Foundation News
Future Fund awarded more than $89,000 to nonprofits serving local children and youth during its 2022 grant cycle! Future Fund members make this happen. Membership dues are pooled into the endowment fund, and the fund's revenue is used each year to make grants to nonprofits serving kids in the Abilene community.
Here are the 2022 grantees:
Abilene Arts Alliance - 2022 Children's Art & Literacy Festival support for costumed characters and readers
Abilene Big Country Hunger Coalition - Support for Free Summer Meals feeding program
Abilene ISD – Increasing access to healthy homes for vulnerable students through pest mitigation and appliance replacement
Abilene Performing Arts Company – Support for summer production camp and performance of Newsies Jr.
Abilene Philharmonic Association – Funds to purchase string instruments for underserved youth
Abilene Zoological Society – Support for DreamNight event at the Abilene Zoo for medically fragile and special needs children
Alliance for Women and Children – Funds to purchase a storage building for After School Care program supplies
AMBUCS -Abilene Big Country Chapter – Funds to purchase adapted tricycles for special needs children
Big Country CASA – Funding for CASA staff technology needs to support training and program management
Camp Able - Support for therapeutic riding programs in partnership with local schools
Center for Contemporary Arts – Support for summer art camps and outfitting onsite CCA classroom
Children's Performing Arts Series - Support for 2022 live theatre performance series
City of Abilene, Community Services – Scholarship funding for summer recreation division camps
Day 1 Bags – Funding for bags stocked with necessities for 2022 high school graduates in Taylor County, preparing to age out of foster care
Harmony Family Services – Funds to replace eight emergency shelter beds, mattresses, and bedding
Joseph Thomas Foundation – Support for Journey of Hope Night to celebrate medically fragile and special needs children
Junior Achievement of Abilene – Support for the “JA in a Day” Program at Stafford Elementary, and the JA Career Speaker Series
New Horizons Ranch and Center – Funding for direct support of foster children at Audrey Grace House
Noah Project – Support for childcare, necessities, and educational opportunities for children at Noah Project
Palette of Purpose Incorporated – Support for the P.A.T.H.S. art program and mural at G.V. Daniels Recreation Center
St. Vincent Pallotti Catholic Ballet Folklorico – Funds to support production costs for 'VIVA MEXICO' Dance Production at the Paramount Theatre
The Grace Museum – Support for the 2022 Summer Arts Outreach Program in partnership with City of Abilene Recreation Department and Boys & Girls Club
Young Audiences – Paramount performance of "Weather Wonders with Meteorologist Maggie" for AISD 2nd Grade
Total Granted: $89,042
Thank you to these Future Fund members for serving on the grant committee:
Kristen Harris-Bridwell, Chair
Carolyn Beckham
Kelly Cheek
Amanda Pittman
Rachel Riley
Austin Roeder
Ben Salmon
Sue Schackmuth
Eddy Smith
Elizabeth Wagstaff
Amy Willey
Special thanks to these generous donors for supporting this grant cycle:
Lale Estes (T&T Family Foundation), Shellie & Sam Evans (Ruth & Bill Burton Family Endowed Fund), Jeannette & Josh Black, Jackie & Bart Cox, Bush Ramsey, Cindy & Mike Sullivan,
Libby & Ken Martin, and Laura Millican