Working Together and Meeting Needs
By Jennifer Fox
After nearly 4 hours of deliberation and discussion, the Foundation Grants committee finalized its spring Choose Henry grants recommendations for the Board of Directors to review.
The grants decision process is rigorous and in-depth. Each application is assigned to a committee member who meets personally with the applicant to learn more about the organization and the grant request. They then bring that information to share at the grant committee meeting so the group can decide together how to allocate funds.
This spring grant cycle, the Foundation had $202,678.00 available to grant and $1.2 million requested. The committee entered that meeting with a lot of work still to do.
After the decisions were made, one grants committee member left wanting to do more. They met with a member of the staff about their concerns for one particular need they hoped to fulfill– Hagar’s Hope had requested help with securing a washing machine and dryer.
Hagar’s Hope is a nonprofit organization in Henry County that offers transitional homes for women. At Hagar’s Hope, women find the support, resources, and guidance they need to navigate the challenges of recovery, re-entry, and other life transitions. They are founded on the belief that every woman deserves a chance for redemption, growth, and a brighter future.
Moved by their mission, this grants committee member decided to partner with Myers Furniture. Grateful for the opportunity to come alongside this community member and this great organization, Myers offered their machines at cost and with no delivery fee.
The care and collaboration of working together to meet a need in our community is inspiring. By bridging the gap between local businesses and vital nonprofit, this grants committee member turned the ” not-quite-fully-funded ” request into a meaningful moment.
As President, I am often asked what makes the Henry County Community Foundation special. My answer is simple: it’s the people. Whether it’s through a formal grant cycle or a quiet act behind the scenes, we are at our best when we are working together.
Because of one committee member’s initiative and one local business’s kindness, the load at Hagar’s Hope is a little lighter today. That is the true power of community.