From children’s summer camps to opening an Autism Diagnostic Clinic, funding from the Safelite AutoGlass Foundation 2016 Impact Grants will lead to tremendous benefits for the central Ohio community. The Foundation is the 501(c)(3) giving arm of Safelite AutoGlass, one of the nation’s largest vehicle glass repair and replacement companies. This is the sixth year the Columbus, Ohio-based company has distributed impact grants in amounts of $20,000 or more with the intention of making a big difference through a large-sum, unplanned gift to local charitable organizations.

Each year, the amount of total donations has grown, reaching 21 separate $25,000 donations this year. The recipients of Safelite’s sixth annual impact grants are:

1. With a mission to foster hope, happiness and healing for families raising kids with life threatening illnesses, A Kid Again will expand its Zoombezi Bay Adventure in 2017. The anticipation and memories of an Adventure are critical to providing hope to the kids and families served. At the water park, there is something for everyone and activities that can accommodate children who have activity-limiting conditions.

2. The American Heart Association will add 10 High Schools to their hands-on training program “Saving Our Selves (SOS) in Ohio: Removing Barriers to Survival during Cardiac Arrest through CPR in Schools Training for Columbus City School Students.”

3. The American Red Cross will replace one of two Collections Vans currently in operation. With an estimated operations of 251 days per year, this Collection Van will transport approximately 48,000 units of blood over the next six years, helping provide life-saving blood and blood products for all Central Ohioans in need, while improving the delivery, quality and efficiency of our services.
4. Big Brothers Big Sisters will use funding to provide summer camp scholarships to Camp Oty’Okwa for 75 low-income students from Highland Elementary in Grades 1-3. This camp focuses on building self-esteem, leadership, and literacy skills through meaningful outdoor experiences.

5. Boys & Girls Clubs will purchase and install outdoor recreational facilities at three area Clubs in Central Ohio that do not currently have adequate facilities for sports and recreation. The intent is to encourage youth to participate in Club programming, learn valuable leadership and teamwork skills, as well as make sure they are prescribing to the CDC’s recommendation that all youth are physically active for at least 60 minutes a day.

6. The Buckeye Ranch will purchase six sets of industrial washers and dryers for its residential treatment campus. The residential program has the capacity to treat up to 98 youth at any given time. The equipment will assist youth with Life Skills training and Family Reunification.

7. Children’s Hunger Alliance will strengthen its afterschool meal service operation in Franklin County in existing school sites and new sites identified through outreach. Funding will be used for staff training, healthy meal options, and increasing participation. 300,000 healthy meals and snacks will be provided across 85 Franklin County afterschool sites.

8. Columbus Speech and Hearing is working to develop a community-wide, trans-disciplinary Autism Diagnostic Clinic. The grant will have a significant impact on the development of this clinic by allowing the purchase of the necessary equipment, provide staff training, and, most importantly, to provide scholarships to families as first-time clients of the clinic.

9. Community Shelter Board will use the donation to underwrite the expansion of its family homelessness prevention programs. Prevention programs cover the continuum of prevention needs. Current prevention programs connect families on the brink of homelessness to training, work, relocation services and financial assistance to keep them stably housed.  Extending the prevention programs will help unstable families who will become homeless within 30 days find solutions to their housing crisis.

10. Directions for Youth and Family Services will allocate the funds to pay a portion of the cost for a large transportation van for its after-school program at Crittenton Youth Center. The majority of the families in the area are not privileged to have transportation; therefore, attendance is often limited to children who reside within a short walking distance, and those children who do attend the program are often forced to walk home when it is dark.

11. Faith Mission will extend Safelite AutoGlass as a “Faithful Sponsor” for 2017. Funds will be used during the Radio-thon to support fundraising and gift-matching to inspire listeners to pledge support to help feed and care of people at Faith Mission.

12. The Furniture Bank of Central Ohio will establish Downsize with a Heart, a social enterprise that will assist seniors and their families through the downsizing process, while simultaneously generating earned income and furniture in support of the Furniture Bank’s mission. Funding will help pay for startup costs such as legal fees, training and memberships, marketing materials and information technology resources.

13. Heinzerling Foundation will be installing ceiling lifts in all resident bedrooms and bathing areas. This is very important to the health and safety of its residents. Many residents are physically fragile and must be carefully moved. Having the ease and use of ceiling lifts provides more comfort to residents with severe physical disabilities.

14. I Know I Can will be able to address the challenge of improving Free Application for Federal Student Aid completion rates among Columbus City School students. With completion of the FAFSA, students will likely be awarded federal grants and no or low interest loans for college and may be eligible to receive institutional grants and scholarships, removing financial barriers to enrollment.

15. Lifecare Alliance will be able to provide 3,571 meals to homebound older adults and individuals living with medical challenges and/or disabilities in Central Ohio. Funding will cover expenses such as food, meal delivery costs, kitchen staff time and service costs.

16. Lutheran Social Services will fund summer food distribution in the Linden Area.

17. Mid-Ohio Food Bank will be able to provide initial support for the transitional work program at South Side Roots cafe. Funding will be used to offset the costs associated with filling seven part-time positions for approximately four months. Program participants will fill key front-line positions that will provide critical operational support while simultaneously receiving job skills training and mentoring. With this, South Side residents will have increased access to healthy nourishing meals and affordable fresh food.

18. Mission Emanuel will cover all variable costs associated with 1,942 visits to its pediatric clinic, 113 physical therapy consultations, and the distribution of ten wheelchairs. It also will guarantee that a pediatrician, nurse, community health worker, and physical therapist will remain employed on a full-time basis and that its clinic doors will remain open five days a week.

19. Ronald McDonald House Charities will be able to begin construction on the first Ronald McDonald Family Room in Central Ohio at Riverside Methodist Hospital. This space will be set aside within the hospital for service to family members of children admitted to the hospital for care. Family members will be able to take a break from the hospital environment in a home-like atmosphere while being just steps away from their child’s bedside.

20. St. Vincent Family House will be able to renovate the children’s Dining and Multi-Purpose area. According to St. Vincent, its current dining area is very institutional with old tables and uncomfortable stools. The floor is worn and very little other than eating can be done in this area. By renovating this room, the children will have strong family-style eating tables each with swivel chairs that provide a turning/rocking movement that is comforting and calming.

21. Star House will use the grant to support the recruitment and hiring of youth advocates, which are team members who play an essential role in rebuilding young people’s trust in adults. Advocates are essential members of the Star House team who build a safe space and a foundation of trust that leads to access to case management and mental health care for homeless youth facing depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety and other conditions.

Funding for the Impact Grants is made possible by the Foundation’s Annual Charity Golf Classic, which also funds a number of other donations made by the Foundation.

“We feel humbled and blessed by each charitable organization we’re able to help through our impact grants,” said Safelite AutoGlass President and CEO Tom Feeney. “Giving back to our community is simply the right thing to do. We thank our partners and employees who have made it possible, and we look forward to the good work of our Impact Grant recipients.”