilt recliners allow patients confined to beds to move from bed to chair.
- $15,000 to the Gwinnett Children's Shelter to assist with Project PACTS (Parents And Children Together Succeed), a program the helps parents develop and improve their parenting skills, helps teenagers better understand parenting issues and family dynamics, and helps decrease the cycle of family violence.
- $2,250 to the Jefferson Lions Club to match funds raised by the club for its vision program, which provides eye exams and new eyeglasses for people in need, referred by Jackson County's Department of Children and Family Services. While the club budgeted $1,500 in 2005 for the program, it provided $2,700 in exams and glasses.
- $15,000 to Rainbow Village, a Gwinnett County organization that provides transitional housing for the homeless that helps them become self-sufficient, to provide case management services, along with supplies for and repairs to the housing. The case manager works with each family to set and achieve realistic goals that will allow them to break the cycle of homelessness.
Individual Grant Recipient:
- $3,500 to an elderly woman who needed assistance to replace the HVAC system in her 35-year-old home.
August 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $71,202.35 in grants during their July meeting, including $63,100 to organizations and $8,102 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Barrow County Habitat for Humanity to fund the septic system, plumbing, electric and HVAC system for a home currently being built for a single mother with two autistic children. The Barrow County chapter has a goal of providing decent housing for 25 families in 2006 by building Habitat houses as well as providing repairs for substandard housing.
- $13,100 to Eagle Ranch, a home for boys and girls in crisis located in Hall County, to fund the expansion of the facility's equine therapy program to include a total of 30 students. Used in concert with counseling sessions, interaction with horses helps develop skills in the areas of self-control, limit-setting, organization, leadership, cooperation and nurturing, as well as address numerous emotional and psychological issues such as fear, control, anger, bonding, confidence, trust and self-awareness.
- $15,000 to Family Relations Program's Victim Services/Women's Services in Gainesville to help expand the availability of a bilingual therapist to work with Hispanic clients in stopping the cycle of sexual abuse and preventing victimization of children.
- $5,000 to For Her Glory, a Gainesville agency that purchases items for cancer patients, such as wigs, compression sleeves and gloves, bras and other items that are not covered by insurance.
- $15,000 to the Jackson County Family Connection Council to fund a coordinator position for the Lindsey's Legacy youth mentoring program, a school-based program that recruits and trains adult mentors to work with students in kindergarten through 12th grade to help build skills, knowledge, personal attributes and positive attitudes to ensure those young people become healthy, educated, employable and connected through participation in family and community life.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to a 16-year-old paralyzed in a hunting accident for a wheelchair lift to improve his mobility and quality of life.
- $1,102 to a single mother whose family situation threatened her with the loss of housing and transportation.
- $3,500 to a 16-year-old cerebral palsy patient for a refurbished Vangater lift to replace a worn-out lift, continuing to provide him and his family with mobility.
July 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $77,153.60in grants during their July meeting, including $73,653.60 to organizations and $3,500.00 to an individual.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $7,500 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, to the Lawrenceville and Norcross clubs for supplies and incentives used in "Power Hour," a comprehensive homework help and tutoring program attended by all club members.
- $6,500 to Creative Enterprises of Lawrenceville, to purchase equipment for a computer skills lab program that will help individuals with disabilities to learn keyboarding, Microsoft Word, data entry, email and the Internet, to make them more competitive in today's job market.
- $7,500 to the Hall County YMCA to provide scholarships for 10 underprivileged students for the 2006-2007 after-school program. The after-school program provides children from kindergarten to 8th grade with activities including homework assistance, arts and humanities, science and technology, character development, literacy, service-learning, enrichment classes, health, wellness and fitness.
- $5,500 to the Athens-Oconee Court Appointed Special Advocate Program (CASA) to help recruit and train volunteer advocates who work to protect the interests of abused and neglected children, and to find them a safe and permanent home.
- $6,000 to the Enotah Court Appointed Special Advocate Program (CASA), serving Lumpkin County, to provide furnishing for the expansion of the CASA office to include a Visitation Center where children who have been removed from their home due to abuse and neglect can have regular, supervised visits with their parents in a safe environment.
