The Hillsboro Community Foundation awarded its third round of its Hillsboro Area Impact Fund grants Friday evening during halftime of the Hillsboro High School boys? basketball game.
Nine community organizations received grants totaling $9,000.
HCF established the Impact Fund as an undesignated endowment that will enhance the quality of life in the Hillsboro area. After raising more than $266,000 in donations and pledges during the inaugural 2007 campaign, the first Impact Fund grants were awarded in 2008.
Including the $9,000 being distributed Friday, a total of $21,000 has been awarded over the past three years to organizations providing a variety of programs and services that enhance the lives of residents.
Following is the list of recipients and the designated purpose for the grants.
? Big Brothers Big Sisters of Marion County ($750).
The ?Bigs in Schools? program provides one-on-one tutoring for at-risk students by matching them with carefully screened volunteers, many of whom are high school students. The program operates in the Hillsboro, Marion and Peabody school districts.
? Hillsboro High School Chess Guild ($500).
The Chess Guild provides instruction, clinics and competition in the game of chess for about 30 students. The grant will allow the Guild to provide free lessons to students, plus opportunities to grow in skill, self-confidence, problem-solving skills and self discipline.
? Communities in Schools of Marion County ($750).
The grant will help provide emergency financial assistance for families that reside within Unified School District 410.
?We believe children and families function better in all areas of their lives if they have uninterrupted shelter with water and electricity, adequate nutrition, medical services and access to transportation,? according to Linda Ogden, CIS director.
? Hillsboro Police Depart?ment D.A.R.E. program ($500).
The drug-abuse resistance program is a cooperative effort between law enforcement and schools.
Each week for 16 weeks, a Hillsboro police officer will make a presentation to each fifth-grade class about stressors, peer pressure, choice and consequences related to drugs and alcohol. The grant will help purchase supplies for the program.
? Hillsboro Elementary School After School Program ($750).
Provide activities for at-risk students between first and sixth grade who may be without adult supervision. Grant money will help provide financial assistance for students to participate in community activities.
? Hillsboro Public Library ($500).
The grant will be used to buy supplies for the library?s summer reading program and reduce fees to enable more students to participate.
? Hillsboro Senior Center ($2,500).
The grant will be used to help the center meet its budgeted expenses and help offset lost revenue from other sources. Preparing for the future needs of the center, the board has begun collecting private donations to establish a Senior Center Endowment Fund under the Hillsboro Community Foundation.
? Learning in Retirement, Tabor College ($500).
The grant will help improve sound projection for the 100 regular attenders at Learning in Retirement activities by helping to purchase a headset microphone to be used by program speakers.
? Main Street Ministries ($2,250).
For the first 10 months of 2009, MSM provided food through its food bank for more than 2,300 people throughout Marion County. The grant will be used to purchase food to be distributed to those who need it.
