The Board of Directors of the St. Marys Methodist Church Foundation, Inc. has approved grants for the Fall 2022 Grant Cycle. Grants totaling $1,059,996 will be made to 18 organizations the week of December 5, 2022. The following is a brief description of each recipient and the purpose of the grant.
A $40,000 challenge grant to provide program support for Family-Match Application in Georgia. Adoption-Share was established in 2010 to reform the private adoption arena and change public perception of adoption with a pro-adoption message. They seek to remove barriers that prevent families from adopting children and expectant parents from considering adoption for their unborn children. Adoption-Share does this by providing “Family-Match,” an online, web-based platform that centralizes information distribution and connects various resources and contacts for those involved in the adoption process. Adoption-Share has been proven to decrease the average wait for many adoptive parents by 18 months. Their application to help families to foster or adopt a child is flipping the script on the way placement decisions are made in the United States.
A $57,458 partial challenge grant to Camden Community Family Center, Inc., (CCFC) to provide general operating support. CCFC provides a safe, child-friendly environment for supervised visitation for children in foster care and other court ordered child parent visitations. CCFC works as a resource to Camden County DFCS and with families whose children are victims of domestic violence, neglect, physical abuse, and/or sexual abuse.
A $30,000 grant to Coastal Coalition for Children for Grandparent Connection in Glynn and Camden Counties. Grandparent Connection began in 2005 to meet the needs of isolated grandparents raising grandchildren by providing information, referrals, group support sessions and case management. These services have been shown to improve individual sustainability in a number of ways for grandparents, relative caregivers, and the grandchildren who are being reared by them. Engagement with and support of “grandfamilies” presents a unique opportunity to address generational poverty and to influence individual sustainability for two generations simultaneously.
A $42,000 challenge grant to Coastal Outreach Soccer/Coastal Outreach Academies (COS) to assist with general operating expenses. The program was founded in 2004 through a collaborative effort involving the Glynn County School System, Brunswick Recreation Department, and local certified coaches. Soccer provides a fun way to engage students from low-income communities, providing exercise in a safe environment and providing positive adult mentors to improve school attendance and academic performance. COS’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of children from underserved communities by combining a soccer based after school youth development program with academic support.
A $144,000 partial challenge grant to Communities in Schools (CIS) of Glynn County to provide funds to support the salary and operating expenses of three Site Coordinators at the high school level – two at Glynn Academy and partial funding for a site coordinator at Brunswick High School. The program provides before-school academic support programs, incentives, case management, parental engagement / family support services and on-site program coordination to prevent at-risk students from dropping out of school. CIS is making a significant difference in improving the high school graduation rates in Glynn County.
A $48,000 challenge grant to The Gathering Place (The GP) to support the summer college intern program. The GP’s mission is “to reach students with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, equip them to be effective Christian leaders, and send them to impact their local schools, churches, and communities.” The GP’s Summer College Internship is an experience that engages college students and recent college graduates in personal development programming and service activities throughout the summer months. The Internship is designed to strengthen their relationships with Christ while developing the intern’s individual leadership capacity as they serve our coastal community through a variety of outreach and mentorship initiatives.
A $50,000 challenge grant to Glynn County Community Crisis Center, Inc. (GCCC), aka Amity House, to support general operating expenses. GCCC provides emergency shelter and services to abused individuals and their children and works to put an end to domestic violence in the community.
A $26,563 challenge grant to Golden Isles Veterans Village, Inc representing the 1st year of a 3-year commitment to Golden Isles Veterans Village, Inc. (GIVV) to support the salary and benefits of the executive director. The mission of GIVV is to provide a supportive faith community of tiny homes and a community center where 30 homeless veterans can reside while receiving medical, physical, and emotional support needed to heal; and to provide veterans with education and job training opportunities so they may ultimately move forward to permanent housing and employment of their choice. This is a transitional housing community not permanent houses, to give a "HANDS UP TO THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED US."
A $7,475 grant to Golden Isles Veterans Village, Inc. for the cost of materials and construction of concrete walkways. The addition of the walkways will allow disabled homeless veteran participants to be able to independently avail themselves of services and social opportunities within GIVV. The mission of GIVV is to provide a supportive faith community of tiny homes and a community center where 30 homeless veterans can reside while receiving medical, physical, and emotional support needed to heal; and to provide veterans with education and job training opportunities so they may ultimately move forward to permanent housing and employment of their choice. This is a transitional housing community not permanent houses, to give a "HANDS UP TO THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED US."
A $30,000 challenge grant to Grace House of Brunswick, Inc. to support operational and manage mental sustainability, property renovations, and program revitalization. Grace House, located in Brunswick, Georgia is a long-term residential recovery home for women recovering from drug and alcohol addictions. Grace House exists to provide women, regardless of their socio-economic situation, an opportunity to seek recovery from their addiction to drugs and alcohol through the teachings of Jesus Christ and his reconciling love for all.
A $75,000 partial challenge grant to Morningstar Children and Family Services, Inc. for operational support for the Glynn County facility. Morningstar, located in Brunswick, Georgia, serves children with developmental disabilities and children who are unable to function in a foster home environment and who need the structure of an on-campus program. Morningstar provides three primary services: residential care, mental health care, and therapeutic foster care services.