- $3,000 to the Hall-Dawson Court Appointed Special Advocate Program (CASA) to help cover the cost of training supplies and trainers fee for volunteer advocates who work to protect the interests of abused and neglected children, and to find them a safe and permanent home.
- $7,653.60 to the Piedmont Court Appointed Special Advocate Program (CASA), serving Jackson, Banks and Barrow counties, to help recruit and train volunteer advocates who work to protect the interests of abused and neglected children, and to find them a safe and permanent home.
- $15,000 to the Hope House of Dahlonega to provide primary medical care for 30 clients who are undergoing treatment to recover from methamphetamine abuse.
- $10,000 to the Madison County Habitat for Humanity to assist with the costs of sewer lines to Phase I of its new Habitat Community in Comer, a development where ultimately14-15 simple, well-constructed homes will be built on half-acre lots with green space for gardens and play.
- $5,000 to the North Gwinnett Cooperative to help provide Gwinnett County seniors with prescription medicine assistance.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to a 60-year-old woman who lives alone and needed a wheelchair lift to improve her mobility.
June 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $102,756 in grants during their June meeting, including $99,256 to organizations and $3,500 to an individual in need.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to Camp Glisson's "Sparrowwood" summer program, a week-long camping experience in Dahlonega for persons with mild to moderate developmental challenges that gives campers an opportunity for social interaction and provides their respite caregivers relief from their work. Funds will be used for scholarships for those who cannot afford the camp.
- $5,000 to Gwinnett Council for the Arts' smART Honors Program, an ongoing program that enables 30 at-risk students who excel in art but are otherwise underserved to attend advanced art instruction at the Hudgens Arts Center each Saturday morning throughout the school year. Funds will be used to purchase art supplies for the smART scholarship recipients.
- $12,266 to Jones Elementary School in Gainesville to purchase a new sound system, microphones, curtain and projection screen for the school's gymnasium. The items will better enable the school to host assemblies that expose students to visual arts, music, drama, dance and character building programs, as well as encourage parental involvement through PTO.
- $15,000 to Rainbow Children's Home, an emergency shelter for abused and neglected children in Dahlonega, to build a low ropes course and provide the support staff needed to work with the children for these interventions. Low ropes courses help to develop communication, leadership and teamwork skills as well as self-confidence, self-esteem and trust.
- $1,990 to Reins of Life, a therapeutic equine facility in Lavonia, to help fund the STRIDES (Stepping Toward Results In Developing Equine and Educational Success) program that provides emotional and behavioral help to at-risk youth who have been expelled from school and are dealing with behavioral issues, ADD, relationship problems, anger management issues and self control.
- $15,000 to Salvation Army of Athens to assist with family emergency assistance for rent, clothing vouchers and medical prescriptions, as well as breakfast, sack lunch and supper for transitional housing program participants and those served by the soup kitchen for breakfast and supper.
- $15,000 to Salvation Army of Gainesville to assist with family emergency assistance for rent, clothing vouchers and medical prescriptions, as well as breakfast, sack lunch and supper for transitional housing program participants and those served by the soup kitchen for breakfast and supper.
- $15,000 to Salvation Army of Lawrenceville to assist with family emergency assistance for rent, clothing vouchers and medical prescriptions.
- $15,000 to Winder/Barrow YMCA to provide scholarships for 20 underprivileged students currently on a waiting list for the 2006-2007 after school program, PrYme Tyme. The afterschool program provides children from kindergarten to 8th grade with activities including homework, sports, games, arts, crafts, songs, skits, daily devotions, and more. The program focuses on five key character development traits of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility and faith.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to a single mother who found employment, but had no transportation or access to public transportation, to assist her in finding personal transportation.
