The OREMC Foundation is pleased to announce second quarter grant awards presented to 10 organizations and totaling $40,200. The grant recipients are:

• Baker County 4-H, $4,700: The grant was presented 4-H Youth Development Agent Shaina Spann by OREMC Foundation Trustee Tina Mobley and OREMC President Wayne Combs. The funds will support three initiatives: Coop to Plate where registered youth raise and harvest meat poultry, school enrichment embryology program demonstrating the life cycle to youth by hatching chicks in the classroom and Teaching Gardens located at the extension office

• First Coast Women’s Services, $2,500: Supporting enhanced patient care through technology upgrades that promote seamless care documentation, and coordination with other providers as needed.  Pictured are (l-r): OREMC President Wayne Combs, Baker Center Director Dana Lane and OREMC Foundation Trustee Tina Mobley. 

• Barnabas Center, $3,000: The grant will support the Center’s Food For Families program in Nassau County, through mobile distributions sites that provide food insecure families access to healthy, fresh foods. (l-r): OREMC Foundation Trustee Ramona Jones presented the grant to Barnabas Center Case Manager/Resource Coordinator Priscilla Elijaiek, Chief Development Director Tania Yount and Front Office Receptionist Joyce Knox. 

• Camden County 4-H, $5,000: Supporting Project Achievement and Summer Camp which offers experiential educational opportunities, building leadership skills and promote personal growth and development. OREMC Director of Communications & Marketing Michele Hutchins presented the grant to 4-H Agent Shawnie Sahadeo and 4-H Educator Rachel Smith.

• Great Books for Kids, $4,500: To support “New Books for New Readers” serving 150 kindergarten students in Camden County. By engaging readers at a young age, the goal is to promote childhood literacy and reading inspiration. The excitement of giving and receiving was on full display as OREMC Foundation Trustee Sonya Walker presented Great Books for Kids Founder Jen Tacbas with the grant.
  

• Pinky Promise, $5,000: A resource center for women who have been diagnosed with cancer and strives to offer them products—wigs, sleep caps, scarves/head coverings, camisoles for mastectomy patients, chemo gift bags—free of charge to help them feel beautiful inside and out. The grant was presented by (r-l) OREMC Foundation Trustee Ramona Jones and accepted by Founder Sybil Purvis and Board Director Dawn West, will help them reach more women in need.
  
  
• The Storehouse of Northeast Florida., $5,000: The grant will help stock the shelves of its food pantry, serving more than 300 families with a twice-monthly food distribution, The Storehouse ministry helps feed families primarily in Nassau County, but also Camden and Charlton counties in Georgia. Vice President Carrie Mizell gratefully accepted the grant from OREMC Foundation Trustee Ramona Jones. 

• GICCA Foundation, $2,500: To support a session of This Girl Can, exposing eighth/ninth grade girls to non-traditional occupations for women—welding, automotive repair, engineering and construction— to increase career awareness and exploration. Accepting the award (l-r) were Dr. Joseph Depenhart, GICCA Principal/CTAE Director and GICCCA Foundation Executive Director Brian Weese, which was presented by OREMC Director of Communications & Marketing Michele Hutchins.
  
  
• Golden Isles Arts & Humanities Association., $3,000: To support the Golden Isles Penguin Project which promotes and provides access to youth with special needs to grow creatively, develop new skills and gain self-confidence. Celebrating the grant were members of “The Music Man Jr.” cast, Executive Director Heather Heath (pictured left) and Musical Director Annie Akins (right). The grant was presented by OREMC Foundation Trustee Sonya Walker (pictured right in green).

• Waycross Area Shelter for Abused Persons, Inc., $5,000: Helping to provide support services for domestic violence victims and their families. Specifically the grant will fund shelter food and client assistance programs. Executive Director Michelle Girtman was pleased to accept the award from OREMC Foundation Trustee Ronda Dowling.

The next OREMC Foundation grant application deadline is Friday, July 12, 2024. Qualified organizations can apply for grants on a quarterly basis that support programs and initiatives approved by the OREMC Foundation trustees in accordance with the Foundation’s charter. Applications are available, and can be downloaded, at oremc.com/foundation.