A $50,000 partial challenge grant to The Remedy Project for general operating expenses. The Remedy Project began in 2011 and is a faith-based addiction counseling and recovery program organized to serve clients in the City of Brunswick and other limited areas of Southeast Georgia. The Remedy Project offers clinical assessments, faith-based addiction counseling, detox assistance, twelve-step group support and limited food and housing assistance.
A $55,000 partial challenge grant to Social Opportunities & Active Recreation, Inc. (SOAR) to provide general operating expenses. SOAR was established in 2015 by local citizens of Glynn County, comprised of retired educators and family members, who were concerned that adults with developmental disabilities are kept on the fringes of the community due to a lack of engaging and inclusive opportunities. SOAR’s purpose is to strengthen the quality of life of citizens with developmental disabilities in coastal Georgia by providing activities focused on wellness and inclusion. SOAR links citizens with developmental disabilities to community partners, enriching the lives of all.
A $46,000 challenge grant to St. Mark’s Towers to provide general operational support. St. Mark’s Towers is a faith-based, non-profit Georgia Corporation serving senior adults throughout the Golden Isles since 1982. They are committed to spreading the Word of God through their caring opportunities for the residents. St. Mark’s offers affordable, HUD subsidized housing, which meets the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of their residents. Their goal is to provide a quality of life embracing connection, dignity, respect, and joy.
A $25,000 challenge grant to Board of Ordained Ministry representing the 3rd year of a 3-year commitment to provide operational support for the S3 Program. The S3 Program (Sabbath, Study, and Service) is a collaborative, small group, action learning project/experience designed to promote and sustain clergy excellence within the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
A $58,500 challenge grant to Magnolia Manor to assist with funding four part-time chaplain positions. Magnolia Manor is a ministry of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church established to provide long-term care and affordable living to older adults.
A $75,000 grant to provide program support for the Circles in Columbus poverty reduction initiative in Columbus, Georgia. Open Door is an agency of the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Circles in Columbus addresses the issues of poverty by establishing a community that empowers and equips families with the tools and resources families need to increase income, decrease debt, and maximize social connections that lead to a life free of poverty.
A $200,000 grant was approved to support the Journey to Sustainability Project in Nicaragua. This grant represents the first year of a new 4-year partnership between Partners Worldwide and the St. Marys Methodist Church Foundation. Partners Worldwide aspires to end poverty so that all may have life and have it abundantly. They achieve this by mobilizing long-term, hands-on global relationships, forming a powerful Christian network that uses business to create flourishing economic environments around the world. PW currently partners with over 70 Local Community Institutions (LCIs), in 35 countries, each rooted in communities facing poverty and high unemployment. The LCI partners work with PW to implement the shared vision to end poverty by focusing on four strategic activities: Business Training, Mentoring, Access to Capital, and Advocacy.
Asociación Pueblos en Accion Comunitaria (APAC) (https://apac.org.ni/ ) is a Nicaraguan organization established in 1996. Since 2014, APAC has become one of PW’s most impactful LCIs in Nicaragua. APAC’s mission is to transform the reality of unemployment and poverty that prevails in Nicaragua’s rural areas by implementing socioeconomic development models based on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and business training.
Additional information about the St. Marys Methodist Church Foundation, Inc. is available at www.smumcfoundation.org or by calling 912-510-9350.
The Board of Directors of the St. Marys Methodist Church Foundation, Inc. has approved grants for the Spring 2022 Grant Cycle. Grants totaling $620,600 will be made to 12 organizations the week of June 6, 2022. The following is a brief description of each recipient and the purpose of the grant.
A $5,000 grant to provide operational support for the Links International Foreign Affairs and Business Empowerment Youth Program (LIFE). The Brunswick Georgia Chapter of the Links, Inc. is an organization of African-American women who provide charitable services to the underprivileged in the Brunswick community. LIFE is designed to encourage 11th and 12th grade high school students, especially African American students, to consider careers in business, nursing, and international affairs. The objective is to encourage area students to consider the College of Coastal Georgia as a college option, thus improving the opportunities for African American students while supporting the only 4-year college in the service area. The ultimate goal being to have these students become successful contributors to the local community and its economy.
A $60,000 partial challenge grant to Camden House / Camden Community Crisis Center to fund general operations, rebranding and marketing, and the Pathways Collaborative, by serving as matching funds for federal funding grants, and by providing operational stability as Camden House conducts extensive resiliency planning resource development. Camden House is an emergency shelter providing safety, confidentiality, and support for people in Camden and Charlton counties who are victims of domestic violence. The goal of Camden House is to educate and motivate victims to take control of their lives and recognize alternatives to returning to an abusive situation.