May 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $98,500 in grants during their May meeting, including $95,000 to organizations and $3,500 to individuals in need.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Friends of the Braselton-West Jackson Library to help purchase reference, hardback, adult, youth and children's books, as well as books on tape for senior citizens. The Braselton-West Jackson Library's new facility, which serves patrons from Jackson, Gwinnett, Hall and Barrow counties, will open in September. While the new facility was funded by the Town of Braselton, the library must raise funds to increase their collection from the present 6,200 books to the new facility's capacity of more than 161,000 books.
- $15,000 to the Piedmont Regional Library System to purchase children's books for the Winder Public Library Children's Services and the Piedmont Regional Library Extension Services' bookmobile. The Children's Services program offers a Vacation Reading Program that was attended by 500 children in 2005, as well as weekly story time and bi-weekly programs for Head Start. The bookmobile program currently serves 27 public schools and 19 preschools and childcare centers.
- $15,000 to Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett to help pay for costs of services such as additional analysis of laboratory and imaging that must be done for patients with potentially serious medical problems. The center provides non-emergency medical, dental and optometry health care services to the working poor of Gwinnett County who do not have health insurance. While initial laboratory and imaging services are provided at no cost by the Gwinnett Health System, any abnormalities requiring further analysis must be done by an outside center and are billed to the patient.
- $15,000 to the Habitat ReStore of Hall County to purchase a box-truck that will enable the organization to pick up donated materials and appliances. The ReStore takes donated used or new building materials and sells them to the public at far below retail cost. By doing this, ReStore raises funds for Habitat house construction, makes good use of community resources and reduces landfill disposal.
- $15,000 to the Madison County Senior Center to help fund their Home Delivered Meals program serving frail and older citizens. The program allows seniors citizens to maintain independence and dignity, while receiving nutritious meals, nutrition screening, education and counseling services, and opportunities for social contact. The Madison County Senior Center currently serves 41 home delivered meals a day, five days a week, and could be serving more senior citizens with additional funding.
- $15,000 to the Norcross Cooperative Ministry to help fund their emergency Assistance Program. The program provides emergency funds for rent, mortgage and temporary lodging. Norcross Cooperative Ministry serves over 900 families each month that are experiencing temporary or long-term hardship, many of whom are referred by local churches, schools and agencies. Grant funds will allow the agency to provide a minimum support of $100 to 150 families.
- $5,000 to the YMCA of Athens to allow 14 Hispanic elementary school children to participate in the Afterschool Scholarship Program for three months. The program is designed to provide the children with opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities such as football, soccer, cheerleading, basketball, modern dance, creative writing, art and roller hockey that they could otherwise not afford. In addition, the program helps improve the children's English speaking skills and provides opportunities to learn skills and gain enrichment that will benefit them the rest of their lives.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,500 to a handicapped individual who lives alone to enable her to purchase a wheelchair lift for her personal vehicle, permitting her to get out of the house more and improving her quality of life.
April 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $72,054 in grants to organizations during their April meeting.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $15,000 to the Clarke County Mentor Program to further increase a broad-based, grass-roots effort to provide individual support for public school students, first through 12th grade, to provide academic and personal success. Founded as a partnership between the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and the Clarke County School District, the program has grown from 30 original mentors to more than 750, with plans to grow further.
- $15,000 to the Hebron Community Health Center to replace worn-out donated equipment, and provide diabetic supplies to clinic patients. The health center provides medical and dental care to patients with no health insurance and a maximum household income of $20,000. In addition to diabetic supplies, the grant will enable the clinic to purchase a new computer for its pharmacist, and new dental equipment.
- $14,754 to the Jackson County Habitat for Humanity to assist with kitchen cabinets, plumbing and heating and air systems for the affiliate's sixth house, now under construction, and a seventh house that will be started later this year.
- $4,300 to the Special Olympics of Madison County to help with fees and expenses for the Winter Games, equipment for the Spring Games and new uniforms for local, area and state games to replace the donated high school basketball uniforms the athletes have been wearing with uniforms that are better suited for them.
- $8,000 to the United Way of Northeast Georgia's Success by 6 Program to support a new Critical Years, Critical Needs initiative. The grant will be used to print the Critical Years, Critical Needs booklet, a resource guide on early childhood developmental needs and good child care practices, in English and Spanish. The booklet will be distributed to new parents through a partnership with hospitals in a 10-county area.
