In the words of our $100,000 Grant Finalists . . .
Kiwanis – “$1,500 can impact a child’s life forever! Kiwanis Summer Camp provides children ages 9-16 a week at YMCA camp. During this time, they experience amazing opportunities to learn team building, leadership, and individual skills. They participate in stand-up paddle board, archery, and other physical activities. Each child is provided with all the items on the YMCA what to pack list, which then become school clothes for the school year. Transportation is provided by the Fannin County School buses. Impact Fannin’s grant of $100,000 will allow the Kiwanis to send 33 campers in both 2024 & 2025.”
Open Arms – “Open Arms – Simply put, Impact 100 Fannin’s grant, if directed to The Open Arms Home for Children (OA), will change the lives of those who need it most. Grant funds, specifically earmarked to enhance our deeply emotional intake process, bathrooms, and transportation vehicle, will address three of OA’s most strategic needs. Impact can be defined as “the force of impression of one thing on another”. Impact 100 Fannin is truly a force and the impression you will make in the lives of local young girls in need will be immediate and residual.”
Project Chimps – “The Project Chimps grant request is for funding for the Phase II expansion–the Annex. We are a young nonprofit in Fannin County (next year is the 10th anniversary) and the Annex expansion will draw more visitors from around the world to see chimpanzees! We are also providing educational opportunities to other nonprofits and schools in the community. We owe it to these sentient beings after decades used in biomedical research for our health and wellbeing, to retire to sanctuary.”
In the words of our $25,000 Grant Finalists . . .
CASA – “CASA of the Appalachian Judicial Circuit recruits, screens, trains, and supports community volunteers advocating for the best interest of a child in Juvenile Dependency Court. Objectives: Increase CASA volunteers by 80%, Enhanced Advocacy for each child, Better Outcomes result in safer environments and timely permanency. Impact: With more CASA volunteers, we can serve a greater number of children, ensuring their needs are met and increasing their chances of finding stable, loving homes.”
The Craddock Center – “The Craddock Center prepares Fannin’s 235 3- and 4- year-olds for Kindergarten. Your support will bring the Children’s Enrichment Program into the classrooms for 30 weeks each year for two years. We create learning experiences that build school readiness, imagination, emerging literacy skills, and creativity. We will also provide four new books to each child each year. As we prepare our children for kindergarten, we reduce the dropout rates in our high schools and increase the percentage of students who will enter post high school education including technical schools.”
Lake Blue Ridge Marine Detachment – “Our projects are ongoing and do not have a start/finish time. Toys for Tots is in its eighth year; we have been building handicap ramps and conducting funeral honors, etc. for five years. The population eligible for Toys for Tots has remained level. The other two functions are increasing due to the aging Veteran population in this county. Most of the grant funds would be spent on the last two functions. The only way we continue to meet these needs efficiently is with help.”
