Category Archives: iFunds

Nearly $300,000 Awarded to 21 Local Charities

Grants, iFunds, Parks and Public Spaces, Wellness
Children's Theatre performance
Members of Oklahoma Children’s Theatre’s Page to Stage program perform for elementary students.

The Oklahoma City Community Foundation is awarding nearly $300,000 to 21 charitable organizations through three grant programs that support community wellness, development of parks and public spaces and opportunities for children in central Oklahoma.

“Our role as a community foundation is to connect donors to charitable organizations for the betterment of our community,” Oklahoma City Community Foundation President Nancy B. Anthony said. “We continually assess the needs of the community and create programs and initiatives to target these. We are pleased to have so many effective nonprofits in the community that share our vision and are willing to partner with us to help Oklahoma City reach its full potential.”

Among the recent recipients is Oklahoma Children’s Theatre, receiving a $15,000 Opportunities for Children iFund grant to support its Page to Stage program. The Opportunities for Children iFund program awards grants to enable more children in central Oklahoma to participate in enrichment activities such as after-school programs, arts education and tutoring and mentoring services. By working with nonprofits providing creative ways to incorporate literacy, wellness and cultural activities, the grant program encourages increased access to help families overcome barriers to participation such as lack of transportation, financial resources and program availability.

“Literacy is a vital component to long-term success for children,” says Oklahoma Children’s Theatre programs director Mollie Reid. “Our Page to Stage program engages children at low income, low performing and Title 1 elementary schools by bringing a story to life. It starts in the classroom encouraging students to predict outcomes and imagine alternate conclusions before presenting a fully staged participation play. At the conclusion of the performance, each child receives a book of that story. It’s hard to describe their excitement as they receive their book, autographed by the actors. Seeing children so excited about reading is magic!”

The Oklahoma City Community Foundation awarded the following grants:

Wellness Initiative

  • Latino Community Development Agency – $15,000 for a family health and wellness program for Latino youth and adults at risk for lifestyle-related diseases.
  • Oklahoma City Bicycle Society – $17,170 for a bike skills and safety training program for central Oklahoma residents.
  • Rainbow Fleet – $22,000 to continue training for child care professionals to integrate health and wellness activities that promote good nutrition and physical activity for children.

Parks & Public Space Initiative/Margaret Annis Boys Trust

  • Gatewood Elementary – $10,310 for a shade structure and basketball goals to continue to activate the school grounds as a public park.
  • John Marshall High School – $6,310 for phase two of a beautification project to plant trees at the Oklahoma City public high school.
  • Millwood Elementary School – $20,611 to plant trees and add soccer goals and a backstop to the campus creating a community and school recreation area.
  • Venice Neighborhood Association – $9,000 to plant trees in public medians along Venice Boulevard northwest of downtown Oklahoma City.

Opportunities for Children iFund

  • Arts Council of Oklahoma City – $9,050 for the All Access Arts after-school program to provide arts education in two Oklahoma City public schools.
  • Beta Eta Lambda Scholarship Foundation – $5,000 for robotics camp for Alpha Boys Institute serving young boys in northeast Oklahoma City.
  • Boy Scouts of America Last Frontier Council – $20,000 for recruitment of new urban Cub Scout Packs.
  • Citizens Caring for Children – $15,000 to provide clothes, books and other supplies for foster children through the Resource Center.
  • El Sistema Oklahoma – $15,000 to provide after-school music education for Oklahoma City-area students.
  • Genesis Project – $10,000 to provide social and cultural activities for children in DHS custody living at the group home.
  • Girls Scouts Western Oklahoma – $18,000 for recruitment of Girl Scouts and development of new troops.
  • Hearts for Hearing Foundation – $15,841 for support group for hearing-impaired children.
  • Oklahoma Children’s Theatre – $15,000 for the Page to Stage literacy and arts program for kindergarten through fourth-grade students.
  • Oklahoma City Museum of Art – $9,000 for arts outreach program for children in the St. Anthony Behavioral Medicine Center.
  • Oklahoma Cleats for Kids – $10,000 for athletic shoes for children in need.
  • Positive Tomorrows – $20,000 to expand extracurricular and after-school activities for pre-K students.
  • Prairie Dance Theatre – $8,000 to expand the Youth Company to include dance camps and additional performance opportunities.
  • Youth and Family Services, Inc. (El Reno) – $18,715 for the Body, Mind and Spirit Recovery program for foster children.