- $15,000 to Teen Pregnancy Prevention of Hall County to provide the "Smart Girls" abstinence-based education program in Hall County middle and high schools. Through "Smart Girls," young women learn the skills to overcome negative peer pressure, the tools to protect themselves against exploitation and the self-esteem to see their future potential. The program focuses on helping girls make healthy choices about sexual activity and dating relationships.
March 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $88,012 in grants during their March meeting, including $84,597 to organizations and $3,415 to individuals in need.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $12,000 to the Ark of Jackson County, Inc. to help with rent and provide medical assistance to 120 families within Jackson County. The Ark gives assistance to low-income families who have an emergency loss of income due to illness, loss of a job, loss work hours or loss of the primary income.
- $15,000 to the Banks County Senior Center to purchase a vehicle to deliver meals through the Home Delivered Meal program. Home Delivered Meals are provided to individuals age 60 or older who are homebound because of illness, incapacitation, disability, isolated or a Community Care Services program client.
- $15,000 to Challenged Child & Friends to provide scholarships for three Lumpkin County children for one year, and 14 Hall County children for two months. Challenged Child & Friends provides services to children with special needs.
- $15,000 to Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services to purchase additional phone lines and update equipment for the Gwinnett Helpline, and materials and supplies for the Great Days of Service project. The Coalition was founded to provide greater collaboration among health and human service providers within Gwinnett County, helping ensure citizens have access to needed support services.
- $5,097 to the Hall County Library System for the purchase of Special Needs Adaptive Playthings (SNAP). The organization provides adaptive toys to parents who have children with disabilities to increase their children's capabilities.
- $15,000 to Peace Place, Inc. to purchase appliances and furniture for new Transitional Housing Project. Peace Place is a short-term emergency shelter in a confidential location for battered women and their children throughout Barrow, Banks and Jackson counties.
- $ 7,500 to Prevent Child Abuse-Gainesville to provide educational materials and supplies to families of newborns. The organization's First Steps Program provides families of newborns with emotional support, educational materials and contacts to community resources in their county.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- A total of $2,215 was given to three individuals to help with rent needs, water pipe replacement and a furnace purchase.
February 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $39,155 in grants during their February meeting, including $30,640 to organizations and $8,515 to individuals in need.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $10,000.00 to the Boys and Girls Club of Jackson County to help purchase a used van to transport supplies and take children served by the club from school to the club, and to field trips, library trips, community recreational facilities and events hosted by the club. The club now serves more than 260 at risk young people from disadvantaged economic, social and family circumstances.
- $5,640 to the Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia to provide 100 underprivileged girls in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Franklin, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison and Oglethorpe counties with girl scout membership assistance. Part of the Strong Troops Obtaining Maximum Potential (STOMP) program, this outreach effort offers Girl Scouting to girls in public housing, low income and other hard-to-serve areas, giving girls an opportunity to develop their potential and become a vital part of their communities.
- $15,000 to the Lumpkin County Family Connection to fund four Family Advocates, housed in local schools, who provide services and case management to families who are living in poverty, at risk of abusing or neglecting their children, or experiencing other crisis situations that affect their children. Family Advocates provide them with food and clothing, help the families develop plans to help their children succeed in school and link these families with other agencies who can provide assistance.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $3,380 to a single, unemployed mother, to catch up rent payments and maintain a home for her child while she is looking for employment.
- $990 to a father of two who had back surgery and needs rent assistance until he can return to work in March.
- $3,311 to a man left wheelchair bound following an automobile accident to purchase and install a wheelchair lift in his truck.
- $833 to a disabled man and wife who, due to medical expenses, need rent assistance.
January 2006
The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $85,046 in grants during its January meeting, including $76,300 to organizations and $8,746 to individuals.
Organizational Grant Recipients:
- $5,000 to the Athens Community Council on Aging's Meals on Wheels, a program that provides a hot meal each weekday to homebound individuals, allowing the program to feed an additional five people for a year.