A $27,000 grant to CASA Glynn, Inc. to fund direct program expenses for Camden and Glynn counties. CASA Glynn provides advocacy services for abused and neglected children in Glynn and Camden County who are at risk and placed in foster care. As of October 1, 2021, CASA Glynn also serves Wayne, Appling, and Jeff Davis counties – which means they now serve the entire Brunswick Judicial Circuit. Advocacy services are provided through trained volunteers who are appointed by the Juvenile Court to represent the child until the child is placed in a permanent and safe home. The CASA advocate brings an objective voice and remains a consistent figure that networks with other service providers and caseworkers in focusing on a better future for the families and children they serve.
A partial challenge grant totaling $60,000 to FaithWorks to help build a more sustainable and diversified support base for community ministries in Glynn and Camden counties. FaithWorks, organized in 1995 as an extension ministry of the UMC serving the Glynn County area has developed into a Methodist-led ecumenical ministry that focuses on, but is not limited to, community healthcare services, services to the homeless, and poverty needs in Glynn and the Southeast Georgia area.
A partial challenge grant totaling $200,000 to support the capital campaign to build “GATHER”, a new Gathering Place campus in Brunswick. After years of leasing space at various locations, The GP has strategically determined to invest in a permanent location to serve as a hub for their ministry. The campus will be located on Altamaha Avenue, next to Brunswick High School and across the street from the College of Coastal Georgia in Brunswick, Georgia. The GP exists to see generations of students transformed by the love of Christ so that they live and lead for the benefit of others.
A $20,000 grant to Golden Isles FCA as the 1st year of a 3-year partnership, to provide funding for a new staff position. FCA is a non-profit, interdenominational organization promoting positive, Christian principles to sports-minded individuals around the world. Adding staff will help them meet their goal of transforming coaches and athletes by increasing Golden Isles FCA’s active presence on every area high school, middle school, and college campus as well as with the club and recreation teams. The presence of FCA staff benefits schools, athletes, coaches, and community.
A $50,000 challenge grant to provide general operating support to HOPE 1312 Collective located in Glynn County and also expanding into Camden County. Hope 1312 Collective is based on Proverbs 13:12, which states that hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. The story of kids in foster care is a story of hope deferred time and time again. At Hope 1312 Collective, they engage the Church and community to enter the story of child welfare by providing tangible Hope for children in hard places. They are a liaison between the Church, the community, and the child welfare system.
A $50,000 challenge grant to provide funding to cover uncompensated days. These funds will support 250 days of residential services in their Hospice House for patients who cannot afford to pay for the cost of residential room and board. HGI is the only community-based, tax-exempt hospice and palliative care organization serving patients and families in their five-county licensed service area that includes Glynn, Camden, McIntosh, Brantley, and Charlton counties. They are also the only local hospice provider to offer a freestanding Hospice House for inpatient respite and residential hospice care. Many dying patients would not be able to receive care in a safe setting from reliable caregivers without this unique resource that HGI provides.
A $36,000 partial challenge grant to provide operational expenses for a program supporting ministry to recently released offenders. Newpoint Partnership was formed to provide a practical, efficient, and effective way to support and equip Christian brothers who are being released from Georgia State Prisons while building the church through the inclusion of Christian brothers who have a desire to be in Christian ministry. Newpoint Partnership provides the housing, mentoring and other needs while facilitating the Christian brother’s inclusion into a local evangelical church so his talents and spiritual gifts can be used in the building of God’s church. Newpoint also provides a base whereby Christian brothers may engage the community, winning others to Christ through the living-out of their transformed lives.
A $64,600 challenge grant to provide funding for a new staff position and for Sexual Risk Avoidance Programming expenses. Skylark is a Christ-centered ministry dedicated to the sanctity of human life and sexual purity providing services to Southeast Georgia, including Camden, Glynn, Brantley, and Charlton counties. Skylark has a unique mission, vision, purpose, and Christian value system. They look for opportunities, in the midst of serving clients, to provide a doorway to Christ, discipleship, lifestyle change, and spiritual growth. No other organization provides this type of outreach to women facing unplanned pregnancy or facing consequences of sexual decisions. Skylark solely encourages clients with the optimal life choice of postponing sexual involvement until marriage.
A $30,000 partial challenge grant to the STAR Foundation in Brunswick, Georgia to provide general operating expenses and expansion to Camden County. Target population consists of the unemployed, underemployed, non-college educated, men and women (most of whom are single mothers) in Glynn, Camden, and McIntosh counties. Also, they seek to serve youth ages 16 – 24 years old seeking employment or college entry with the goal to help their students grow toward financial self-sufficiency for themselves and their families. In recent days STAR has launched programming in partnership with Coastal Coalition for Children’s Grandparent Connection to teach basic technology skills, how to avoid scams, etc. to senior citizens.
An $18,000 grant to Wesley Foundation at Mercer University to expand the college campus missionaries program which allows recent college graduates to disciple, invest in, minister to, and mentor undergraduates while the recent graduates are discerning and preparing for the next steps of their education, ministry and/or careers. Wesley Foundation exists to challenge, inspire, and equip young adults to deepen their relationships with Jesus by creating space for worship, teaching, sacred practices, hard questions, and community for all regardless of background, religious experience, or convictions.
Additional information about the St. Marys Methodist Church Foundation, Inc. is available at www.smumcfoundation.org or by calling 912-510-9350.