Health Foundation Awards $1,177,585 to Eight San Angelo Non-Profit Orgs

San Angelo Health Foundation Board Chair Mike Boyd recently announced that the Foundation has granted $1,177,585 to fund projects for eight area non-profit organizations.  The grant awards are for a diversity of programs including public safety, art activities, mental health and feeding programs for our vulnerable children. 

Since its inception twenty years ago, the San Angelo Health Foundation has approved and awarded grants totaling $44,748,555 benefitting the Concho Valley region through funding to 197 organizations for 575 worthy projects.

Grants Chair Marilyn Aboussie said the following applications for funding were approved: 

Art In Uncommon Places was awarded $50,000 to create art pieces to be positioned along the Red Arroyo Trail that is currently under construction. Art In Uncommon Places is a nonprofit organization formed in 2006 by two retired art teachers with the mission to create “uncommon” art for public display in the community. Art in Uncommon Places have created and placed art in notable areas such as Paint Brush Alley downtown, Christoval River Mosaic, the Cowboy statue on Bryant Blvd. and murals and mosaic cars along the river walk.  The Red Arroyo Trail will be enhanced for the public to enjoy while walking, running and biking.

Christoval Volunteer Fire Department was awarded $25,000 to enhance and upgrade communications between Grape Creek and Water Valley towers. The grant will allow them to install a repeater enabling quicker communication between the 10 Tom Green County VFD’s and dispatch.  Christoval VFD was chartered in 1983 and responds to emergencies and fires in a 220 square mile radius. They also provide fire safety classes in the schools and for the community.  In 2014 Christoval VFD responded to 108 calls.

Concho Valley Community Action Agency was awarded $13,585 toward a needs assessment of the poor in the San Angelo area. The needs assessment will inventory existing health and behavioral health resources and needs in a 20 county region.

Concho Valley Regional Food Bank was awarded $300,000 to expand their current facilities. This will allow additional storage space for their program Food 2 Kids which sends prepackaged food home on the weekends with children in need.  The Concho Valley Regional Food Bank distributes 1.7 million pounds of food annually to 78 partner organizations feeding the needy.

Friends of Fairmount Cemetery was awarded $4,000 to provide digital cameras to children in their Stones and Bones: Where History is Buried program. This is an educational program for 5^th grade students to introduce them to the wealth of history, culture and memory that is captured within the boundaries of Fairmount Cemetery.

Pregnancy Help Center of the Concho Valley was awarded $35,000 to assist in capital improvements at their current location. Pregnancy Help Center provides counseling regarding crisis pregnancies, limited obstetrical ultrasound, pregnancy testing, prenatal and parenting classes,  maternity and baby clothes to those in need and other programs.

San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts was awarded $250,000 for needed capital repairs and improvements to the infrastructure of the Art Museum. The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts receives over 65,000 visitors annually and 22,000 students were engaged in programs directed by art museum staff.  A myriad of programs has established the Museum as a center of cultural activities for our region.

West Texas Counseling & Guidance Center was awarded a $500,000 challenge grant for the renovation of a historic downtown property to serve as their main counseling facility. In 2014, the center conducted over 10,000 behavioral health counseling sessions for 1,945 clients.   

Grant application and financial information can be found at www.sahfoundation.org.