The Columbia Foundation, Howard County's community foundation, announces the granting of $85,000 in project grants to 20 local charitable organizations.
HUMAN SERVICE GRANTS
The nine human service grants total $60,000 and will help support groups addressing some of the more critical concerns of the community.
The Arc of Howard County - $6,500 to support an additional five or six families of those who have developmental or cognitive disabilities at their Respite Care House.
AT:LAST - $8,400 for assistive technology resources for students with learning disabilities.
Camp Attaway* - $3,000 towards their summer camp Vocational Transition Program for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities.
Cradlerock Children's Center - $12,800 in funding for their "Immersion Program" that fosters emotional, cognitive, spiritual and social growth among preschool children.
Girls on the Run of Howard County, Inc. - $5,000 for their "Girls on Track" after-school program for girls in grades 3 through 8.
Howard Community College Education Foundation - $1,300 to their Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center for a "16-Hour Restorative Dialogue Training" program.
Loyola University Maryland, Clinical Center - $9,000 to their Columbia Speech and Language Center for their "Expanding Horizons: Broadways Kids in the School" program that helps students with communication delays.
Tau Pi Foundation - $5,000 in funding for their "Gospel Extravaganza" event to benefit youth and senior citizen programs.
Y of Central Maryland - $9,000 to support their Teen and Senior Center at the Dancel Y.
ARTS AND CULTURAL GRANTS
Five arts and cultural organizations were awarded a total of $15,000.
Chesapeake Shakespeare Company - $3,000 for their Chesapeake Shakespeare in the Ruins" productions held in Ellicott City.
Columbia Concert Band - $2,000 in funding for their "Maryland Community Band Day 2011."
Kinetics Dance Theatre - $3,000 to support their "Arts in Education Series: Trash Suite Performance Workshop."
Orchestra of St. John's - $2,000 towards the costs of a concert featuring local classical musicians.
The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University - $5,000 in scholarship funds for Howard County students to participate in the Peabody Children's Chorus of Peabody Preparatory.
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICES GRANTS
Six grants in this category totaled $10,000.
The Alpha Foundation of Howard County - $2,250 for their "Alpha Achievers Program" that encourages academic and personal excellence among African American high school males.
Bright Minds Foundation - $2,000 in funding for their
campaign to Bridge the Digital Divide, the Computers for Students project provides Internet ready desktop computers and printers to middle school students from Howard County public schools who do not have access to computer technology at home.
Green Building Institute - $1,500 for their virtual classroom in their online program to provide education about sustainable building practices.
Howard County Conservancy - $1,500 towards their "Howard County Schools Go Green" program.
The Howard County Local Brain Bee - $750 to support the Brain Bee Neuroscience Competition for High School students in Howard County to encourage the pursuit of careers in biomedical research.
Junior Achievement of Central Maryland - $2,000 in matching funds to sponsor a Title One Elementary School fifth grade class in Howard County to receive the JA BizTown Program.
*Photo Courtesy of Camp Attaway