The Boards of Trustees of Greater Toledo Community Foundation and Waterville Community Foundation recently approved eight grants totaling $47,600 from the Katherine R. Smith Funds for Youth to support programs in northwest Ohio that enhance the lives of young people under the age of 18.  

• Advocating Opportunity –$8,000 was awarded to support trauma-responsive legal assistance and social service programming for youth who have been victimized by human trafficking.
• Anthony Wayne Community Food Ministry – $8,000 was awarded to support the weekend food bag program for families in the Anthony Wayne School district.
• Courageous Community Services – $7,900 was awarded to support the Courageous Acres Peer Buddy Summer Camp program.
• Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center – $4,000 was awarded to support the Children’s Advocacy Center.
• Nature’s Nursery – $3,700 was awarded to support wildlife and conservation education programming for elementary school students in Monclova, Waterville or Whitehouse, Ohio.
• Riverbend Equine Therapy Services, Inc. d.b.a. H.O.O.V.E.S – $4,000 was awarded to support an equine-assisted healing program that helps young people build self-esteem and communication skills.
• The Ridge Project – $7,000 was awarded to support a skills-based film and character training program for juvenile offenders at the Lucas County Youth Treatment Center.
• Toledo Zoo –$5,000 was awarded to provide memberships to qualifying families from the Anthony Wayne School district.

The Katherine R. Smith Funds for Youth provide support for programming that enhances the lives of young people up to age 18, with an emphasis on serving children with developmental disabilities or those who have been abused.  Any organization with services benefitting youth residing in Lucas or Wood Counties are encouraged to apply, with preference given to those that serve residents of Waterville and the Anthony Wayne Local School District. The annual deadline for proposals is January 31. 

Greater Toledo Community Foundation is a public charitable organization created by citizens of our community to enrich the quality of life for individuals and families in our area.  In existence since 1973, the Foundation has more than 970 funds with assets of approximately $400 million. The Foundation provides philanthropic services for individuals, families, businesses and corporations to meet their charitable giving needs. For more information about Toledo Community Foundation, visit www.toledocf.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.