30 Community Partners Receive $652,047 in Grants

John Randolph Foundation awarded grants of $652,047 to 30 area nonprofit organizations in a ceremony on Thursday, July 22, 2021.

“We are extremely pleased to have opened our doors again here in Hopewell for an in-person grant awards ceremony, said Kevin S. Foster, Director of Programs. “Although we chose to limit the number of attendees, the spirt of community service and philanthropy was as strong as ever. Five new grantees (Charles City County, Colonial Heights Fire and EMS, CultureWorks, Kay F. Toombs Memorial Foundation, and New Hope Rescue) are poised to do great work in our service area along with 25 other grant recipients currently making a positive impact.”

Michelle Johnson, Charles City County Administrator, and Scott Garka, President of CultureWorks, represent two of five first-time grantee organizations.

The Foundation’s Health Legacy Fund was created from the proceeds of the sale of John Randolph Medical Center in 1995. The grants are listed according to the Foundation’s funding priorities: Health and Access to Care, Quality of Life, and Education.

HEALTH AND ACCESS TO CARE

The ALS Association: $5,000 to provide care and support to area residents diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Bensley-Bermuda Volunteer Rescue Squad: $3,369 to provide personal protective equipment for first responders. Made possible by the Frederick T. Gray and Evelyn J. Gray Memorial Endowment.

Central Virginia Health Services: $120,000 to provide quality medical, dental, and behavioral healthcare for uninsured and underinsured people at the Hopewell-Prince George Community Health Center and to operate Susie’s Fund for Medication Assistance that provides free medications for people who cannot afford them.  Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund and the Ursula M. Gibbs Medication Endowment Fund.

Charles City County: $40,000 to develop a Permanent Food Pantry to significantly reduce food insecurity in the county. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

City of Refuge-Hopewell Recovery Center: $25,000 to provide drug addiction recovery efforts in our community. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Colonial Heights Fire and EMS: $11,300 to provide pre-hospital reporting of patient information and first responder procedures. This information allows hospitals to prepare for immediate care of patients upon arrival. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Crater Community Hospice: $10, 000 to support respite care services and complimentary therapies for hospice care patients and their caregivers. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund, the Frederick T. Gray and Evelyn J. Gray Memorial Endowment, and the A Round to Remember Fund in Memory of Jimmy Brantley.

CrossOver Healthcare Ministry: $15,000 to provide quality, primary medical care for uninsured residents of Southern Central Virginia. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund and the Frederick T. Gray and Evelyn J. Gray Memorial Endowment.

Feed More: $15,000 to support the Meals on Wheels program within the Tri-Cities area, providing more than 72,000 meals annually. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

 Hopewell Food Pantry: $25,000 to support access to healthy food for people in need in Hopewell and to support operations of the Food Pantry. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

 Kay F. Toombs Memorial Foundation: $5,000 to support the Infant Intervention Program at District 19 in Petersburg focusing on children with disabilities from birth to three years of age. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Lucy Corr Foundation: $7,500 to increase access to oral health screenings and care for uninsured and underinsured senior citizens in the Tri-Cities area. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers: $20,000 to enhance healthy behaviors with emphasis on active lifestyles and healthy choices through the Kids Run programs. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Reach Out for Life: $20,000 to support the Free Mammography Outreach Program in Hopewell, Prince George and the Tri-Cities area. This program navigates women to receive mammograms who could not otherwise afford this invaluable diagnostic and early detection of breast cancer. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Sussex County: $4,159 t0 purchase basic and advanced life support equipment for a rapid response vehicle allowing for faster patient care and stabilization before arrival of an ambulance crew. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

SwimRVA: $45,000 to provide swim lessons to second graders in Hopewell elementary schools, and expand programming to include students who were unable to participate due to 2020 pandemic closures and also to begin lessons for students in one Prince George County elementary schools. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Virginia Dental Association Foundation: $15,000 to restore underserved and eligible low-income older adults and adults with disabilities to good oral health by matching them with volunteer dentists, specialists and dental laboratories that provide comprehensive free treatment. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

QUALITY OF LIFE

Beacon Theatre, LLC: $50,519 to provide an improved and adaptable lighting system to customize lighting and effects to the needs of performers. Made possible by the Ursula M. Gibbs Endowment for the Benefit of the Beacon Theatre.

CultureWorks, Inc.: $24,300 to support a CultureWorks team member dedicated to building relationships and executing the Tri-Cities Action plan to elevate arts and culture initiatives in the community. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Historic Hopewell Foundation: $45,605 to continue the preservation of Weston Manor and to develop a new Welcome Center for visitors to the historic site. Made possible by the Ursula M. Gibbs Endowment for the Benefit of Weston Manor.

Holiday Helper Association: $5,000 t0 support the 2020 Holiday Helper Toy Store at Fort Lee, which offers free shopping experiences for command-nominated junior military members – including all branches of the military, Reservists, National Guard, Wounded Warriors and surviving spouses. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR): $800 to create a Native Plant Garden at the University Boulevard Trailhead, a central public access point along the Appomattox River Trail. The garden of native species will beautify the entrance to the trail and create a natural border along the edge of the river and bridge. Made possible by the Tri-Cities Environmental Endowment Fund.

FOLAR’s Director of Development Kiffy Werkheiser and Board of Directors Chair Sam Hayes. FOLAR received the first grant awarded by the new Tri-Cities Environmental Endowment Fund.

New Hope Rescue: $850 to support the care of abandoned, abused, neglected and stray animals including horses, pigs, sheep, goats, cows, rabbits, birds and fowl, dogs and cats, and other species. Made possible by the Sharpe Family Community Fund.

The James House: $20,000 to support children and teens affected by domestic violence and stalking, and to prevent abuse through education in schools and in the community. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

EDUCATION

Appomattox Regional Library System: $21,145 to support programs and operations at eight branch libraries that serve the community by providing life-long learning and the exchange of ideas with the effective use of traditional library resources and emerging technology. Made possible by the Appomattox Regional Library System Endowed Fund.

 Big Brothers, Big Sisters: $35,000 to transform lives of at-risk students with strong and enduring mentoring relationships with adults in all Hopewell elementary schools.  Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

 GRreat Aspirations Scholarship Program: $7,500 to provide in-school financial aid advising for students in Hopewell to help them achieve their post-secondary educational goals. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

 Hopewell City Public Schools: $25,000 to support the Early College Scholars (ECS) program that merges three college pathway programs, providing rigorous academic programs for students traditionally underrepresented in higher education. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Smart Beginnings Southeast: $15,000 to support quality early childhood care and education designed to bring about higher levels of school readiness for children entering kindergarten. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

Special Olympics Virginia, Inc.: $15,000 to support Unified Champion Schools® (UCS) that use sports as a catalyst for social inclusion and attitude and behavioral change. UCS builds unified, inclusive environments where school-age children, with and without disabilities, may succeed. Made possible by the Health Legacy Fund.

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This post was written by AJ James