Amherst students enjoy prom tradition after all

Students at Marion L. Steele High School celebrated with an in-person prom June 18 thanks to a donor.

Community Foundation of Lorain County announced $580,000 in grant awards July 20 to 34 organizations.

In May, the Community Foundation fast-tracked 12 grants bringing the overall total to $1.1 million to organizations serving on the front line of the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to a news release.

The grants focused on four key program areas: arts and culture; education and youth development; health and human services; and strengthening Lorain County.

The Community Foundation has seen an increase in requests for funds related to supporting senior citizens in the county.

More than $176,000 was awarded to provide support in nutrition, health and social isolation for senior citizens.

“The COVID-19 outbreak has shed a spotlight on the lack of healthcare, food availability, transportation and housing inequities faced by our elderly population in Lorain County,” Maria Grega, chair of the Grants Committee at the Community Foundation of Lorain County said in the release. “The purpose of the Community Foundation of Lorain County is to connect people who care with causes that matter.”

A grant awarded to the Lorain County Office on Aging will partially fund a needs assessment for the more than 70,000 residents who are 60 years of age or older in the county.

The study, to be conducted by The Center for Community Solutions, is critical to know needs of seniors, many of whom are aging in place, Lauren Ksiazek, executive director of the Lorain County Office on Aging, said in the release.

“Many of our organizations serving seniors have a substantial waiting list,” Ksiazek said. “The results from this needs assessment will not only provide data to define the need, but also help to inform our community to garner support to serve our seniors.”

July grants include:

Arts, culture - $79,000

• Center for Arts-Inspired

Learning, $18,000

• Dancing Classrooms, $3,000

• Great Lakes Theatre, $35,000

• Lorain Historical Society, $17,000

• MAD Factory, $5,000

Education and youth development-$160,000

• Atmosphere Adventures, $12,000

• Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, $30,000

• Cleveland Museum of Natural History $17,000

• College Now Greater Cleveland, $20,000

• Educational Service Center, $7,000

• Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland, $15,000

• Lake Erie Council, Boy Scouts of America, $15,000

• Lorain County Metro Parks, $2,000

• Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra, $25,000

• Our F.A.M.I.L.Y., $10,000

• Ritter Public Library, $3,000

• Second Baptist Church Adopt-A-School Initiative, $2,000

Health and human services - $163,000

• A Dementia Friendly Life, $18,000

• American Red Cross, $10,000

• Cornerstone Pregnancy Services, $4,000

• Family Planning Services, $40,000

• Lorain County Office on Aging, $12,000

• MobileMed, $30,000

• NAMI Lorain County, $9,000

• New Agrarian Center, $25,000

• Ohio Guidestone,

$5,000

• Vocational Guidance Services, $8,000

Strengthening Lorain County - $128,000

• Harrison Cultural Community Centre, $15,000

• Leadership Lorain County, $30,000

• Lorain County Metro Parks, $8,000

• Lorain County Urban League, $50,000

• Main Street Amherst, $7,000

• Main Street Wellington, $7,000

• Western Reserve Land Conservancy, $10,000