Williamsburg Community Trust

Announces Grants of $5,000

The Board of Trustees of the Williamsburg Community Trust announces grants of $1,000 each to Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School—Girls on the Run Program, Jamestown High School Choir, NAACP York-James City-Williamsburg Branch, Williamsburg Area Meals-on-Wheels, and Williamsburg Music Club in its first round of grants for 2005.

In this round, the Trust’s Distribution Committee reviewed a record 18 applications from worthy nonprofit organizations in greater Williamsburg. Each year the Trust distributes a percentage of its permanent endowment to be awarded as grants to nonprofit organizations in our community. As the Trust’s permanent endowment grows so will its ability to fund new and innovative local programs. This round of grants highlights the breadth of Trust’s grantmaking. The grants fall into the categories of arts, civic, education and human service.

Girls on the Run is a self-esteem building program for girls 8 – 13 years old that culminates in a 5K running event. The program’s goals are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental and physical development. Jamestown High School Choir’s grant will underwrite transporting and housing members of the award-winning choir to Washington, D.C., where they have been invited to perform with the National Philharmonic during a regular season concert.

The grant to the NAACP Branch will help fund the publication of a minority business directory for consumers, citizens and businesses in the Historic Triangle community. The grant will enable Williamsburg MOW to provide 284 hot, nutritious noon-day meals to those unable to prepare meals for financial, emotional, or physical reasons. The Williamsburg Music Club’s grant will assist young people in their musical education and provide opportunities for competition and public performance.