2017 GRANT RECIPIENTS

A total of over $47,000 in grants were awarded by Operation Our Town for the 2017 grant cycle to the following prevention programs:

Altoona Area School District ELECT Program:  ELECT Program Workshops & Groups
Will fund nutritious meals and snacks for pregnant and parenting teens and their children at programming events and out of school visits.

Altoona Area School District Foundation:  Project SOAR (Study, Overcome, Achieve, Reward)
Will fund supplies and program materials for students that have been identified to receive financial assistance to pursue a post-secondary education, given that they meet program guidelines and participate fully in the program.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Blair County:  One-to-One Youth Mentoring
Evidence-based one-to-one youth mentoring program offered to children of Blair County between the ages of 6 and 18, who are paired with a trained adult mentor to do a variety of activities, to confide in as a friend, and to serve as a role model.

Blair County Juvenile Drug Court Program
Will fund the purchase of incentives that will provide meaningful activities for youth, which will build participants’ self-worth, community connection, and continued sobriety. 

Central Blair Recreation & Park Commission:  Themed Community Special Events Series
Will provide supplies for six themed special events in the community throughout the year: Splash Hop at Prospect Pool, Max’s Maxcot Mania, Pirate & Princess Party, Movie in the Parks, Community Easter Egg Hunt, and Carnival of Games.

Child Advocates of Blair County:  Choices Summer Program
Will fund the purchase of supplies for a summer program for teen girls at Evergreen Manors.

Evolution Expressions:  Kids Arts for Healing Group
Will fund art supplies for trauma-focused physical and artistic activities for at-risk youth ages 8 to 18 in need of specialized support.

Gloria Gates Memorial Foundation:  After School & Summer Program
After-school and summer programs provided for children ages 5 through 12 in a daily structured setting held within the low-income housing developments of Evergreen Manors, Fairview Hills, and Logan Hills.

Hollidaysburg Area School District:  Student Voluntary Drug Testing
Funding to help expand the voluntary drug testing program, increase participation, and to help cover the costs of the drug testing in both the Junior and Senior High Schools.

Hollidaysburg Area YMCA:  Family Y-Nite
Offers their facilities to kids and their families one Saturday per month from October through June and provides swimming, arts and crafts, games, music, food, and local entertainment.

The Door Student Services:  The Palmer Technology Center
Will replace outdated computers in The Palmer Technology Center that serve at-risk teenagers year-round through their after-school program.

The ROCK:  Kids Community Program
Program for children in Pre-K through 12^th grade held at the 2^nd Avenue United Methodist Church, which includes a recreational period, classroom time directed at healthy living & moral decision making, arts & crafts, and a home-cooked meal.

United Way of Blair County:  Family Resource Center – Parents as Teachers Program and Make Parenting a Pleasure Parenting Class
Funding to provide program supplies for Parents as Teachers educational family home visits and group events, and educational materials for the Make Parenting a Pleasure curriculum.