More than $300,000 Awarded to 14 Charities

Community, Grants, iFunds, Wellness
People practicing dance
Members of the Golden Swans – Oklahoma City Ballet’s outreach program for elderly and Alzheimer’s sufferers – practice their skills. Oklahoma City Ballet is one of Oklahoma City Community Foundation’s most recent grantees.

The Oklahoma City Community Foundation recently awarded more than $300,000 to 14 charitable organizations in central Oklahoma. The Services to Elderly iFund program, Access to Health Care iFund program and Wellness Initiative award grants to organizations that support independent living for the elderly, promote wellness and exercise, provide social and recreational opportunities and give access to health care.

“Seniors are in need of programs that help them to live happy, healthy lives,” says Whitney Moore, development director for recent grant recipient Oklahoma City Ballet. “Remaining active as seniors age is very important in maintaining their independence and health.”

The Community Foundation’s Elderly Services iFund program supports organizations that provide direct services for our community’s older citizens who still live in their homes. By supporting wellness and exercise activities, this program helps to allow independent living to continue and provides positive social and recreational opportunities improving their quality of life.

“Oklahoma City is continually listed as one of the nation’s least healthy cities. The Oklahoma City Community Foundation is actively working to change this by creating a culture of health and wellness in central Oklahoma,” Oklahoma City Community Foundation President Nancy B. Anthony said. “We are pleased to work with charitable organizations that share our vision and provide creative solutions to improve the lives of citizens in our community.”

The following grants were awarded:

Wellness Initiative

Mercy Health Foundation Oklahoma City – $30,000 for the FUN (Fitness, Understanding Health and Nutrition) Project to provide school-based nutrition, physical education and summer family wellness activities with the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation to at-risk youth in Oklahoma City.

Services for the Elderly iFund

American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma – $12,500 for a campaign to prevent home fires among elderly residents.

NewView Oklahoma – $20,000 for a medication management program for seniors who are vision-impaired.

Oklahoma City Ballet – $10,000 for the Golden Swans program providing ballet classes to help improve senior mobility.

Rebuilding Together OKC – $20,000 to provide critical heating, cooling and electrical repairs to low-income seniors allowing them to remain safe, warm and dry in their homes.

Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma – $20,000 to provide nutritious food and healthy living resources to low-income seniors.

The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command – $15,000 to support the Senior Watch program that provides immediate, short-term assistance for seniors in need of additional household, emotional or spiritual support.

Access to Health Care iFund

A Chance to Change – $24,000 for a telehealth project to provide remote substance abuse and mental health therapy sessions for clients who are unable to attend in-person treatment.

Fundacion Manos Juntas – $21,000 to support a diabetes management and education program for diabetic and pre-diabetic patients at the Manos Juntas Free Clinic in Oklahoma City.

Harold Hamm Diabetes Center at OUHSC – $25,000 to expand a diabetes prevention program for individuals at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes.

Latino Community Development Agency – $30,000 to provide breast and cervical cancer education, screening, referrals and comprehensive patient navigations for Hispanic women in central Oklahoma.

Neighborhood Services Organization – $40,000 for a dental outreach and education program for low-income children and adults throughout Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma Dental Foundation – $40,000 to support the MobileSmiles dental clinic providing dental treatment and preventative oral health education to low-income children at Oklahoma City Public Schools.

Skyline Urban Ministry – $5,000 to support a wellness program providing health screenings, education, nutrition and physical activities for at-risk citizens.