Wean Foundation awards grants to organizations

The YWCA of Youngstown received a $50,000 grant.

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — The Raymond John Wean Foundation, in its mission to improve the quality of life in the Mahoning Valley, has awarded $319,033 in grants to community organizations.

Organizations receiving funding from the foundation as part of its third-quarter grant-making support the emerging initiatives of early childhood, community building and neighborhood development.

The Western Reserve Housing Development Corp. is one of this quarter’s grantees for its YouthBuild program. The YouthBuild program is a neighborhood rehabilitation and beautification program that renovates dilapidated structures in Warren. The program received $20,000 to help purchase additional educational and building supplies.

Other organizations receiving funding are:

UYMCA of Trumbull County, $25,000 to support its management structure.

UYoungstown CityScape, $80,000 to continue work with the Wick Park Revitalization Project.

UYoungstown State University, $45,000 over three years toward the development of a local news service at WYSU for production of student-journalists’ works.

UYWCA of Warren, $27,500 to support its collaboration with Hard Hatted Women, helping women enter high-wage, nontraditional careers in the trades.

UYWCA of Youngstown, $50,000 to support efforts to procure state funding for its Capital Campaign for the YWCA Building Renovation Fund.

UEarly Childhood Resource Center, $45,633 to fund a mentoring program for Mahoning Valley child-care center administrators

UMillcreek Children’s Center, $10,900 to develop a multi-year strategic plan aimed at securing future sustainability.

For more information, contact Joel Ratner, president of The Raymond John Wean Foundation, at (330) 394-3213.

The foundation was created by Warren industrialist Raymond John “Jack” Wean in 1949 and annually gives approximately $3.5 million to nonprofit organizations with a majority of those funds earmarked for nonprofits in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

Its mission is to enhance the community’s well-being and vitality through grant making, convening and advocating leadership with a focus on economically disadvantaged people and neighborhoods. Visit www.rjweanfdn.org to learn more.