A number of local nonprofits and community organizations are receiving 2022 grant funding made possible from sales at a local thrift store.
Faith, Hope and Charity Recycle Store Inc. recently made its grant award announcements, and recipients were invited to lunch receptions at the Industrial Boulevard recycle store to talk about how they use the grant funding.
A total of $260,000 in monthly and annual grant funding was awarded to the following recipients: Appalachian Children’s Center, Three Rivers Boys and Girls Club, Brooks Hill Apartments, Gilmer Christian Learning Center, The Craddock Center, Gilmer Family Connection, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Friends of the Gilmer Animal Shelter (FOGAS), Gilmer Arts, Gilmer Community Food Pantry, Heartlife Hospice, Gilmer County Library, Isaiah House, Gilmer Senior Center, North Georgia Community Action, Gilmer Learning Center, Greater Gilmer Community Authority, Homeward Bound Pet Rescue, Joy House, Kids Ferst, Gilmer Kids Kottage, Mountain Wisdom Inc., New Beginnings for Gilmer County, Promise Land Ministries, Redemption Outreach and Gilmer Toys for Tots.
“(These receptions) are more for us than for you, believe it or not. We’re (grateful) for the opportunity to hear what you do for the community,” said Paul Compton, of FHC, to grant recipients during a grant reception held March 14.
Andrea Gibby, Appalachian Children’s Center director, was among the nonprofit representatives who spoke that afternoon.
Gibby said the local child advocacy center works with children who’ve experienced some type of trauma, which could include physical abuse, sexual abuse or neglect. The center works with the Appalachian Judicial Circuit and provides multiple resources, including mental health counseling, she noted.
“We are so appreciative of this group of people who do what you do and give resources to our families and money to continue doing the work we do,” Gibby told FHC staff and board members.
Appalachian Children’s Center typically sees around 400 children a year, and almost half those may be new cases, Gibby noted. The FHC grant funds help the center in various ways, including providing gas cards to attending families.
“Today we are seeing five new children with cases that have never come through our center before,” Gibby said. “About 60 percent of the kids we see, their family income is under $40,000 and about half of (them are) under $20,000 annually. If families don’t have transportation or gas, they’re not going to get to the services they need. We give them gas cards to come to our center, to go to medical appointments and any number of things. Sometimes kids have to go to Atlanta to a children’s hospital, and we (also) help those families with that.”
Kirk Cameron, director of the Craddock Center, said FHC grant funding helps the Cherry Log nonprofit provide new books to preK and Head Start students in a nine-county area, which includes Gilmer.
“Thank you for all the support you provide. I wish you could see the smiles of these kids when we go to them. For many of the children we serve, the only books they get are the three books they get from us each year,” said Cameron at the reception.
“March 2 was Read Across America Day, which is also Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Because of your help, we were able to deliver all 1,200 of the children we serve a new Dr. Seuss book,” he added.
Cameron said the Craddock Center’s signature Children’s Enrichment Program is getting back into schools after not being able to do so for much of the pandemic.
“We bring in storytelling, songs, puppets, books and things to make them move and use their muscles, follow instructions and socialize with other kids,” he added.
Joy Ford, of North Georgia Community Action, said the FHC grant helps make various activities at the Gilmer Senior Center possible.
In-person activities like Bingo and shuffleboard weren’t available at the Senior Center, located in downtown Ellijay at 111 North Gilmer Street, during some of the pandemic. The center has since reopened and has been fully operational since last year, Ford noted.
“Without the partnerships we have with the food bank, you guys (FHC) and some of the other organizations, we wouldn’t be able to do those things for our seniors. Anybody who’s a senior can come. We try to provide an active place where they can interact with each other, make friends and have lots of fun for the day,” she said.
Joan Compton, FHC grant committee chair, said the March 14 grant reception was the first one the recycle store had hosted in two years, also because of the pandemic.
Last year’s recycle store sales totaled almost $800,000, Compton said. The combination of volunteers staffing the recycle store, items being donated by the local community and customers shopping there makes the grant awards possible each year, she noted.
“It seems as though I learn something more about all the organizations (each time), even though I’ve been doing it for years. We have some amazing volunteers, and we have such a wonderful group of people who work tirelessly for the community,” Compton said.