Foundation for Roanoke Valley Awards Grant to LEAP for Local Food

Foundation for Roanoke Valley announced today it has awarded $26,420 to LEAP for Local Food to support its community market in the West End Neighborhood.  This grant comes from the Foundation’s unrestricted Community Catalyst Funds and will be used to enclose the outdoor market so that vendors can sell their products year-round.

“Foundation for Roanoke Valley’s Community Catalyst Funds will allow the West End Community Market to be more permanently rooted in the community.  Enclosing the market pavilion has a tremendous impact on food producers, food consumers and the West End Community,” said Maureen Best, LEAP Executive Director. She added “A permanent year-round market space allows food producers to invest in their own businesses and extend their growing season.  The market provides consistent access to fresh produce for residents in the West End neighborhood and the community at large and strengthens LEAP’s SNAP double program to make local, healthy food more affordable.  The Foundation’s investment will nurture a stronger and healthier community in the West End!”

“One of the specific priority areas within our Basic Human Needs grants focus is promoting nutrition,” noted Alan Ronk, the Foundation’s Executive Director.  “This market will now be in a position to offer healthy, fresh food throughout the year, and we look forward to seeing the benefit it has on the community.”

Foundation for Roanoke Valley, the region’s community foundation, currently administers 300 named endowment funds on behalf of the community and works diligently to help local individuals and families establish permanent charitable legacies that will touch the community now and for generations to come.  For more information, visit Foundation for Roanoke Valley’s website at www.foundationforroanokevalley.org or call 540-985-0204. # # #

Pictured L to R: Dave Prosser, Freedom First Credit Union VP of Community Development and LEAP Board Member ; Tee Reynolds, Market Manager; Lucy Ellett, FRV Board Member; Michelle Eberly, FRV Program Officer; Susan Still, FRV Board Chair; Nancy Dye, FRV Board Member; Pat Young, LEAP Board Member, Brent Cochran, LEAP Board Chair; and Maureen Best, LEAP Executive Director

Foundation for Roanoke Valley Announces Major Grant from its Arts and Culture Initiative

Foundation for Roanoke Valley announced today it has awarded a $40,000 grant to Mill Mountain Theatre under the Foundation’s three year, $300,000 Arts & Culture Initiative.  The grant will underwrite Mill Mountain’s Summer Theatre Program in Roanoke’s Market Square.

“Funding by Foundation for Roanoke Valley enables Mill Mountain Theatre to do two important things, said Ginger Poole, MMT’s Producing Artistic Director.  “It is critical to our ability to launch a whole new program of summer performances that animate Market Square and entertain Roanokers and tourists who are visiting our community.  It also is part of our core mission since 1983 when MMT was the anchor organization at the then-new Center in the Square.”

The Foundation's Arts & Culture Initiative, funded through its unrestricted Community Catalyst Funds, has two distinct focus areas.  "Arts at Work," through which this current grant is awarded, provides one major grant annually to a carefully selected Roanoke Valley arts and cultural project that has an important and identifiable economic development component, strongly contributes to the overall vibrancy of the community, and which otherwise might not be possible.  The production of public art work, the production of community-wide arts and cultural events and performances and bringing major arts and cultural exhibits to the Valley will be funded under this portion of its initiative.  "Educate. Inspire. Create." is designed to significantly enrich the arts and cultural experiences of preK-12 students of public and private schools within the cities of Roanoke and Salem and the counties of Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke.

Foundation for Roanoke Valley, the region's community foundation, currently administers 300 named endowment funds on behalf of the community and works diligently to help local individuals and families establish permanent charitable legacies that will touch the community now and for generations to come.  Unrestricted endowments are particularly powerful as they provide the Foundation with the flexibility over time to seek out and fund highly effective programs across a wide range of community needs.  Individuals interested in establishing their own personal or family legacy through an unrestricted endowment or any of the many other types of endowment funds offered by the community foundation should visit www.foundationforroanokevalley.org or call (540) 985-0204.

  

 

Pictured L to R: Cynthia Lawrence, MMT Board Vice-President; Ginger Poole Avis, MMT Producing Artistic Director; Nancy Dye, FRV Board Member; Michelle Eberly, FRV Program Officer

Foundation for Roanoke Valley Awards Major Grant to New Horizons Healthcare

Foundation for Roanoke Valley announced today it has awarded $50,000 to New Horizons Healthcare to support its new Dental Clinic.  This grant comes from the Foundation’s unrestricted funds and The Hope Fund. The Clinic will provide affordable, accessible dental care to low-income uninsured and underinsured individuals and families of all ages.

“We are thrilled and grateful to receive this grant from Foundation for Roanoke Valley to help meet the community’s critical need for basic affordable dental care.  In particular, many adults without dental insurance and facing financial challenges have been waiting for months or years to find a ‘dental home.’  This funding will go a long way to enable low-income individuals and families to access dental care services that will relieve pain, improve overall health, and restore smiles!” said Eileen Lepro, Executive Director of New Horizons Healthcare.

“One of the specific priority areas within our Basic Human Needs grants focus is promoting quality oral health care for those in need.  We are in a position to provide this significant grant to New Horizons because of the concern and generosity of our endowment fund donors.  We look forward to seeing the positive impact that the grant will have on the community,” noted Alan Ronk, the Foundation’s Executive Director.

Foundation for Roanoke Valley, the region’s community foundation, currently administers 300 named endowment funds on behalf of the community and works diligently to help local individuals and families establish permanent charitable legacies that will touch the community now and for generations to come.  For more information, visit Foundation for Roanoke Valley’s website at www.foundationforroanokevalley.org or call 540-985-0204. # # #

Pictured L to R: Alan Ronk, FRV Executive Director; Kathleen Northern, New Horizons Dental Care Office Manager; Richard Newton, New Horizons Dental Care Dental Director;  Sherman Stovall, Vice Chair of New Horizons Board of Directors; Tim Steller, Chair of New Horizons Board of Directors; Linda Manns, New Horizons Healthcare Board Member; Eileen Lepro, CEO of New Horizons Healthcare; Lori Mullen, New Horizons Healthcare Finance Director; Damon Williams, FRV Board Member; and Michelle Eberly, FRV Program Officer