HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Three Lawrence County nonprofit groups were among those who received funding grants from

The United Way of the River Cities, announced on Monday.

United Way awarded $525,880 in grants to 26 nonprofits in its five-county service area for the 2022-23 funding cycle.

Harvest for the Hungry, a food pantry serving Lawrence County, received $16,000, while Backpack Buddies, which provides food to students in the county, received $20,000.

Community Mission Outreach, a food pantry and clothing closet in Chesapeake, received $12,000 as well.

These grants target critical issues in the areas of health, education, financial stability and safety net services by investing in local programs managed by nonprofits that work to solve these issues in Cabell, Lincoln, Mason and Wayne counties in West Virginia, and Lawrence County.

“We received more than 30 proposals from the community full of well-considered plans to improve the lives of many,” Lara Lawson, UWRC’s director of community impact, said. “The process to review applications takes more than 700 volunteer hours to complete, and we are so very grateful to our Community Impact Council and the team of experts who take the time each year to review these plans. We are looking forward to working with our grant partners this year as they serve this community through a challenging time.”

This year, three types of grants were awarded totaling $528,880 in awards: impact grants, safety net grants and capacity-building grants. Impact grants are awarded to programs that address one of UWRC’s critical issues in the focus areas of health, education and financial stability. This year, $281,620 was awarded for impact grants.

Safety net grants are awarded to programs that provide short-term assistance with basic needs such as food, clothing, safe shelter, healthcare and more. Those grants totaled $221,260 this year.

“We’re thrilled and grateful to our entire community for their generous donations of time, talent and treasure that make it possible to distribute more than one-half million dollars to local agencies and programs doing the essential work of assisting those in need across our region,” said Carol Bailey, UWRC executive director. “These awards are a great example of how we rally together to address critical issues and improve our community by Living United.”

New for this year, the Community Impact Council also recommended to fund each grantee with an additional $1,000 for capacity building, for a total of $26,000.

“Because of the philanthropic spirit of our great UWRC donors of the Tri-State, we are delighted to grant these funds into the hands of those who are doing the work at ground zero to produce the greatest returns on investment,” Charles Shaw, UWRC board member and CIC chair, said.

Others in the 2022 Funded Partners list included:

IMPACT GRANTS 
Education-based Impact Grants:
• Positive People Association LLC — $13,000
• Mason County Library KidsConnect — $10,000
• MURC Prevention Empowerment Partnership — $21,120
• Lincoln County Library Reading and Education Program — $7,500
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State — $35,000
• John W. Hereford Boys and Girls Clubs of Huntington — $30,000

Financial Stability-based Impact Grants:
• Tri-State Literacy Council — $21,000
• Dress for Success River Cities — $24,000
• Catholic Charities West Virginia — $24,500

Health-based Impact Grants:
• Lincoln County Library Self-Care Program — $7,500
• MURC Prevention Empowerment Partnership — $15,000
• Lily’s Place — $35,000
• YMCA of Huntington — $13,000
• Goodwill of KYOVA — $25,000

SAFETY NET GRANTS 
• SPECO Care Bag Program — $20,000
• MURC Explorer Academy — $10,000
• Wayne County Community Services — $4,000
• Marshall Health Healthy Connections — $15,000
• Children’s Home Society Nancy Tonkin Resource Center — $20,000
• BRANCHES — $20,000
• Cabell Huntington Coalition for the Homeless — $14,000
• Christian Associates Cridlin Food Pantry — $15,000
• Facing Hunger Food Bank Backpack Program (Lincoln County) — $15,000
• Gabriel Project — $5,160
• Huntington City Mission Community Feeding Program — $35,000