Jonesboro, Ga. (August 7, 2015) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Christina Simmons, Founder & Counselor, Rebuilding Lives Workshop, Inc. (RLW) on July 30, 2015. The $1,500 grant will be used by RLW to purchase a sand tray, kinetic sand, and miniatures/figurines to be used in counseling and therapy. According to Ms. Simmons, people who have experienced trauma, violence or abuse, and those who are experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder, are sometimes better able to communicate through sand tray therapy. With the help of a skilled counselor, this special type of therapy allows these people to work through the traumatic event(s), often at a quicker pace than with traditional therapeutic methods. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (August 4, 2015) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Kem Kimbrough ,CEO, and Lindsey Sanders, Deputy Director of Development, of Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity (SCHFH) on July 30, 2015. The $4,000 grant will be used by SCHFH to purchase and stock an additional tool trailer that will be used on site for volunteer days. Currently, the organization has 2 box trucks, one for tools and the other for transporting materials. As SCHFH is expanding and increasing the number of families that it serves through home repair, rehabilitation and building new homes, they had a definite need for a third tool trailer. Right now, they have to plan separate work days for home repair, rehab and new home construction because they don’t have sufficient equipment or supplies. With this new stocked tool trailer, they can increase their efficiency, engage more volunteers in the community by scheduling additional work days and ultimately serve more families. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (July 17, 2015) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Sara Van Etten, Chair of the MOMS Club of Fayetteville Church Street Park Improvement Project, on July 9, 2015. The $1,500 grant will be used to purchase playground equipment to be installed at the Church Street Park in historic downtown Fayetteville. The main piece of equipment to be purchased is a Merry-Go-Cycle, a five-seat bicycle carousel that will be used by children ages 2-5 and will help complete a toddler-friendly area of the park. The Church Street Park is located just off Main Street in Fayetteville. Previously, it was underused by the local community, and the playground equipment was over 20 years old and in a state of disrepair. The aim of The MOMS Club is to create a neighborhood gathering place where all members of the community can enjoy the outdoors at an accessible, family-centered park with a variety of playground equipment. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (July 17, 2015) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Raissa Chandler, President and Founder of Southside Support, Incorporated and Meera Sarin, Symposium Chairperson of Southside Support, Incorporated on July 8, 2015. The $1,730 grant will be used to pay for a catered lunch and morning coffee for the organization’s 3rd Special Needs Symposium. The Symposium is an educational seminar for caregivers, parents, and educators of special needs children. The focus this year is on how anxiety, in a special needs child or other family member, affects an individual and the whole family. The one-day seminar/conference will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2015 at Clayton State University and will feature a keynote speaker and breakout sessions. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (July 17, 2015) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Michael Burt, Executive Director and Founder of Life and Money Matters on July 9, 2015.  The $8,802.97 grant will be used to purchase the supplies needed by Life and Money Matters to promote financial wellness and literacy.  Mr. Burt is certified as a Dave Ramsey Personal Financial Coach and is also an Estate Design Strategist through Lifestyles Giving.  He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in music. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (July 3, 2015) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Lori Harris, Executive Director, and David and Linda Clark, Founders, of the Southern Crescent Sports Foundation dba H.O.P.E. Park on July 1, 2015. Once completed, H.O.P.E. Park will be a 26-acre park designed to Help Other People Excel. The $4,250 grant will be used to drill a well for the community garden portion of the Park which has over 75 raised beds. Currently, all of the watering of the plants is done by hand with a rainwater collection system and buckets. This system makes the proper watering and the maintenance of the garden very difficult. The drilling of the well will give workers the ability to water on a regular basis and will increase the harvest and the likelihood of success. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (July 3, 2015) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Marjorie Lacy, Executive Director of the Flint Circuit Council on Family Violence, Inc. dba Haven House, on June 30, 2015. The $4,000 grant was used by the Haven House Shelter to install a sidewalk in its backyard and playground area. Before the sidewalk was installed, the area from the back door to the pavilion picnic area was the only portion of the shelter’s new facility that was not handicap accessible. The grant from the Heritage Community Foundation covered the cost of materials and labor needed to install the new sidewalk. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (July 3, 2015) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Gary Wright, Executive Director A Friend’s House, and Nan Jenkins, Director of Development A Friend’s House on June 30, 2015. The $3,000 grant will be used by A Friend’s House to purchase a new Commercial Gas Range. The current stove has been in operation since 1998 and has served over 1,895 children. The old stove needs to be replaced with a safer, more energy-efficient, fully functional unit. Last year alone, A Friend’s House served over 20,000 meals and snacks to the children who have resided there. For the past 18 months, the organization has been involved in a Grants-to-Green project to help make its building more “green” and energy efficient. One of the targeted items for replacement was the 17-year old stove. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (July 2, 2015) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Dr. Thomas J. (Tim) Hynes, President of Clayton State University (CSU) in Morrow on June 29, 2015. 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 most demonstrate 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 won’t 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. Also, through the Foundation’s current Matching Gifts Challenge, Heritage Community Foundation’s $2000 gift towards the fund was matched, dollar for dollar, thus doubling the impact of the donation. continue reading →

Jonesboro, Ga. (June 16, 2015) – The Heritage Community Foundation presented a grant to Sheila Gose, Director of the Jonesboro Crisis Pregnancy Center (JCPC) on June 2, 2015. The $1,000 grant will used by JCPC to supply gifts baskets to 30 women. The gift baskets contain many items new mothers need to take care of their babies, including clothes, diapers, blankets, bottles, pacifiers, lotions, shampoos, etc.

JCPC is a Christ-centered ministry committed to upholding the sanctity of human life by demonstrating the love of Christ to women facing crisis pregnancies through the provision of spiritual, physical and emotional support. JCPC assists women in making life-affirming decisions by helping them make plans to keep and parent their babies, or by helping them make an adoption plan. JCPC helps about 1,000 women per year and has helped over 25,000 women in its 30 years of service to the community. continue reading →