Jonesboro, Ga. (June 8, 2016) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Kaye Sheets, Executive Director, and Sandy Craig, Board Member, of Samaritans Together of Henry County, Inc. on May 10, 2016. The $2,500 grant will be used to purchase a new computer server to process and house all of the data collected by Samaritans Together and its sister agency, Helping in His Name Ministries, Inc. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (June 8, 2016) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Shane Persaud, Regional Director, United Way, and Betsy Brown, County Engagement Director, United Way, on May 24, 2016. The $500 grant will be used to purchase gas cards for Henry County veterans. In addition, Vets Connect in Henry County has the opportunity via a private donor to the Regional Commission on Homelessness (RCOH) to double its fundraising efforts through a matching grant program. Therefore, the $500 HCF grant will be doubled so that $1000 is used for the purchase of gas cards. The cards will allow veterans and their families to access referral services, travel for medical treatment, or relocate, if necessary. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (May 26, 2016) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Mary Bruce, President, and Barbara Emert, Vice President, of Historical Jonesboro/Clayton County, Inc. on May 19, 2016. The $2,000 grant will used by Historical Jonesboro to purchase new tables and chairs for the Bethel Schoolhouse. The Bethel Schoolhouse, which is currently used as an event facility, is the only remaining one-room schoolhouse in Clayton County. Events hosted at the schoolhouse include meals for bus tour groups, bridal parties, school field trips, and other rentals and meetings. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (May 23, 2016) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Kaye Sheets, Executive Director, and Sandy Craig, Board Member, of Helping in His Name Ministries, Inc. on May 10, 2016. The $3,000 grant will be used to purchase three new desktop computers. Ms. Craig stated, “Our current system is very slow and crashes often. It is only a matter of time before we cannot reboot and access our data.” The new computers will help them better serve their almost 20,000 clients. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (May 19, 2016) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Brenda Simms, Director of Operations, and Rebecca Watson, Warehouse Manager, of United Food Force, Inc. on May 9, 2016. The $5,000 grant will used by United Food Force to purchase two new Portacool 36” water-cooled fans and one new Carolina Handling electric pallet truck. As summer approaches and the weather warms up outside, temperatures inside United Food Force’s warehouse can exceed 100 degrees. The fans will provide a welcome relief from the heat and the pallet truck will help ease the backbreaking efforts of the volunteers as they move pounds and pounds of food each day. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (May 19, 2016) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Dr. Thomas J. (Tim) Hynes, President, and Kate Troelstra, Vice President of University Advancement, of Clayton State University (CSU) in Morrow on May 12, 2016. The $2000 grant will become part of the CSU Foundation’s Retention Scholarship Fund. This fund is administered through the Financial Aid Office to students who demonstrate the most need. Each fall, 25-30 students end up dropping out for the semester so that they can earn enough money to pay for their education. History shows that many of these students will not re-enroll and will never see their dream of a college degree realized. The Retention Scholarship Fund helps these students reach the finish line and graduate from college. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (May 11, 2016) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Luci Hough, Director of the Fayette Pregnancy Resource Center (FPRC) on April 13, 2016. The $1,600 grant will be used to purchase 32 car seats for the expectant mothers who will complete the non-profit’s child safety class this year. The car seats are an important part of the class that is designed to foster safer parenting. In addition to car seat safety, topics such as preparing for delivery, postpartum depression, sleep safety, and shaken baby syndrome are covered in the class. Many of these subjects are taught by a registered nurse. Expectant fathers are also welcome and encouraged to attend the class. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (May 9, 2016) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Dr. Leon Beeler, CEO of Forest Park Ministers Association (FPMA) on April 6, 2016. The $2,800 grant will be used to purchase meals for local school children and other homeless and needy families. Last year, the organization was able to provide 3,000 of these vitamin and mineral-enriched meals and has a goal of providing 25,000 this year. At a cost of 28 cents per meal, the Heritage Community Foundation grant will help FPMA get closer to its goal by providing for the purchase and delivery of 10,000 meals. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (April 11, 2016) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Robin Jones, Program Coordinator of Henry County Council on Child Abuse, Inc. dba Prevent Child Abuse Henry County on March 30, 2016. The $1,800 grant will be used to purchase education and training materials for the organization’s First Steps program. First Steps is a primary child abuse prevention program that uses trained volunteers to offer emotional support, parenting information and materials, and referrals to community resources for new parents. Participation in the First Steps program is offered to any family that delivers their baby at Piedmont Henry Hospital. Over 1,000 new families are expected to be served in 2016. Each family will receive information on a variety of subjects including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, safe sleep, shaken baby syndrome, breast feeding, child development, postpartum depression, and many more. In addition, the new parents will receive a community resource guide and referrals to additional resources. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (March 31, 2016) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Helene Prokesch, Executive Director, and Jackelyn Lamb, Lekotek Leader of the Southside location, of Lekotek of Georgia, Inc. on March 16, 2016. The $1,800 grant will be used to purchase new technology called an eye gaze system. The eye gaze system makes it possible for children who have difficulty using their hands to operate a computer by directing their eyes. A camera attached to the computer tracks the child’s pupils and simply by looking the child can move the cursor and use the computer. Lekotek of Georgia currently owns one eye gaze system; however, it is shared among six sites. This grant will allow Lekotek to purchase a system to be used solely at the Southside location in Peachtree City. continue reading →