North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Working With Nonprofits to Promote Health, Science and Education Through Ribbon of Hope Grants

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., April 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation announced that it has awarded $25,000 grants to nine nonprofits this year, around the state to support activities that establish or expand programs that further science, education and health in local communities.  

Today's announcement brings 59 nonprofits under the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Ribbon of Hope program since 2008. The GlaxoSmithKline Ribbon of Hope provides one-time $25,000 grants that establish or expand local programs in the areas of health, science and education. The program's goal is to have a positive impact on the lives of North Carolina's citizens in each of the state's 100 counties.

The most recent awards announced by the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation's Board of Directors include:

• Avery County Smart Start: Partnership for Children Inc., Newland (Avery County); this project will expand the number of Avery County families with children ages 0-5 who can participate in a nationally recognized and award winning reading program.
• Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, Hudson (Caldwell County): this program will address the issues of retention and participation in Adult Basic Education, General Educational Development, and English as a Second Language by teaching students wellness behaviors. The pilot group will consist of approximately 45 students, with a future expansion of up to 2,500 students annually.
• Craven County Partners in Education, New Bern (Craven County): this project will integrate hands-on science activities in the classroom, giving students and teachers the necessary tools to build a strong STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) foundation.
• Craven Smart Start, Inc., New Bern (Craven County): funding will be used for the Assuring Better Child Health and Development (ABCD) Project, which helps children's health care providers incorporate routine developmental screenings into regular check-ups and connect families to needed developmental, behavioral and psychological services.
• Friends of the Parks Foundation, Inc., Fayetteville (Cumberland County): funding will enable the Fascinate-U Museum to provide a series of 14 curriculum-based, hands-on programs to increase 5th grade students' knowledge, understanding, and comprehension of the scientific skills outlined in the N.C. Standard Course of Study for Fifth Grade Science.
• Graham Revitalization Economics Action Team, Robbinsville School Based Health Center, Robbinsville (Graham County): this new initiative will improve access to mental health care for adolescents in Graham County by providing additional mental health care on school grounds. Care will be provided to high-risk students in grades 4-6.
• Literacy Council of Buncombe County, Asheville (Buncombe County): the "Reading for Two" program allows women to enroll in English for Speakers of Other Languages courses and strengthen their basic adult literacy skills while also helping children with their language abilities and become better prepared for school.
• Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh (Wake County): this project will encourage science learning through comprehensive, play-based programming at the elementary level.
• MemoryCare, Asheville (Buncombe County): MemoryCaregivers Network, an all-volunteer auxiliary of MemoryCare, will use the grant to expand its outreach and resources to caregivers, and develop a quarterly newsletter and Internet-based forum for caregivers.

In addition to the grant, all recipients benefit from technical assistance provided by the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits.  The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation hosted a Ribbon of Hope Conference bringing together several award recipients as shown in the photograph.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100422/DC91556)

Front row, from left to right:  Sarah Weissberg, North Carolina Center for Nonprofits; Marla Smith, Craven County Smart Start, Inc.; Shari Brown, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute; Beverly Jaynes, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute; Sarah Mann, North Carolina Center for Nonprofits; Jane Kendall, North Carolina Center for Nonprofits; Arinn Widmayer, Marbles Kids Museum; Sara Yackey, Avery County Smart Start; Susanna Birdsong, North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness; Alicia Parham, Graham Revitalization Economic Action Team; Katie Wiles, MemoryCare; Eileen Welch, Center for Child & Family Health; Linda Lytvinenko, Cape Fear Literacy Council; Trisha Lester, North Carolina Center for Nonprofits.

Back row, from left to right:  Dr. Robert Murphy, Center for Child & Family Health; Lisa Gilbert, Ph.D., American Social Health Association; Dr. Ann Newman, RN, Arthritis Patient Services; Rena Brown, Communities in Schools of Forsyth County; Renee Oglesby, Communities in Schools of Forsyth County; Jennifer Wagner, Craven County Partners in Education; Lisa Van Deman, North Carolina Arts in Action; Charlotte Epley, Communities in Schools of Rutherford County; Cynthia Berrier, Arthritis Patient Services; Susan Daniels, Friends of the Parks Foundation, Inc.; Gerry Dudley, MemoryCare; Deborah Gaddy, Haywood Community College.

For more information about the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation contact http://us.gsk.com/html/community/community-grants-foundation.html or 919-483-2140.

SOURCE North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation