Westminster Presbyterian Awards $20,000 in Grants

Alexandria’s Westminster Presbyterian Church awarded more than $20,000 in grants to five local charitable organizations

Grant recipients are Alexandria Neighborhood Health Services, Alexandria Seaport Foundation, United Community Ministries, Computer CORE and Space of Her Own.

“Westminster’s new Community Grant Program provides an opportunity to enhance support for our current church partners and develop new relationships among Alexandria non-profits,” said Larry Hayward, pastor of the church based in the city's North Ridge neighborhood. “This has provided our church with a tremendous opportunity to learn more about the needs of our community and help provide critical support to our neighbors.”

For some, the grants allow programs to move forward instead of being canceled.

"Without Westminster’s support, this year’s bonding camp would have been canceled due to funding challenges," said SOHO founder Linda Odell. "This grant will help us continue our work to inspire young girls to create a better future for themselves by designing a 'space of her own' and imbue in them a sense of individual value and worth."

The grants will provide funding for:

• $5,000 to ANHSI to cover remodeling costs of two maternity exam rooms and the launch of a new medical home for newborn children at the Casey Health Center clinical site in Alexandria, which is expected to serve at least 600 newborns per year through this program;

• $5,000 to the Alexandria Seaport Foundation to purchase two, two-horsepower cyclone dust collectors that will create a safer and healthier workplace environment. The new dust collection system will help reduce air-borne sawdust particles, keeping the facility cleaner;

• $3,720 to UCM for the purchase of a new glass display commercial refrigerator for its food pantry, which serves 100-150 families daily;

• $3,435 to Computer CORE for software licenses that will help launch a QuickBooks training class in October. This training will help more than 80 Alexandrians learn a workforce development skill, earn college credit and move on to a pay raise or job promotion that will move their families forward on the pathway to self-sufficiency; and

• $3,000 to SOHO to subsidize the cost of a weekend bonding camp for disadvantaged girls. The organization provides girls in need with social, emotional, academic and creative enrichment through mentorship and arts instruction.

Westminster’s local grants program received 32 applications from need-based organizations requesting a total of $131,374 in funds.

The church’s local mission efforts are focused in the areas of Children, Hunger, Education, Shelter and Self-Sufficiency, or CHESS.