For the Miami Valley Today

MIAMI COUNTY — Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, Miami County Foundation has been responding to the unique and unprecedented challenges in local communities through the establishment of the COVID-19 Emergency Grant Fund. This fund was created specifically to help Miami County residents during such a critical time.

Over the past two years, the foundation’s board of directors along with its executive director have worked with local non-profits, schools, and municipalities to support their initiatives through 63 COVID-19-related emergency grants totaling nearly $221,000.

This relief funding provided mental health counseling, PPE, rides to work, picnic tables, technology for distance learning, carry-out lunches, care products and food for the homebound, plexiglass for safe distancing, air purifiers, assistance with utility bills, bottles of sanitizer for an entire school district, and much more. This support helped organizations and classrooms continue to reach the people they serve in our county.

Anne Pfeiffer, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley, shared thanks, saying, “Countless families followed up with our team that the assistance we were able to provide them with care packages through those difficult times freed up funds to help pay their other critical bills or even purchase a holiday gift for their children.”

“This grant helped the Rides to Work program fund a new morning shift from 8:30 to 11:30 to pick up individuals and take them to work. In 2021, the Rides to Work program provided more than 3,700 rides to work. Thank you, again, as this is so important to the individuals and to the community,” reported Jim Taylor, program director.

New Creations Counseling Center’s clinical director, Paula Long, said, “Thank you very much for this generosity. We were able to quickly move to a virtual platform to provide necessary tele-counseling services to our clients.”

When Richard Hunt established the foundation in 1985, he likely would not have imagined the challenges that the community faced recently, but his charitable vision ensured that Miami County Foundation could meet the needs of the community as they arose. “As we close out the COVID-19 Emergency Grant Fund, we have no doubt that he would be incredibly proud of the work of the foundation and its partners,” said Stacey Earhart, board secretary.

Miami County Foundation administers and distributes grants semiannually and scholarships annually. For more information about its programs or to support the foundation, visit www.miamicountyfoundation.org. You can reach Miami County Foundation at P.O. Box 1526, Piqua, OH 45356, as well as by calling (937) 773-9012, emailing [email protected], or following their Facebook or Instagram pages: @miamicountyfoundation.

Miami County Foundation effectively assists, encourages, and promotes the health, education, and welfare of the citizens of Miami County by soliciting, receiving, and administrating assets exclusively for their charitable needs. Miami County Foundation serves with the motto of “People Helping People.”