2021 ServeOhio Day Grantees
ServeOhio is pleased to grant awards to support 10 local ServeOhio Day projects taking place June 19. Now in its third year, ServeOhio Day exists to encourage and promote hands-on volunteer engagement while school is out for the summer. The grants ServeOhio is providing will fund service projects in nine Ohio cities led by more than 300 volunteers. ServeOhio awards more than $14,000 in grants to support these projects with help from their 2020-2021 partners, American Electric Power Foundation and AmeriCorps. This year’s recipients include:
Community Food Initiatives, Athens
12 volunteers will build a shed in support of community gardeners, install a simple irrigation system, and work together to apply much-needed layers of mulch in common areas to help the Eastside Community Garden meet increased demands in community gardening.
COMPASS Family and Community Services, Youngstown
8-10 volunteers will build and decorate a community garden in the backyard of Sojourner House Domestic Violence Shelter, as well as spread awareness of Sojourner House’s domestic violence resources and provide education about gardening. Volunteers and youth will also paint and decorate rocks to add a sense of ownership and personality to the garden.
Franciscan Earth Literacy Center, Tiffin
30 volunteers will prepare the Center’s community gardens, greenhouse, nature center, and trails for summer use, as well as create a new pollinator garden and butterfly trail area to celebrate the re-opening of their programs.
Greater Collinwood Development Corporation, Cleveland
30 volunteers will install a pocket park to beautify the vacant lot adjacent to the Five Pointe Community Center through landscaping, litter/debris removal, garden box installation and painting, community message board installation, and little free library installation.
Green Lawn Abbey, Columbus
10-15 volunteers will build a community garden on the grounds of the Green Lawn Abbey to revitalize a historic building, expand green spaces, bring the neighboring community together, and provide fresh, nutritious food to the community.
Lynchburg-Clay Local School District, Lynchburg
50 volunteers will work to beautify a neglected courtyard at the center of the school by removing dirt and gravel with an excavator, leveling and filling the area with gravel and decorative pea gravel, removing the sod layer of an overgrown grassy area and filling it with compost, mulching, planting flowers, and cleaning courtyard walkways.
Nehemiah Partners of Sandusky, Sandusky
30 volunteers will add new mulch to the Nehemiah Center playground and hang playground guidelines signs to help ensure the safety of the children the center serves.
Reaching the Nations International (RTNI), Columbus
18-25 volunteers will remove an old, rusty chain link fence that divides an RTNI ministry house in Trevitt from an empty, adjacent lot and install a chain link fence at the front, rear and side of the lot and ministry house location to ensure safe green spaces for youth and children in the inner city.
The Village Network, Wooster
10 youth volunteers who participate in the leadership and horticultural programs on TVN’s Wooster Campus will assist with the installation of two outdoor relief stations by weeding flower beds, planting flowers and shrubs, and spreading mulch and landscaping stones to help improve the grounds at the Wayne County Humane Society. Youth will also have time to interact with the animal population at the shelter.
The Westwood Right Project CDC, Dayton
100 or more volunteers will remove illegally dumped waste from vacant eyesore lots and install garden beds, trees and other plants to transform the lots into beautiful, vibrant garden spaces for the community.
Volunteers interested in serving in their community for ServeOhio Day or at any time throughout the year can visit Get Connected, ServeOhio’s statewide volunteer engagement platform.