AACF Fall 2009 Grant Recipients
Youth Development (also cultural heritage, disability services, education, crime prevention, early learning):
Barrow Elementary School - $1,940.00
AACF’s grant will help Barrow’s 5th grade students complete a “Documenting History: Peering into the past through oral history and photography” project. With the new attendance zones in effect, this project equips all 5th grade students (both new and old) with the technology they need to capture and document the stories of Barrow Elementary, Athens, and their families. The equipment - digital cameras, books about oral history/writing/photography, and digital microphones - will remain accessible to students for future digital projects as well.
Butterfly Dreams Farm Therapeutic Riding Program - $625.00
Established in 2005, Butterfly Dreams Farm provides special needs children, ages 3 to 16, with hippotherapy and therapeutic riding lessons for $25/lesson. The Farm’s NARHA certified instructor works with volunteers to help provide lessons to 40 students annually with plans to increase numbers over year. AACF’s grant provides funds to purchase riding equipment specifically designed for therapeutic riding.
Clarke County School District Truancy Court - $2,000.00
Juvenile Court Judge Robin Shearer established a new Truancy Court in January 2009, but quickly found that she only had access to punitive measures to change student behavior. Best practices from similar programs around the country demonstrate a need for incentives to reward students who have made great strides in improving their daily school attendance. With AACF’s grant, CCSD Social Workers, Graduation Coaches, and the Juvenile Justice staff will be able to reward successful program participants with age-appropriate rewards including movie passes, books, and restaurant gift cards.
Salvation Army - $2,500.00
AACF’s grant will be used to purchase educational and digital resources for a new after-school program targeting Chase Street Elementary School students and homeless students in need of C.R.C.T. tutoring. This grant will augment funds from the Target Foundation that are helping renovate and purchase computers for the Salvation Army’s youth library across the street from Chase. Working in collaboration with Chase and the Homeless Education Program, afterschool activities will focus on custom learning objectives provided by teachers.
Success By 6 - $2,500.00
AACF’s grant will support the expansion of the Athens and Oconee Wee Read programs which provide a free, age-appropriate book each month for children from birth to age 6. The Wee Read programs currently serve 2,300 children with the goal of reaching all 9,700 children in Athens and Oconee counties. Wee Read is open to all children and actively registers children through the Performance Learning Center, Head Start, Healthy Families, Little One’s Academy, Department of Family and Children Services, Babies Can’t Wait, OB-GYN clinics, and local hospitals.
Triple Play Foundation’s Fowler Drive Elementary program - $1,000.00
The Triple Play Foundation runs the College Can Program in partnership with Fowler Drive Elementary School and UGA’s Department of Public Administration. This program provides Fowler Drive students with enrichment activities on UGA’s campus as well as a trip to Jekyll Island’s 4 - H Environmental Education Program. AACF’s grant will help leverage funding for seventy-five 5th grade students to participate in the Jekyll classes which incorporate science, math, social studies, language arts and history in small teaching groups.
Economic & Workforce Development (also education, crime prevention, and transportation):
Athens Justice Project - $2,500.00
AACF’s grant will allow AJP to expand its AtWERC program (Athens Workforce Enhancement Reentry Curriculum) to serve 60 graduates while maintaining the standard of 90% of graduates gaining employment within 6 weeks of completion of program. AJP launched their AtWERC program in December 2007 to address the unique barriers that come with having a criminal conviction and its negative impact on employment. In addition to attending this 8 week course, AJP also provides psycho social and legal assistance to reduce recidivism and aid in reentry after incarceration.
Athens-Clarke Literacy Council - $1,000.00
AACF’s grant will help ACLC provide GED scholarships ($75 of the $95 fee) to test-ready/success-proven, financially needy individuals. ACLC estimates at between 10,000 and 11,000 adults in ACC are without a diploma (14% of adults). The only testing center in Athens, Athens Technical College, estimates at 30-40% of those taking the exam are in need of financial assistance. AACF’s grant will be paired with a grant from the Athens Rotary Club to enable ACLC to meet 80% of the local need. ACLC will work with local GED trainers - Athens Regional Library, Athens Tech, Department of Corrections, Women to the World, Athens Urban Ministries, and Classic City High School - to recruit scholarship applicants.
BikeAthens Ride Home - $1,560.00
BikeAthens is donating 60 reconditioned adult bicycles to local service agencies through its Bicycle Recycling Program. Donated bicycles allow local agencies like the Athens Area Homeless Shelter, DUI-Drug Court of Athens, and Community Connection to identify clients in need of transportation to work and appointments. AACF’s grant will be used to purchase helmets, lights, and locks for these 60 bicycles. Since its inception in 2003, this Bicycle Recycling Program has donated 365 bicycles to the community.
Access to Health Care (also elder care and critical needs):
Athens Community Council on Aging - $1,500.00
This grant supports the Council’s Nutty For Nutrition program, a 6-week course providing low-income seniors who are at-risk for nutrition-related health issues access to an educational series of healthy diet and cooking classes in collaboration with UGA's Cooperative Extension Office. Overt 8% of the Athens-Clarke County population is aged 65 years and older and of those older adults, 13.4% live below the federal poverty level. AACF’s grant will help purchase kitchen equipment as well as food and supplies to impact 120 people.
Cancer Foundation of Northeast Georgia - $2,500.00
The Cancer Foundation of Northeast Georgia provides short term, emergency monetary assistance to financially eligible cancer patients through healthcare referrals. AACF’s grant will support the expansion of the Cancer Foundation’s Financial Assistance Program which helps patients avoid poverty by paying for rent/mortgage payments, utility bills, pharmacy prescriptions not covered by insurance, insurance premiums, co-payments, nutritional assistance and equipment. The Cancer Foundation is the only local agency granting for insurance costs and they work closely with other cancer support agencies to fill the gaps. The Cancer Foundation has a goal of providing $40,000 in assistance to 150 patients by 2010.
Building Community (also empowerment, housing, and family development):
Georgia Clients Council - $1,000.00
The Georgia Clients Council has engaged residents of Bethel Midtown Village to coordinate resources and build capacity for its community leaders. AACF’s grant will support a community-based point person to work with the 50 community leaders and stakeholders who met in April 2009 to discuss the crime crisis in Bethel as well as help residents address other concerns regarding education and employment.
Interfaith Hospitality Network - $1,000.00
Interfaith Hospitality Network helps homeless families obtain sustainable independence through case management and emergency shelter by host church congregations. AACF’s grant will help IHN purchase new Rollaway Bed Mattresses and pillows for use by network guests and host volunteers. Volunteers come from 24 local congregations with coordination from IHN staff.
Prevent Child Abuse Athens - Father Involvement Initiative - $3,375.00
Prevent Child Abuse Athens is launching a Father Involvement Initiative, a parenting series for men on probation who are referred by the courts. AACF’s grant will support classes taking place at the Department of Corrections' Day Reporting Center. This Parenting Skills class will reach 64 men and is geared toward breaking the cycle family violence, substance abuse, and poverty while helping fathers become nurturing parents.