Ottawa County nonprofits receive grants in June
PORT CLINTON - The Ottawa County Community Foundation (OCCF) awarded more than $76,500 in community grants and special awards, including the fourth annual Joy Roth Little Tiger Award, to 34 local nonprofit organizations during its annual awards presentation at Catawba Island Club.
“Year after year, the Foundation sees the needs in our community, and it is so uplifting to know that we have been a part of the solution in meeting those needs,” said Grants Chair Mary Coffee. “We are very thankful that we have had this opportunity to improve the quality of life for so many.”
The OCCF grants program supports county efforts in the fields of health, safety, human services, education, the environment and the arts. Funding is made possible through private donations and earnings from numerous unrestricted community funds and donor advised funds held by OCCF. Now in its 25th anniversary year, OCCF has awarded more than $1.2 million in community grants, and the Foundation has distributed more than $8 million total in grants and scholarships, since its inception.
The grants announced June 20 include:
Arc of Ottawa Count, Summer camp for children with disabilities; Courageous Community Services, For adults/children with disabilities; Cancer Services, Cancer services for cancer patients and families; Cast It Forward, Fishing excursions for veterans, kids, and seniors; Catawba Island Historical Society, Rewiring electrical system in museum annex; Cultivate the Clover of Ottawa County, 4-H camp for youth/leadership skills for counselors;
Firelands Symphony Orchestra, Free pops concert at Marblehead Lighthouse; Friends of Ida Rupp Library, Increase locations of Little Free Libraries; Friends of Ottawa County Parks, Bike Safety Camp; Genoa Area Community Food Pantry, Two new freezers and one refrigerator; Heartbeat Pregnancy Center, Safe Haven baby box at fire station;
Joyful Connections, Replace and upgrade security cameras; Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center, Live animal displays and educational toys; Liberty Aviation Museum, Granite for base of Harold Brown statue; Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society, Semi-annual concerts for lighthouse visitors; Musical Arts Series, Port Clinton Live concerts for seniors; Oak Harbor Alliance Chapel Food Pantr, Commercial kitchen for free community meals;
Oak House, Renovate garden/meditation space for members and peers; Ottawa County Family Advocacy Center, Provide 24/7 access to food and basic needs; Ottawa County Holiday Bureau, Vouchers to purchase food; Ottawa County Museum, Archival materials for Purple Heart artifacts and display; Ottawa County Senior Resources, Items for senior citizens to stay warm in winter;
Port Clinton Firefighters Association; Certify full-time personnel to capacity of career firefighter; Portage Fire District Firefighters Association, Fire blanket and blowers for fighting field fires; Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau, Intern for Chamber of Commerce office; Schedel Arboretum and Gardens, Science camp (four weeks.) and art camp (one week); Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Build and deliver beds to children in need;
St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Emergency food through Esther's Table and The Vineyard; St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Food and certificates to those in need in Port Clinton; Team VIAC, Website upgrade to reach more veterans and community; The Salvation Army, Residential summer camp for underserved youth; and Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Ban, Increase access to food in underserved communities.
During the awards breakfast, the foundation presented its 2024 Joy Roth Little Tiger Award to Light House Sober Living, a non-profit organization which provides recovery housing for residents of Ottawa and Erie Counties.OCCF Founder Joy Roth, a fan of the Auburn University Tigers football team, was known by family and friends to be a “little tiger” herself. When she died in 2020, the OCCF Board, with the support of Joy’s husband Jeff Roth, sought to establish this special recognition to honor her legacy. The award recognizes similar champions who go above and beyond to give back to the community.
“When we at Light House think of the OCCF, the words community, compassion, help, support, caring and love quickly come to mind,” said Kenn Bower, Jr., Executive Director of Light House Sobor Living. “I then picture Joy’s face and her friendly smile. She was like the wizard behind the curtain. We often take in people who come to us with little or nothing to their name. Together, we work to build them up to become productive citizens and show them they can have a life worth living. We teach our residents how to care for themselves and others, and become members of a sober community and the community in general. With help from the Foundation, we are able to help them get counseling, rebuild their relationships, develop spirituality, gain employment, and learn that they can have fun in sobriety.” For information, visit lighthousesoberliving.org.
For details about OCCF’s community efforts, visit ottawaccf.org or contact Executive Director Shea McGrew, 419-635-7750, ottawaccf@gmail.com.
The News-Messenger/News Herald
This article originally appeared on Port Clinton News Herald: Ottawa County Community Foundation gives money to 32 agencies
