On July29th, Recognition of Community Grants Awards. The club received $60,000 in requests and gave $25,000 disbursed among 4 grants: Girls Inc received $4000, Upbeat NH $5850, Regenerative Roots – $10,150, and Nashua PAL – $5000.
Girls Inc received $4000. It’s mission is to “ Empower All Girls to be Strong, Smart and Bold. Money for summer camp. Money closed gap for Mental Health. Young girls suicidal. Epidemic for young girls. Girls under lots of peer pressure. Tool kit for girls to handle bullying and social media issues.
Upbeat NH $5850 for replacement bows for musical instruments, Intern program with pay and learn job experience. Musical instrument cases, sheet music, T-shirts with Rotary logo. Christine Reel. Advisory Board received the award. Son member of program for 10 years. Work with Nashua School District. Students learn to play an instrument. Full scholarship offered to all students. 185 students. Students in grades 3 to 12 receive free lessons throughout Nashua school system. Join ensembles and orchestra. End of school year all schools come together and play “Ode to Joy” with high school students. Students play together at Nashua North. Have a summer camp. Students learn how to conduct. Conductor from Boston..
Regenerative Roots – $10,150 - Andrew Morin and Anthony McMullen received the award. Grant to be used for Van and plantings to deliver to nurseries that they’re starting. Started 10 years ago by Nashua natives as a not for profit to address local food security and healthy food. Lease land to refugees and youth. Opened food pantry 191 West Hollis Street. Van will help to expand food distribution. Food Forest program raise fruit trees that are planted in orchard throughout the area. Plant a few fruit trees at Nashua Historical Society and Beaver Brook. Always looking for collaboration with local Nashua orchards.
Started because New England grows 5 to 10 percent of its food. Developing orchards in this area alleviates part of this issue. Food security is not thought of a lot. So many components in food production. Want to strengthen food security in the USA.
Nashua PAL – $5000 - Safe Haven and after school program. - Jen Miller, Development Director, received the award. Homework help and community mentoring program. Connecting kids with community members. 35 years of program. Never charge a child for the safe haven. All of their kids are far below the poverty level. Homework help during school year. Still seeing some impacts of Covid. Kids did not know how to provide their home address and contact information. Mentoring, assisting with homework, safe place is purpose of the Safe Haven program.