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News & Happenings

Highland County non-profits receive regional Foundation grants

Two non-profit organizations in Highland County recently received grants for educationalSouthern Ohio ESC check presentation programs through the 2007 Fostering Access to Education Mini-Grant program in Appalachian Ohio.

The organizations are two of 17 grantees receiving a total of $70,000 in funding awarded to area nonprofits through the mini-grants program, a partnership between the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville (OHFN), the Ohio Children’s Foundation (OCF) and the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO).

Southern State Community College has partnered with the Highland County Chamber of Commerce to use the college’s $3,100 grant to support a new program that will take high school juniors on site visits of local manufacturing companies to educate them about career opportunities in the field.

“The chamber is proud to be able to receive this grant and partner with SSCC to begin this workforce development program for Highland County,” said Katy Farber, president of the Highland County Chamber of Commerce. “Having an educated workforce in manufacturing is key to securing the economic future of the county.”

Southern Ohio Educational Service Center, also located in Highland County, received a $5,000 grant from the regional initiative. The grant will be used to support “Ready for School” goals by aligning preschool curriculum with Kindergarten requirements and providing training and toolkits for teachers and parents. The “Ready for School” goals are measurements identified by the Highland County P-16 Council to ensure preschool students are prepared for Kindergarten-level work.    

“We are really excited about the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio and working with groups in the community that will benefit from this program,” said Robert Dalton of the Southern Ohio ESC.

The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio is the managing partner for the mini-grants initiative and is a 501(c)(3) public charity and regional community foundation. FAO’s mission is to enrich the current and future quality of life in the 29 counties of Appalachian Ohio by fostering access to opportunity.

2007 is the third year for the regional partnership and mini-grants program. Past distributions have focused on improving quality of life and access to opportunity in Appalachian Ohio. Since the program’s inception in 2004, more than $213,000 has been awarded to regional non-profits. Projects were recommended for funding by the FAO Grants and Program Advisory Committee, which was comprised of 11 leaders from the region. Many grantees also are able to use the mini-grant dollars to leverage more funding for their programs.

For more information on the Southern State Community College workforce program, contact Katy Farber at 937-393-1111.

To learn more about the Southern Ohio ESC and the “Ready for School” program, contact Robert Dalton at 937