Osteopathic Heritage Foundations

Seven Meigs and Athens county programs receive $150,000 to improve health and quality of life for needy residents

Seven non-profit organizations serving Meigs and Athens counties will receive grants totaling $150,000 from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation of Nelsonville. The funding will support programs aimed at improving health and quality of life for needy residents.

Award recipients are as follows:

Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District ($25,000) - for a response and rescue program to protect those in Meigs and Athens counties with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

Good Works, Inc. ($25,000) - to pilot a health clinic for the poor and homeless, providing health screenings, education and basic health services.

Southeast Ohio Sight Center ($25,000) - to improve local access to rehabilitation services for blind and visually impaired residents by establishing a satellite office to serve Athens, Meigs and other southeastern Ohio counties.

Trimble Local Textbook & Supplies Foundation ($25,000) - for matching funds to obtain new science textbooks for grades 6-12.

Woodland Centers, Inc. ($25,000) - for start-up of a supportive housing facility for homeless people diagnosed with mental illness.

Trimble Local School District ($17,400) - to expand a school wellness program by creating a school-wide health plan, serving more school breakfasts, increasing physical activities, and providing health education opportunities for students and staff.

Meigs Cooperative Parish ($7,600) - to help provide an indoor walking facility for the community and kits designed to improve youth's health and self-esteem.

"These services were selected for funding, based on proposals submitted through the Foundation's community responsive grantmaking program," said Rick Vincent, Foundation president. "We're proud to help support these locally-based efforts to improve health and quality of life for the underserved."