October 22, 2015
Cameron announces more than $900,000 in new awards
In its final grant cycle for the year, The Cameron Foundation’s Board of Directors has approved $932,920 in new grant funding to support the work of local nonprofits in the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas.
During the Foundation’s eleventh annual ceremony on October 22, The Cameron Foundation’s Board Chair Larry C. Tucker announced, “Through its grantmaking, both responsive and proactive, the Foundation has made 899 different grants to 272 different organizations to date. Our contributions now exceed $72 million.” The grants have been made to nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and faith organizations. Tucker added, “These numbers continue to amaze me. By working together, we have helped countless individuals, families, and whole communities.”
Among the October grants, an award of $60,122 was made to Virginia State University (VSU) for its Harding Street Urban Agricultural Center. The university, in collaboration with the City of Petersburg and the Department of Social Services, is building a sustainable food production system and distribution hub at the center. In addition to focusing on production and research, the center also will offer educational programs in its kitchen. Cameron funding specifically will assist with the renovation of the kitchen.
Coinciding with the grant award to VSU, the Foundation also hosted nationally recognized urban agriculture expert Will Allen to speak during its October 22 ceremony. Allen met with community leaders and toured the local Petersburg area over two days prior to giving his lecture about how to strengthen the food system. Cameron President J. Todd Graham noted, “The Foundation has an interest in working with community partners to better reach people who do not have access, or who need better access, to healthy foods. The grant towards the Harding Street Urban Agricultural Center as well as Mr. Allen’s visit to Petersburg to speak at our annual ceremony are two examples of how we can facilitate improvements.” Additionally, the Foundation has been collaborating with FeedMore to convene the Petersburg food pantries to develop more efficient and effective ways to obtain and distribute food to the needy.
In another field of interest, the Foundation’s October grants included $30,000 to Friends of the Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR) to support its day-to-day operations. During the October 22 ceremony, FOLAR also was recognized as recipient of the Foundation’s 2015 Cleveland A. Wright Award for Outstanding Community Service. To date, FOLAR has engaged more than 325 volunteers, working thousands of hours, to clear trails within parks, conduct river clean-ups, and build park structures along the Lower Appomattox River. Graham explained that the operating support, coupled with the community service award, will enable the organization to sustain this high level of engagement by hundreds of volunteers to serve its mission.
The full list of October awards includes:
Al-A-Mo Recovery Center, Inc. – $28,000
Art on Wheels – $16,000
Chesterfield Center for the Arts Foundation – $50,000
Colonial Heights Food Pantry, Inc. – $60,000
Colonial Heights Public Schools – $3,500
Crater Community Hospice, Inc. – $50,000
Crisis Assistance Response Emergency Shelter, Inc. (CARES) – $40,850
CultureWorks – $5,000
District 19 Community Services Board – $37,775
FeedMore, Inc. – $50,000
First Baptist Church Washington Street Petersburg – $25,000
FLITE Foundation (Freedom Legacy Inspired Team Efforts) – $55,000
Friends of the Lower Appomattox River – $30,000
Gateway Homes, Inc. – $45,000
Greater Richmond SCAN – $35,000
Historic Blandford Cemetery Foundation – $55,863
Historic Hopewell Foundation, Inc. – $32,000
Hopewell Redevelopment & Housing Authority – $22,160
John Tyler Community College Foundation, Inc. – $33,800
Legal Aid Justice Center – $45,000
Old Brick House Foundation – $9,000
Petersburg Area Art League – $7,500
Petersburg Symphony Orchestra – $20,000
Rawls Museum Arts – $20,000
Salvation Army – $40,850
Serenity, Inc. – $40,000
Touchdown Club of Richmond – $3,000
Virginia Dental Association Foundation – $12,500
Virginia State University Foundation – $60,122
ABOUT THE CAMERON FOUNDATION
Founded in 2003, The Cameron Foundation is a private foundation that was formed from the proceeds of the sale of Southside Regional Medical Center by the Hospital Authority of the City of Petersburg. Its service area includes the region historically served by the hospital and includes the cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell; the counties of Dinwiddie, Prince George and Sussex; and the portion of Chesterfield County lying south of Route 10. Since it began grantmaking in 2004, it has awarded over $72 million to organizations serving residents of this area. Through its work, the Foundation strives to transform the Tri-Cities and surrounding counties into a healthy, vibrant and economically vital region by strategically leveraging resources for community impact.