Category Archives: Wellness

Enrichment Programs Helping Children Get a Big Boost form the iFund Grant Program

Community, Grants, iFunds, Wellness

“This grant will be a huge boost to our Bilingual STEAM Kit Initiative… to help foster school readiness at home.”

– Sandy Cotton, Executive director
Smart STart Central Oklahoma

Children across the OKC metro will have new chances to participate in fun, engaging programs after 18 organizations received $247,000 in grants from the iFund Opportunities for Children program at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

This grant was designed to provide opportunities and enrichment for children ages 0-14 who otherwise would not have access to them. Eligible programs include: school readiness programs for preschoolers; housing, mental health or recreation programs for children in foster care; and services that provide recreation, social and cultural activities for underserved children in our community.

“This grant will be a huge boost to our Bilingual STEAM Kit Initiative,” said Smart Start Central Oklahoma Executive Director Sandy Cotton. “We’ll be able to supply fun science, technology, engineering, and math learning tools to children and their parents to help foster school readiness at home.”

From Dead Last to Getting Fit!

Community, Grants, Wellness

Since December, the Community Foundation has awarded 10 OKCGetsFit grants totaling $188,200 to innovative programs and projects.

Last year, Oklahoma City ranked as the unhealthiest city in America, according to the American Fitness Index. Dead last! To help combat this important issue facing our community, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation Trustees launched OKCGetsFit, a grant program designed to improve the overall health and wellness of our community.

“This grant will be beneficial to both humans and animals alike.”

– DANA MCCRORY, PRESIDENT AND CEO
OKLAHOMA HUMANE SOCIETY

Since December, the Community Foundation has awarded 10 OKCGetsFit grants totaling $188,200 to innovative programs and projects ranging from opportunities for individuals with vision impairment to participate in sports; after-school running programs for young girls; and opportunities to take shelter dogs for a walk in the park.

“When we first heard about the OKCGetsFit grant program, we knew it was a perfect fit for us. We’re encouraging metro residents to take rescue dogs on ‘Foster Field Trips.’ Taking a dog on a walk not only provides a fun and rewarding outlet for exercise, but also encourages the human-animal interaction that dogs awaiting adoption desperately need,” said Dana McCrory, president and CEO of the Oklahoma Humane Society. “We’re excited to receive this grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation and know it will be beneficial to both humans and animals alike.”

In addition to promoting health and wellness, all grantees must utilize KeepMovingOKC.org as part of their grant, whether that means creating events for the online calendar or discovering parks and trails on the site.

“These grants reflect our commitment to improving health and wellness in our community,” said Nancy Anthony, president of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. “Of course, change won’t happen overnight, but these grants can be the first step to a healthier community.”