- $9,100 to the Boys & Girls Club of Barrow County, to implement the "Triple Play" program that teaches young people how to understand nutrition, make better food choices and engage in daily physical activities for the health of their growing bodies.
- $10,000 to the Dream House for Medically Fragile Children in Lilburn, to help fund the Family for Keeps program that provides support, education and skills for foster parents who provide care to children who depend on life support, medication, therapies or equipment to live.
- $7,200 to Junior Achievement of Georgia, to offer the Junior Achievement program and materials to 240 Hall County students in 12 Tadmore Elementary School classes, providing the students with an understanding of the free enterprise system so that they can become better-educated consumers, employees, citizens and leaders.
- $15,000 to Mercy Health Center in Athens, which uses a combination of funding and volunteer medical help to provide free medical and dental care, to purchase a dental x-ray unit that will be used to provide dental care to the working poor, unemployed and/or disabled and the homeless.
- $15,000 to the Rotary Club of Madison County, to purchase pressure-treated lumber and materials to construct approximately 35 handicapped ramps for area residents, selected on the basis of need, who have suffered an illness or accident and are having difficulty leaving their home.
- $15,000 to the Single Parent Alliance and Resource Center in Norcross, to develop and print their Frontline Parenting Series, a program for single parents designed to increase communication and decrease the stress that can lead to violence, with curriculum ranging from traditional parenting classes to cross-gender classes that promote understanding between mothers and sons.
Individual Grant Recipients:
- $2,250 to a disabled cancer patient, for emergency dental work.
- $2,996 to a resident whose gas furnace no longer works and is using her oven to heat her home, for the purchase and installation of a heat pump.
- $3,500 to a family whose son's rare brain disorder has left him wheelchair-bound, for the down payment on a handicapped accessible van.
November 2005
The Operation Round Up board awarded grants in November 2005 totaling $76,575. Organizational grants totaled $75,500, while individuals received a combined $1,075.
Organizational grant recipients:
- $10,000 to Center Point, Gainesville, to assist with a counseling and mentoring program
- $15,000 to Family Promise, Snellville, for a portion of the down payment for permanent day center
- $15,000 to Gainesville State College for the Summer Scholars program to provide scholarships for underprivileged students
- $5,000 to the Gainesville/Hall County Alliance for Literacy to provide basic literary skills and GED testing
- $15,000 to the Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministry to help fund the emergency rent/mortgage assistance program
- $3,000 to the Lilburn Cooperative Ministry to help fund the emergency rent/mortgage assistance program
- $7,500 to NOA's Ark, Inc., in Dahlonega, to provide assistance with parenting classes that promoted effective parent-child interaction and prevent child abuse
- $5,000 to the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry to help fund the emergency rent/mortgage assistance program
Individual grant recipients:
- $350 to a Jackson County resident for emergency rent assistance
- $725 to a Gwinnett County resident for emergency rent assistance
October 2005
The Operation Round Up® board awarded its first round of grants in October 2005, totaling $54,383. Organizational grants totaled $49,500, while individuals received a combined $4,883.
Organizational grant recipients:
- $15,000 to The Good News Clinics, formerly named Good News Community Health Center, to cover one month's operating expenses for the medical, dental, eye care and pharmaceutical needs of its patients.
- $5,000 to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, Athens, to help provide Mobile Pantry Programs in five counties
- $4,000 to the Friends of the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia for an environmental education program and scholarships for underprivileged children
- $3,000 to the Guest House, Gainesville, to provide lunch and snacks for impaired older adults
- $13,000 for the Gwinnett County Association for Retarded Citizens to assist in construction of a new group home in Snellville
- $6,500 to Mercy Tree Ministries, Buford, to help provide job training for unemployed or underemployed individuals
- $3,000 to the Special Needs School of Gwinnett, Lawrenceville, to provide a music therapy program for children with special needs
Individual grant recipients:
- $550 for special shoes for adult with cerebral palsy
- $975 for installation cost for wheelchair lift for child with cerebral palsy
- $3,358 for a new furnace for single-income family
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