Suffolk Foundation Awards $148,750
Suffolk, Virginia, December 20, 2023: The Suffolk Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2023 Community Impact Grants Program. The Foundation is awarding grants to local nonprofit organizations that are making a positive difference in the lives of Suffolk and Western Tidewater residents. A total of $148,750 has been awarded to 35 agencies that focus on various needs, such as education, health, arts, environment, and social services.
The Foundation’s Executive Director, Lorelei Costa Morrow, said, “We are proud to support these outstanding nonprofits that are working hard to improve our community. They are addressing some of the most pressing needs that our residents face, and we are grateful for their dedication and impact.” Since 2007, the Foundation has awarded over $7,000,000 in grants and scholarships.
The 2023 Suffolk Foundation grant recipients are:
- ACCESS College Foundation: A grant of $4,500 will support the ACCESS Program in Suffolk Public Schools.
- Airfield 4-H Conference Center: A grant of $1,000 will supplement the 4-H Center’s canoe programming.
- American Red Cross of Coastal Virginia: A grant of $4,500 will provide financial assistance for food, shelter, and other emergency needs to households affected by home fires and other disasters.
- Armed Services YMCA of Hampton Roads: A grant of $1,000 will support the Operation Hero After- School Program for military kids in grades 2-5 in Suffolk Public Schools.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia: A grant of $3,500 will support the afterschool program in Suffolk.
- BridgetheGap Outreach Center: A grant of $1,000 will address basic needs of vulnerable populations in our community who are facing economic hardship.
- The Children’s Center: A grant of $1,500 will provide equipment and toys for a sensory room for
children at the Suffolk location. - Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters: A grant of $8,000 will support the Child Advocacy Center and the Pediatric Mental Hospital.
- Coalition Against Poverty in Suffolk: A grant of $6,000 will support housing stabilization and eviction prevention programs.
- Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads: A grant of $3,000 will support dropout prevention
services at King’s Fork Middle School. - Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore: A grant of $5,000 will support the Backpack Program for children throughout Suffolk and Western Tidewater.
- ForKids: A grant of $7,500 will provide utility assistance and other direct assistance for families in
crisis in Suffolk and Western Tidewater. - Genieve Shelter: A grant of $2,500 will support repairs and provide furniture at the emergency shelter.
- Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast: A grant of $4,500 will support enrichment programs for K-12 girls in the Suffolk and Western Tidewater Community Troops.
- Girls on the Run of Hampton Roads: A grant of $1,000 will support the Healthy Snack Program in Suffolk and Western Tidewater.
- Mariners’ Museum and Park: A grant of $1,000 will support environmental education initiatives targeting Suffolk students.
- Meals on Wheels of Suffolk and Isle of Wight: A grant of $8,000 will provide meals to clients in Suffolk and Isle of Wight at no cost who have had a medical event and who are experiencing food insecurity.
- Nansemond River Preservation Alliance: A grant of $8,000 will support environmental education initiatives, focusing on local third and seventh graders.
- Riddick’s Folly: A grant of $1,500 will support operations.
- Safe House Project: A grant of $2,000 will provide assistance to trafficking survivors in/from Suffolk
and Western Tidewater. - Salvation Army of Suffolk: A grant of $8,500 will provide assistance to individuals and families in need in Suffolk.
- Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia: A grant of $4,000 will provide meals to unserved, food-
insecure older adults in Suffolk and Western Tidewater. - Suffolk Art League: A grant of $2,500 will support arts education and “artistic verses” programs.
- Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts: A grant of $8,000 will support arts programming.
- Suffolk Cheer Fund: A grant of $2,500 will provide toys to children in need during the holidays.
- Suffolk Education Foundation: A grant of $1,500 will provide student incentive items for teachers’ use in the Suffolk Public Schools.
- Suffolk Parks and Trails Alliance: A grant of $5,000 will support the replacement of playground
equipment at Lake Meade Park. - Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society: A grant of $2,500 will support interior repairs at the Historical Society’s headquarters in Suffolk.
- Tidewater Friends of Foster Care: A grant of $5,000 will support a tutoring program, focusing on foster youth in Suffolk.
- The Up Center: A grant of $4,000 will provide food, supplies, and other materials associated with
individual counseling and group trauma programs. - Virginia Legal Aid Society: A grant of $12,500 will support VLAS’s legal services to low-income
individuals and families in Suffolk and Western Tidewater. - Virginia Symphony Orchestra: A grant of $1,250 will support music education programming in Suffolk.
- Western Tidewater Free Clinic: A grant of $10,000 will support the clinic’s dental program, providing comprehensive dental care to residents of Suffolk and Western Tidewater who cannot afford it.
- World Affairs Council of Greater Hampton Roads: A grant of $1,500 will support the expansion of the Great Decisions Series into Suffolk.
- YMCA of South Hampton Roads: A grant of $5,000 will provide Open Door Scholarships for Suffolk
youth to participate in Before- and After-School Programs and in Summer Camps at the Suffolk YMCA.
Interested in starting a grant fund of your own? You can read more about our fund offerings online, or call our staff at 757-923-9090 to make an appointment to learn more.