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The Tom & Virginia Seely Foundation awards $221K to groups serving local youth

The Tom & Virginia Seely Foundation awarded $221,239  in grants to more than two dozen non-profits on June 14 to support programs for the children of Morgan County.

The Seely Foundation’s mission is to help provide education, athletic, social, civic, and community-based opportunities for local children.

The Tom & Virginia Seely Foundation, founded in 1997 by long time committed citizens Tom and Virginia Seely, has awarded a total of over $1,800,000 in competitive grants since its inception.

Local non-profits that received Seely Foundation grants this year included:

  • Berkeley Springs High School Fishing Club — $3,500
  • Black Cat Music Cooperative — $10,000
  • Boys & Girls Club’s Morgan County Unit — $10,000
  • Cacapon State Park Foundation — $3,115
  • CASA of the Eastern Panhandle — $10,000;
  • Berkeley Springs FFA Chapter — $4,500
  • Girl Scout Troop 40764 — $1,500
  • Life or Drugs Tri-State Support  for Brighter Horizons — $10,000 and
  • The Circle Support Group — $10,000
  • Morgan County 4-H Leaders Association for STEM classroom programs — $5,000
  • Morgan County Association for Food and Farms — $10,000
  • Morgan County WV Little League — $8,000
  • Morgan County Observatory — $10,000
  • Morgan County Parks and Recreation – Back to School Bash — $7,000
  • Morgan County Partnership’s Too Good for Violence/Positive Action — $10,000
  • Morgan County Partnership’s Too Good for Drugs — $10,000
  • Morgan County Public Library — $6,990
  • Morgan County Schools Community in Schools — $5,000
  • Morgan County Sheriff’s Dept. Crimes Against Children Unit — $7,500
  • Morgan County Soccer League — $10,000
  • Morgan County Starting Points – for basic needs pantries — $10,000
  • Morgan County Backpacks — $10,000
  • Morgan Arts Council — $10,000
  • Paw Paw Public Library — $4,225
  • Stepping Stones to a Brighter Future — $7,000
  • Trinity Asbury and Wesley Chapel UMC — $3,000
  • Wind Dance Farm & Earth Education Center  –$9,909
  • Word of Deliverance Church Association — $5,000
  • Warm Springs Middle School Wrestling Team — $10,000.

In partnership with the Seely Foundation, the Paradox Fund this year has directed its investments of $82,779 to community learning. Grants were made to:

  • Morgan County Starting Points Nutrition coach — $22,148
  • Black Cat Music Cooperative STEAM Mentorship — $13,080
  • Morgan County Starting Points — $10,000 to provide seafood for Backpacks.
Stacy Drake and Jonathan McBee of Black Cat Music Cooperative accept a check from the Tom & Virginia Seely Foundation for youth music programs. On the left is Foundation board member Mona Hurst.

Last fall $19,562 in awards was given to local teachers to help them create outstanding learning experiences for their students.  Another $13,000 was awarded to a variety of local organizations in support of community learning programs.

Non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, religious institutions, schools, and governmental agencies serving Morgan County children may apply.

The Tom & Virginia Seely Foundation and the Seely Foundation Paradox Fund, with the mission of helping the children of Morgan County, do not and shall not discriminate based on race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its grant-making activities or operations.

For further information about the Seely Foundation or the Seely Foundation Paradox Fund, contact Jan Wilkins, Executive Director at (304)258-9794 or seinc1@frontier.com.

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