Children’s Resource Fund awards $33,000 in 2025 grants to support Wayne County youth

The Wayne County Community Foundation announced the Wayne County Children’s Resource Fund’s grant awards totaling $33,000. The Wayne County Children’s Resource Fund was established in 2018 by Cheryl and Steve Shapiro to help remove barriers that may impede children's ability to lead meaningful and productive lives. These barriers may include poverty, drug use, bullying, discrimination, learning disabilities, low self-confidence or a challenging home life.

Based on the evaluations and recommendations from the fund’s advisory committee, the WCCF Board of Trustees approved the following grant awards:

—Adaptive Sports Ohio received a $3,000 grant to help offset the costs of Wooster-based adaptive sports programs including equipment, facility rental, registration and tournament fees for youth with physical disabilities.

—Boys & Girls Club of Wooster received a $4,000 grant for the Youth for Unity program blending bullying/bias prevention with Torch Club leadership, equipping preteens to build empathy, set inclusive norms and lead restorative, peer-driven solutions that make club culture safer and more welcoming.

—Catholic Charities received a $3,000 grant for the Rise Above group program for youth age 11-17 who are at-risk of court involvement, helping them to build resiliency and social-emotional skills and improve their awareness of substance use and suicide prevention.

—Healthcare 2000, DBA The Viola Startzman Clinic, received a $4,000 grant for children’s health care, offsetting uncompensated care costs and ensuring provider capacity to strengthen their capacity to deliver preventive care, chronic disease management, urgent care and behavioral health services to children in Wayne County regardless of ability to pay.

—OHuddle received a $5,000 grant to build additional soft skills and workforce development skills for secondary students by working with the Heartland Educational Community and mentors in a variety of local industries.

—People to People Ministries received a $2,000 grant to buy educational and/or interactive toys for children age 6-11 and comfort gifts for teens such as pajamas, sweatshirts and personal hygiene items, as part of its annual Christmas project.

—Stark County Diaper Bank Inc., DBA Heart of Ohio Diaper Bank, received a $5,000 grant to provide emergency diaper supplies to support low-income children currently served each month in Wayne County.

—The Caring Closet of Wooster received a $2,000 grant to restock its shoe room with new shoes to fulfill its commitment to providing every child it serves with a new pair of shoes.

—Wayne Center for the Arts received a $5,000 grant to provide 12 weeks of preschool art classes at Head Start Preschools in Wayne County, in partnership with Community Action Wayne/Medina.

The Wayne County Children’s Resource Fund grant guidelines and online application are available at www.waynecountycommunityfoundation.org. Competitive grant applications from nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable organizations that help to remove barriers for Wayne County children should be submitted by Sept. 1 each year.

Donations to provide greater future grant opportunities can be made to the Wayne County Children’s Resource Fund, a component fund of WCCF, by individuals, families, businesses and service organizations. Contact Melanie Reusser Garcia, WCCF executive director, for more information.