Recent Grant Awards

The Foundation is committed to improving our community through the grants awarded from the Community Grant Fund. In 2008, more than $60,500 was awarded from the Foundation’s Community Grant Fund. Funding support for this fund is provided by the income generated at the Foundation’s fundraising events. Donors, who participate in these events, make it possible for the Foundation Board of Directors, with assistance from the Foundation’s Grant Committee to make these grant awards.

2009 Community Grant Awards

Girls & Boys Club of Hamilton
Summer Programming
$2,500 was awarded to support summer programming for disadvantaged youth from West Chester and Liberty Townships.

Citizens Against Domestic Violence
Teen Violence Prevention Program
$2,500 was granted to support a Teen Violence Prevention Program to be hosted in the Lakota School District.

Parachute: Special Advocates for Children of Butler County
CASA Program
$1,400 was provided to support their CASA volunteer training program.

West Chester/Union Township Historical Society
Archaeological dig
$1,000 was granted to support a archaeological dig in West Chester along to Miami-Erie Canal.

Xavier University
West Chester Law Enforcement Mental Response Training
$4,625 was awarded to provide West Chester law enforcement officers with a Mental Health Response Training Program.

2008 Community Grant Awards

American Heritage Girls
HUGS Program
$1,500 was awarded to the American Heritage Girls to support their HUGS Program. The program provides children, who have been removed from abusive and neglectful homes with a duffel bag filled with miscellaneous items. These items bring comfort to these children during a difficult transition.

American Red Cross
Disaster Emergency Services
$2,000 was provided to support the Mass Care Disaster Responder Program in Butler County. The program provides mass care, such as food, water and other critical supplies to the first responders and clients in West Chester and Liberty Townships.

Axis Teen Centers
Edge Center
$3,000 was awarded to Axis Teen Centers to support the development of a Life Skills Room at The Edge, a new teen center located near Lakota East High School. In addition to the like skills courses, the center will offer social activities, counseling and community service opportunities to students in grades 9-12.

Companions on a Journey
Grief Support for Resident in West Chester and Liberty
$5,000 in grant funds were provided to support the bereavement services offered through the Hope Strength and Healing Classes, as well as, the Teens in Grief Program that is offered within the Lakota School District.

Council on Child Abuse of Southern Ohio Inc.
Kids Matter Speakers Series
$5,000 was awarded to support the Council’s Kids Matter Speaker Series. The series is designed to stimulate greater public awareness about child abuse and prevention. The program serves as an impetus to further dialogue in our community.

Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra
Concert on the Lake
$2,500 was awarded to the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra to support the Concert on the Lake held at the Voice of America Park. The annual event is offered to all members of our community and featured music from the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra, as well as the West Chester Symphony.

Hearing Speech & Deaf Center of Greater Cincinnati
West Chester Services
$7,500 was provided to the Hearing, Speech and Deaf Center of Greater Cincinnati to support their West Chester office. The office located off of Beckett Road provides speech pathology and speech mapping services to area residents, regardless of their ability to pay. In addition, staff spends time in local schools educating area children on hearing loss and prevention techniques.

Lakota Local Schools
Student Response System Collaborative Project
$3,500 was awarded to Lakota Schools to purchase student response systems. Otherwise known as “clickers” these instructional devises engage students in the learning process. Data collected from the use of the clickers can diagnose and measure student comprehension and give instant feedback to educators.

Mid-Miami Healthcare Foundation
Advancing Care for a Healthier Community
$2,600 was granted to the Mid-Miami Healthcare Foundation to support their new Heart Center facility at the Atrium Medical Center in Middletown. The Heart Center provides state-of-the-art care to residents of West Chester and Liberty Townships.

One Way Farm
Boy Shelter Furnishings
$1,600 was granted to provide new furnishing for the boy’s shelter at One Way Farm. The additional family room and bedroom furniture provides adequate seating and storage for the 20 boys who live at the shelter. The home provides a loving environment to children in need of a temporary emergency shelter or a long-term permanent placement.

Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
Dog Fence for Facility
$1,000 was granted to PAWS to support the addition of fencing on their property. The new fence expands their facility, while providing and safe, grassy area for the dogs to play.

Reach Out Lakota
Program Support
$9,000 was provided to support the operations of Reach Out Lakota (ROL). ROL provides a hand up to local residents who have fallen on hard times, by proving support to cover basic food and clothing needs. The agency also provides extra assistance to families through their Back to School Program, Christmas Program and Thanksgiving Drive.

St. Gabriel Consolidated School
Science Lab Enhancements
$1,000 was awarded to purchase new science equipment for the refurbished science lab. The new equipment provides more hands-on learning opportunities for the students and encourages them to get interested in math and science.

School House Symphony
Teaching Tomorrow’s Audience Today
$2,400 was awarded to support music education programs to children in the Lakota School District. The performances cover a variety of topics, including instruments, instrument families, American music and dance.

Supports to Encourage Low Income Individuals
Project 2 Empower
$4,000 was awarded to enhance and continue the Project 2 Empower program that links individuals and families with the skills and resources to become more self-sufficient. The program strengthens the ability to improve economic stability. Program participants create individualized service plans that set financial, emotional and physical goals.

Talbert House
North Star Renovations
$5,000 was granted to support renovations to the Talbert’s House North Star facility, located in Butler County. The center provides services to adolescent girls aged 12-17 with significant behavioral problems. Grant funds will allow the center to complete renovations that will allow for a warmer, homelike atmosphere for the girls. This improvement will create pleasant surroundings in hope of improving how the girls feel and increasing their self-esteem.

Timber Hill Restoration Coalition
Permanent Wall Tents
$2,500 was awarded to support the addition of permanent wall tents at Camp Timber Hill. The campground, which works with the MetroParks of Butler County, provides area youth the opportunity to foster independent, respect, self-confidence, leadership, teamwork and appreciation of the natural world.

West Chester Fire Department
Hearing Impaired Fire Alarms
$460.66 was awarded to provide smoke alarms designed for the hearing impaired. These devices are provided to residents of West Chester who need the special equipment to remain safe in their home in the case of a fire or other emergency.