The Community West Foundation Board of Directors approved $569,500 in second quarter grants to nonprofit agencies that provide basic needs services to the community in Cleveland, Western Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties. The recipient organizations include:
- Avon/Avon Lake Community Resource Services - $10,000
- Canopy Cleveland Child Advocacy Center - $35,000
- Carolyn Farrell Foundation - $5,000
- Ed Keating Center - $50,000
- Lorain County Free Clinic - $58,000
- May Dugan Center - $60,000
- Messiah Laundry Love - $12,000
- Nueva Luz Urban Resource Center - $50,000
- Salvation Army of Elyria - $15,000
- Smart Development - $15,000
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul - $48,000
- Spanish American Committee - $15,000
- St. Herman's/Focus Cleveland - $35,000
- St. Paul's Community Outreach - $15,000
- The City Mission - $35,000
- The Turn - $15,000
- True Freedom Ministries - $35,000
- West Side Community House - $25,000
- Westlake UMC - $18,000
- Zelie's Home - $18,500
In addition to the quarterly grants, Community West distributed an additional $105,163 from their Community Impact Fund. This fund was formed because a local philanthropist decided to fund alongside Community West and encouraged others to trust the thorough vetting process of the Foundation. The Community Impact Fund contributions are distributed directly to grantee nonprofits quarterly. These unexpected dollars help bolster the important work being done to provide for basic needs in the community.
Several members of the Community West Foundation Board of Directors and Grants Committee visited Paul Baumgartner, Executive Director of the Lorain County Free Clinic, to deliver a grant check for $58,000, the amount requested. He was then handed another check for $10,710 which was that organization’s share from the Community Impact Fund. Shock and joy ensued.
"The wonderful surprise of additional funding from the Community Impact Fund will help us provide much needed medications to our patients, such as insulin or inhalers. The Lorain County Free Clinic greatly appreciates the vital funding and confidence placed in our mission by the Community West Foundation. The Free Clinic has received such generous support over the last five years, which has helped us provide access to care and medicines to the underserved in Lorain County,” commented Paul.
Since January, Community West has funded just under $1.3 million in quarterly grants to nonprofits and an additional $207,682 from the Community Impact Fund. They are on track to grant $2.7 million in 2021.