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Published: January 18, 2022

Wyandot County Public Health receives MLK Day ServeOhio grant

Health department's project among 9 statewide MLK Day projects funded by ServeOhio

Columbus, OH – ServeOhio, the Governor-appointed commission on service and volunteerism, recently announced grant awards to support 9 local Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service projects on January 17.

Among the grant recipients was Wyandot County Public Health. The funds were used in Wyandot County for the purchase of a new tool shed and picnic table for the Wyandot County Community Garden on the corner of Hicks Street and South Sandusky Avenue in Upper Sandusky.

On Monday, Wyandot County Public Health staff members were joined by volunteers from the Upper Sandusky High School FFA who helped to put the shed and picnic table together and placed them out at the community garden site.

Much like Dr. King’s legacy, these grants will help nonprofits across the state improve their communities through service and volunteer activities. The grants will fund service projects in seven Ohio cities led by nearly 300 volunteers.

Each project commits to bringing volunteers together to create or improve community assets or infrastructure and supports local community engagement and impact. Additionally, every project includes an education component based on Dr. King’s message of peace, unity, and service to create long-term, sustainable change.

ServeOhio awards these grants with support from the American Electric Power Foundation. Each grant totals between $750 - $1,500.

Initiatives included:

• Wyandot County Public Health, Upper Sandusky – Volunteers added a shed and picnic table to the community garden.

• Community Food Initiatives, Athens – Volunteers installed ADA-approved raised garden beds at several community gardens to make them more accessible.

• Elder Tree Forest School, Dayton – Volunteers removed invasive plant species and added compost and woodchips throughout a trail. Volunteers also added an information board to share information with the community regarding the trail and other ecological projects or events.

• Focus Learning Academy of Northern Columbus, Columbus – Students worked together to compile community resources and pass out food in partnership with INPREM, a local subsidiary of the Mid-Ohio Food Collective.

• Franklinton Farms, Columbus – A volunteer crew built raised beds, improved irrigation, mulched growing sites, and passed out home-growing kits to community gardens and neighbors across Columbus.

• Geary Family YMCA, Fostoria – Students and adult volunteers painted the gymnasium in preparation for new wall pads.

• OneEighty, Wooster – Volunteers put together self-care bags for residents or the emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

• Rebuilding Together Dayton, Dayton – Volunteers put together Fix-It-Kits consisting of smoke and CO2 detectors, first aid kits, fire extinguishers, cleaning supplies, and exterior security lights to help homeowners age in place in a safe and healthy home.

• Ursuline College, Pepper Pike – Students engaged with residents at local nursing homes through writing cards and delivering gift bags with wellness activities.

In addition to these service projects funded by ServeOhio, thousands of individuals across the state volunteered in their communities on January 17 in remembrance of Dr. King and his life of service.

Volunteers interested in serving in their community at any time throughout the year can visit Get Connected, ServeOhio’s statewide volunteer engagement platform.

About ServeOhio
ServeOhio, Ohio’s Governor-appointed commission on service and volunteerism, strengthens Ohio communities through AmeriCorps and volunteer engagement. Through programs and initiatives funded and supported by ServeOhio, thousands of Ohioans of all ages engage in and are recognized for their service. Interested participants may learn more about ServeOhio at www.serveohio.org, or on Facebook and Twitter.

Wyandot County Public Health is nationally accredited through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). Established in 2007, PHAB is the non-profit organization that administers the national accreditation program, which aims to advance and transform public health practice by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure, and innovation.