Community Foundation awards $350,050 in grants to Middle Georgia nonprofits

Twenty-one nonprofit organizations and initiatives received funding for programs focused on youth, housing, health care, food assistance and other community needs.

5 hours ago

Gena Tripp,

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Community Foundation of Central Georgia awarded more than $350,000 in grants to local nonprofits during a ceremony Thursday at the Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia in Macon.

The funding will support organizations working to address a range of needs across Middle Georgia, including youth development, education, housing, food assistance, health care and family support.

One of the recipients, Joining Our Youth, received $20,000 to support its youth development program in Macon’s Davis Village community.

The after-school program officially opened June 1 and serves 50 children from kindergarten through eighth grade. Students receive dinner, homework assistance and additional learning activities Monday through Thursday.

Deborah Boatwright, who leads Joining Our Youth, said the grant will help the organization purchase iPads, cases and charging equipment for its youngest students.

The devices will help kindergartners and first graders strengthen their reading skills and learn basic computer skills before transitioning to desktop computers.

“Oh, my God, it’s amazing,” Boatwright said. “Because we’re just starting out, just like I said, we just opened officially June 1st. And we’ve had problem with getting funding. So this is going to help us a lot. It really is.”

The foundation awarded a total of $350,050 to 21 nonprofit organizations and initiatives. The grants will support programs ranging from youth mentorship and leadership development to assistance for survivors of domestic violence, people experiencing homelessness and homebound seniors.

Organizations receiving grants

The following organizations and initiatives received funding:

Best Buddies in Georgia — $7,000: Supports friendship and leadership development chapters serving Bibb, Baldwin and Monroe counties, promoting inclusion and meaningful relationships for students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Bibb Mt. Zion Baptist Church — $23,000: Supports the Middle Georgia Mentorship Alliance, which connects churches, schools, nonprofits, businesses and public agencies to expand mentorship opportunities for young people.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia — $23,000: Supports Big Futures, a program that connects students with mentors, employers, colleges and community leaders while helping them explore education, employment, entrepreneurship and enlistment opportunities.
Central Georgia CASA — $20,000: Supports Pathways to Permanency, which will recruit and train volunteer advocates to serve more children and expand support for teenagers.
Central Georgia Council, Boy Scouts of America — $18,000: Supports youth mentorship, leadership development, conflict resolution, workforce readiness and other life skills through Scouting programs in Bibb County.
Leadership Macon Endowment Fund — $22,000: Provides matching funds for new contributions and pledges raised through the Leadership Macon Class of 2026’s Leadership Legacy Project.
Coach John M. Peacock Foundation — $15,000: Supports a project to renovate an alley between Main and King streets in Eastman into a pedestrian corridor with seating, art and plants connecting a park to downtown businesses.
Crisis Line and Safe House of Central Georgia — $22,000: Supports financial assistance for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, including help with housing, utilities, home security and transportation.
DePaul USA — $20,000: Supports services through the Daybreak resource center and Sheridan Center in Macon, including meals, showers, health care, case management and supportive housing for people experiencing poverty and homelessness.
Family Advancement Ministries — $15,000: Supports the FAM Work Ready program, which helps people find and maintain employment through job coaching, resume development, transportation assistance and other services.
Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia — $23,000: Supports programming for underserved girls in Bibb County, including activities focused on science, technology, engineering, math, financial literacy and bullying prevention.
I Am Kali — $8,000: Supports leadership development for girls ages 10 to 13 through mentorship, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, emotional wellness, creative arts and civic engagement.
Joining Our Youth — $20,000: Supports youth development, educational assistance, mentorship, leadership development and life skills training in Macon’s Davis Village community.
Little Disciples Educational Services — $3,750: Supports the Bridge the Gap Success Program, which provides school supplies, educational materials, sensory-friendly items, shoes, hygiene products and other essentials for students, including those with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Macon Hope, through First Tee Middle Georgia — $8,000: Supports expanded golf and life skills programming for Bibb County youth, including instruction at additional after-school sites and school-based programming.
Meals on Wheels of Middle Georgia — $20,800: Supports efforts to reduce the waiting list for homebound seniors by expanding meal preparation, delivery and volunteer coordination.
Mother’s Nest — $13,000: Supports childbirth education, prenatal health awareness, mental health services and nutrition assistance for vulnerable pregnant women.
Mt. Zion Baptist Church — $18,500: Supports a rural food pantry serving Upson County and surrounding areas, along with facility improvements and plans for a computer lab and resource classrooms.
Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia — $23,000: Supports plans for a men’s transitional home that would add 56 beds and provide housing and support for men completing a 12-month recovery program.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Macon chapter — $8,000: Supports efforts to build and deliver beds to local children and families who need them.
The Arc Macon — $19,000: Supports disability advocacy, family assistance and navigation services across seven counties, including help accessing Medicaid waivers, special education and other services.