The United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia, Inc. awarded grants totaling $37,000 to several different programs and ministries around West Virginia. Foundation president, Jeff Taylor, says the Grants Committee reviews applications and awards grants to help fund innovative programs that address acute needs in communities. At its April 12 meeting, the Foundation awarded grants for the following:

$6,000 to Spring Heights Retreat Center, a ministry of the West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in Spencer, WV, to help increase its visibility in its community.

$12,500 to The House of the Carpenter, Inc. in Wheeling, West Virginia, to help with construction costs of its new Youth Center. The Youth Center will provide space for existing House of the Carpenter ministries as well as safe place for neighborhood youth and their families.

$5,000 to the West Virginia Council of Churches to help establish and support six Community Reentry Councils for ex-offenders across the state. These Councils address reentry and other community issues such as housing, employment, behavioral health, substance use disorders, family services, positive youth development, benefits, and food assistance.

$1,000 to Elizabeth Memorial United Methodist Church of Charleston, WV to help cover a portion of the costs of an upcoming event at the Church where the National Federation of the Blind, West Virginia, will be training a number of young persons in the areas of reading braille, independent living skills, getting around obstacles and learning self-reliance skills .

$12,500 to Tyrand Cooperative Ministries, a Mission Project of the West Virginia Annual Conference in Millcreek, WV, to update an antiquated heating system in the mission project facility. The new system is needed to increase safety and to reduce heating costs,  increasing funds available for serving the needs of the community.

The United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia, Inc., established in 1974, manages over $100 Million for United Methodist causes in West Virginia and Garrett County, Maryland.

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For more information  please contact Jeff Taylor at 304-342-2113 or e-mail him at jefftaylor@umfwv.org