2023 Grant Recipients

2023 Community Foundation Unrestricted Grants

The Foundation’s Board and staff reviewed over 70 grant proposals from nonprofits in or serving Gaston County. As a result, $637,595 was granted to the following organizations:

Animal League of Gaston County - $10,000

The grant will be used to provide extremely low-cost spay/neuter services to Gaston County residents who receive public assistance and intensify the TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) program to drastically reduce the number of feral cat births in our county.

Arin’s’ Good Girls Dog Treats - $10,000

The grant will allow Arin’s Good Girls Dog Treats to offer more individualized support, purchase additional adaptive equipment, and provide career development and employment to individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities IDD. The funds will support individualized coaching, training and support in AGGDT’s adaptive work environment with additional adaptive equipment.

Backpack Weekend Food Program, Inc. - $10,000

The grant will be used to improve the current menu database.

Baltimore Village School - $20,000

The grant will be used for building and site restoration including, but not limited to, exterior repairs (windows, porch, siding, foundation, landscape), interior repairs (flooring, walls, ceiling, fixtures) and bringing the HVAC, electrical, plumbing and ADA requirements to code.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Gaston - $20,000

The grant will support the SMART Girls/ Passport to Manhood Programs which help girls and boys develop and adopt a healthy attitude and lifestyle, as well as acquire and maintain a positive self-concept, sound decision-making skills and mentor relationships.

Camp Sunshine - $7,500

This grant will cover the direct costs of children attending camp, including food, clothing, supplies, transportation and rental items. The need for this project is so great in Gaston County that Camp Sunshine hopes to expand to serve more campers, to provide more nutritious meals and to improve means of transportation.

Catawba Lands Conservancy - $20,000

This grant will support the Carolina Thread Trail to advance the Matthews-Belk South Fork River Corridor, a transformational 20+ mile planned trail in Gaston County involving unprecedented collaboration among multiple partners.

Catherine’s House - $10,000

This grant will support the construction of a new playground on the residential campus. While Catherine’s House is focused on women experiencing homelessness, 35-40 children live at there throughout the year with their mothers.

Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas - $10,000

This grant will provide comprehensive support and loving compassion to families whose children are battling cancer in Gaston County.

Christ Community Outreach Food Ministry - $1,500

This grant will provide food, particularly to the senior population.

Classroom Central - $10,000

Grant funding will provide core, urgently needed school supplies to be distributed through the Free Store and Mobile Free Store to serve Gaston County schools and students in need.

Community Relief Organization of Mt. Holly (CRO) - $10,000

This grant will support modifications to the current building, which are required to maximize the CRO’s space and allow for more efficient operation. Additionally, four residential style refrigerators with two commercial units will be replaced to enable CRO to supply more fresh, healthy foods to families in need. This will offer added storage space to take advantage of fresh food donations offered by local participating food stores.

Crisis Assistance Ministry - $25,000

This grant will fund the renovation and update of the Administrative Office.

Dallas High Shoals Christian Social Ministry- $7,500

This grant will fund the Family Housing Stability Program, which provides safe and stable housing for our county's low-income households where children are residing in the home. Funding consideration will also be given to those at risk of losing housing where members of the family have special physical or mental needs.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden - $25,000

The grant to DSBG is in collaboration with Catawba Riverkeeper to create a shared resource model that will both stabilize and strengthen each organization's infrastructure. Bringing these two organizations together will undoubtedly increase awareness, revenue, and the ability to bring top-notch programming to Gaston County.

Dream Center Academy, Inc.- $20,000

Grant funding will be used to expand and enhance year four of high-school programming.

DYEP Distinguish Youth Enrichment Program - $5,000

The grant will be used to help with supplies and food for this after-school program.

Flynn Fellowship Home - $6,000

Grant funds will help purchase new commercial stoves and new furniture.

Gaston Alzheimer’s Community - $10,000

This grant supports the GAC to establish a fund whereby caregivers of persons with dementia can participate in self-care, which includes time away from caregiving responsibilities. By partnering with Right at Home, Inc, high-quality care will be provided to the person with dementia while the caregiver takes respite time.

Gaston Choral Society - $3,500

The grant will be used to supplement expenses for presentations of Dreamweaver by Ola Gjeilo in December 2023. Dreamweaver is a seven-movement work, written for choir, strings and piano with text inspired by a medieval folk poem Draumkvedet.

