News

Over $228,000 awarded to Erie County nonprofits

Huron Insider

SANDUSKY – The Erie County Community Foundation has awarded $228,805 in charitable grants to numerous Erie County non-profits, schools, and municipalities.

In total, the nonprofit, whose goal is to “the quality of life in Erie County,” distributed funds to 29 separate projects in this first round of grants for 2024.

The foundation focuses its efforts on several priority areas, including:

  • Addressing workforce gaps and creating employment opportunities
  • Removing barriers to transportation
  • Addressing hunger and homelessness
  • Providing high quality food for all
  • Ensuring a healthy and vibrant Lake Erie, and improving public accessibility to it and its waterways
  • Broadening access to mental health and addiction services
  • Supporting seniors and their caregivers
  • Creating neighborhoods that thrive
  • Supporting Erie County’s children – from improving access to childcare to providing creative and experiential education opportunities

The organizations that were awarded in this grant cycle are the following:

  • Animal House Sober Club, Sober Hang Out Spot – $3,000
  • Back to the Wild, Inc., Wildlife Orphan Fund – $2,300
  • Bellevue Society for the Arts, Purchase the Rights, Scripts and Music for the Play “Beauty and the Beast” – $3,650
  • Bowling Green State University FBO McBride Arboretum, McBride Arboretum Accessibility Project – $10,000
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, Providing Nutritious Meals to Erie County Youth – $15,000
  • CityStrong, Stand in the Gap Care – $10,000
  • Erie County CASA Program, Website Design and Management – $5,179
  • Erie County Economic Development Corp., Firelands Forward – Employer Resource Network (ERN) – $15,000
  • Erie County Economic Development Corp., Downtown Sandusky Banner Project – $13,000
  • Erie Metro Live Steamers, Track Rebuild Utilizing Non-Wood Ties and Non-Rusting Screws to Insure Safety – $7,500
  • Erie Metropolitan Housing Authority, Meals on Wheels Warmer – $2,600
  • Erie Soil and Water Conservation District, Reducing Barriers to Conservation on the Farm – $15,000
  • Father’s Heart Ministry, New Shelving for walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer – $9,871
  • Firelands Symphony Orchestra, FSO Tunes for Tuesday & Around Town Tours – $9,000
  • First Christian Church FBO Obediah’s Hope: An Equine Ministry, Obediah’s Hope Equine Riding Arena – $2,000
  • Huron Public Library, Entertainment and Education on the Go – $4,500
  • Kelley’s Island Local School District, KI Field Station – Project Wet Workshop for Educators – $3,164
  • Leadership Ohio, Lake Erie Love – $5,000
  • Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, Wish Granting in Erie County – $2,000
  • Nehemiah Partners of Sandusky, Kids Empowerment Initiative – $9,800
  • North Point Educational Service Center, Erie County Crisis Team – $2,150
  • OHgo, Traveling Summer Kid Pantry and School Pantries – $20,000
  • Ohio Guidestone, Bringing Expressive Arts to Therapy Groups in Erie County – $10,000
  • Perkins Local Schools, Perkins Pirates Robotics FIRST Robotics Competitions – $5,000
  • Perkins Township, Baseball for All – $1,500
  • Sandusky Area Maritime Association, Restoring Maritime History: The Restoration of Oscar Lay’s 1939 Lyman Custom – $4,000
  • Sandusky City Schools, Grandparent Initiative: Supporting Grandparents (age 60+) who are Raising Grandchildren – $10,525
  • Vermilion Schools Athletic Boosters, Inc., Field the Future: Sailors Anchor Project – $20,000
  • Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Quinn Preserve Extension at Kelleys Island – $8,066

The Erie County Community Foundation was founded and has distributed over $23 million to area non-profits for local projects, programs, scholarships, services, and initiatives which the goal of improving Erie County.

This article was written by Nate Hinners. Contact Nate at nhinners@huroninsider.com.