OCCF Awards $54K In Community Grants

The grants were handed out during the second grant cycle of 2020.

(Rising Sun, Ind.) - The Ohio County Community Foundation awarded a total of $54,303.85 in Community Grants during the second grant cycle of 2020. The grants were funded through endowment funds established within the Foundation by donors with the wish to provide perpetual grant funds to non-profit organizations serving Ohio County. Each organization could request up to $5,000. The grants were funded by the Ohio County Today & Tomorrow Endowment Fund, (OCTT), established by the City of Rising Sun and Ohio County, and endowment funds established by donors in memory or honor of a person(s) or loved one(s). The endowment funds providing the grant funds are listed with each grant award.

· Dearborn-Ohio County Prosecutor’s Office for the Special Crimes Unit, awarded $1,949 to update and provide an additional cellular analysist work station, funded by the OCTT Fund and the Todd Burgess Memorial Endowment Fund.

· Rising Sun Church of the Nazarene, awarded $5,000 towards the removal, treatment and prevention of a bat infestation, funded by the OCTT Fund and the Mike Padgett Community Endowment Fund.

· Rising Sun Ohio County School Corporation, awarded $5,000 towards the cost to upgrade the classroom door locks at Rising Sun High School to a fob system that interacts with the staff’s current fob system, funded by the OCTT Fund and the Dennis & Angie Elliott Endowment Fund.

· Ohio County Historical Society, awarded $5,000 to purchase 2 filing cabinets, office equipment and supplies for the genealogy research area, video equipment to produce historic videos, a power lectern and folding stage for presentations and the purchase of a new conference table, funded by the OCTT Fund and the Rising Sun Rotary Endowment Fund.

· Rising Sun First Baptist Church (for the After Prom Event), awarded $5,000 towards the implementation of the 2021 After Prom Event for Rising Sun High School students and guests, funded by the OCTT Fund and the Eunice Kittle Performing Arts Endowment Fund.

· Rising Sun Volunteer Fire Department, awarded $5,000 towards the purchase of equipment to mount and run a MDT (Mobile Data Terminal) from the firetruck dash board to allow improved communications with dispatchers, officers and other emergency service departments, funded by the OCTT Fund, the Amado Mauricio, MD Memorial Endowment and the Dr. Art Jay Community Endowment.

· Region 15 Children’s Advocacy Center, Inc., awarded $3,500 to purchase new furniture and décor for the main waiting area and family meeting room, funded by the OCTT Fund.

· Ohio County Youth Development, awarded $5,000 towards the purchase of a fork lift to safely move, clean up and store heavy equipment during the Ohio County 4-H Fair, funded by the OCTT Fund and the Donna Moore Community Endowment Fund.

· Rising Sun Municipal Utilities, awarded $5,000 towards the purchase of a Thermal Imaging Camera to be used to determine where an electrical failure could occur to lessen outages and electrical down time, funded by the OCTT Fund and the Ynez Taylor Community Fund.

· City of Rising Sun/City Council, awarded $5,000 towards the purchase of 6 fireproof cabinets, funded by the OCTT Fund and the Gene Siekman Memorial Endowment Fund.

· Ohio County Convention Tourism & Visitor’s Commission, awarded $5,000 to create “Pop Up Shops” for local entrepreneurs and artist to set up and introduce their products, funded by the OCTT Fund.

· Ohio County for the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department, awarded $3,854.85 to replace bullet proof vests that have exceeded their expiration date, funded by the OCTT Fund, the Galbreath Vineyard Endowment Fund and the Dillion “Dill” Dorrell, Jr. Endowment Fund.

The Ohio County Community Foundation was established in 1998 to build, manage and distribute a lasting source of charitable funds to non-profit organizations whose services benefit the residents of Ohio County. To learn more about the endowments that funded the Grant Cycle II Grants, to make a donation to a fund or establish a fund, visit the Foundation website at occfrisingsun.com or contact the Foundation staff at 812-438-9401. Donations are tax-deductible in most cases. The Ohio County Community Foundation is located at 330 Industrial Access Drive, Rising Sun.