Gaston College Foundation - $20,000

Grant funding will expand opportunities for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) identity-forming activities in the Institution's STEM programs. These activities will include undergraduate research, service learning, and academic competitions.

Gaston County Re-Entry and Transitional Aftercare Network ACPP - $50,000

Grant funding provides assistance in the areas of housing, employment, counseling, life skills and socialization to returning citizens upon their release from incarceration as they re-enter society.

Gaston Dance Theatre - $2,875

Grant funds will be used for registration and performance fees, dance attire, and shoes for students in the program.

Gaston Hope in Christ Ministries - $10,000

This is a matching grant to be used toward the purchase of a van to help transportation of students from local Gaston County Schools to attend their after-school program.

Gaston Literacy Council, Inc. $5,000

This grant will be used towards the cost of the Reading Soul Mates program.

Gaston Missional Network - $6,000

Grant funds will be used at Warlick Academy to support the Student of the Month Program, Rise Against Hunger food packaging, and Teacher Appreciation Week.

Gaston School of the Arts - $10,000

This grant will aid the funding of a comprehensive education program focused on numerous mediums in the arts such as drama, music, and visual art. The program prioritizes at-risk youth with clear financial aid who do not currently have accessibility to the arts.

Gaston Together - $7,720

This grant will fund the Just Call program. Just Call encourages people to call 911 in an emergency and to seek help for substance use disorder (SUD). Gaston Together will distribute materials like mugs, t-shirts, and tote bags with contact information for emergency and referral services.

HealthNet Gaston - $10,000

Grant funding will provide clinical services, supplies and education to assist patients with uncontrolled hypertension to better manage this chronic medical condition and get their blood pressure under control.

Heart Society of Gaston County, Inc.- $10,000

This grant will be used to provide lifesaving cardiac-related medication to clients in Gaston County who are uninsured or underinsured.

Highland Community Art Park - $10,000

The grant funds will be used to complete the buildout of the Art Park, which includes the purchase and installation of a semi-permanent 100-foot x 40-foot roof covering and the first permanent artworks installation.

Holy Angels, Inc. - $10,000

This grant will support the "Caring for Our Angels" project to purchase a much-needed mechanical lift and 22 slings for our residents. Holy Angels serves 64 non-ambulatory individuals that rely on the use of a body sling as part of their individualized plan of care.

Hoyle Historic Homestead - $15,000

Grant funds will be used to construct restroom facilities at the Hoyle House in a reconstructed facsimile of the historical Gaston House, bringing the home up to code.

Least of These Carolinas- $10,000

This grant will help pay off the loan for the new building so that the growing number of children under their care in Gaston County can continue to receive the services they need.

Loray Girls’ Home - $10,000

This grant will support the purchase of new furniture and room upgrades so that residents have a safe and inviting place to call home while they are healing from the trauma that brought them to LGH’s care.

Off the Streets Program, Inc. - $20,000

Grant funding will be used to provide increased community outreach, day-to-day operations, transportation, and supplies for the women who are seeking employment.

S.O.C.K.S. Service Our Community With Kindness In Springwood - $5,000

This grant will fund special foods to the increasing population of clients with diabetes, gluten intolerance, heart disease and lactose intolerance.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina - $25,000

Grant funding will support mobile pantries in Gaston County. Mobile pantries are an excellent way to get fresh fruits and vegetables to underserved communities. Fresh produce has the highest nutritional value. Produce boxes will contain approximately 10 different produce items including both fresh fruits and vegetables. Each box will provide 20 pounds of fresh produce.

Tarheel Trailblazers - $10,000

Grant funds will be used to construct the advanced-level trail in Rocky Branch Park. The full project is transforming 41 acres of wooded land in an urban setting into a progressive trail system connecting two municipalities.

The Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium - $50,000

This is the first payment of a three-year $150,000 grant. The Paleo Project will fund a new Science Engagement Experience. The Schiele’s exciting exhibit will creatively expand educational impact, increase opportunities for community engagement, raise regional awareness, and heighten civic pride in The Schiele as a local resource and attraction.

YMCA – Stowe Family Y - $100,000

This is the first payment of a five-year $500,000 grant. Grant funds will be used for the expansion and renovation project of the Stowe Family YMCA. This includes creating a new welcome center, youth wing, outdoor aquatic park, pickleball courts, and chapel.