Keys Care Grant Recipients to be Honored

Frederick, MD - The Frederick Keys are pleased to announce that grants from Frederick Keys Care (a.k.a. The Joel A. Stephens Memorial Fund), a component fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County, have been awarded. The recipients will be honored at the luncheon following the Keys Charity Golf Classic on Monday, July 30th at Musket Ridge Golf Club.

Recipients for the 2011-2012 grant year receiving funding from the Joel A. Stephens Memorial Fund (a.k.a. Frederick Keys Care), a component of The Community Foundation of Frederick County, are:

Project ALIVE of the Housing Authority of the City of Frederick received a grant to fully fund a mentoring program for young men in the Carver public housing community. The grant assisted in providing funds for food, supplies and to help cover costs for outings or other enrichment activities.

Heartly House received a grant for the purchase of playground equipment at their emergency shelter for domestic violence victims and their children. The playground area is secure with privacy fencing and security cameras.

The Delaplaine Arts Center received two grants for full funding for art programs for community youth. ArtStart is a program designed by the Delaplaine in partnership with Frederick County Head Start to provide art education to low-income pre-school children in our community. The Delaplaine also partnered with Heartly House, a nonprofit organization providing support to Frederick County residents who have been impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse, to provide a six-week Parent Child Art Education Workshop.

The remaining dollars granted by Frederick Keys Care went to the Boys & Girls Club of Frederick County to partially fund two different programs.

The first went to support an educational enhancement strategy called Project Learn, which is a model designed to engage young people in learning, encourage them to succeed in school and help them become lifelong learners.

he second grant went to Club Riders, a program designed to get middle school students more physically active through participation in a bicycle club.

Beginning with the grant recipients in 2010, the term "Joel's Kids" changed to "Frederick Keys Care" to denote our intention of broadening the base of our recipients. The fund was established to honor the courage and exemplary character of former Baltimore Orioles minor league player Joel Stephens who died in 1998 at the age of 22 after a battle with cancer.

The Joel A. Stephens Memorial Fund is part of The Community Foundation's Universal Grant Application funding program that takes place in the fall of each year. Nonprofit organizations that provide direct services to our Frederick County youth and young adults may apply on behalf of their programs. Criteria for grant applicants include: capital expenditures, seed money, or a one-time purchase or service.

To be eligible for consideration for a grant from Frederick Keys Care/Joel A. Stephens Memorial Fund, applicants must certify that they are one of the following:

• An already existing nonprofit, 501©(3) organization.
• An existing government agency applying for an extraordinary project that is not funded by tax revenue.
• A newly formed group temporarily addressing a need or creating an organization to answer an emerging community need.
• A religious organization requesting funding for non-sectarian activities.
• A long-standing civic group that is not a 501©(3) organization requesting funding for a community cause.

Applicants are notified of the Community Foundation's grants-making decision by December 31. Additional information regarding The Community Foundation's grant decisions are available by contacting The Community Foundation of Frederick County at www.cffredco.org. An Advisory Committee appointed by The Community Foundation reviews the grant applications and makes suggestions to the Foundation regarding distributions from the Fund. The Advisory Committee consists of representatives from the Frederick Keys, the Foundation, and other interested parties, as determined by the Foundation.

Members of the organization(s) who receive funding through "Frederick Keys Care" are invited to attend the luncheon following the annual Frederick Keys Charity Golf Classic to be recognized as the current Fund recipients. In addition, recipients are honored on the field at Harry Grove Stadium prior to a Frederick Keys game as well as other activities that may seem appropriate. Fund recipients are also encouraged to attend Keys home games throughout the season, as their schedules permit. Previous grant recipients include ARC of Frederick County, Challenger Little League, Tranquility Farm Equestrian Education and Renewal Center, YMCA of Frederick County, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Frederick County, Rock Creek School, Thorpewood, Up County Family Center, Thurmont Little League and Myersville Junior Baseball League, to name a few.

The Keys are ready to host the Potomac Nationals this weekend with a three-game series beginning Friday, July 27th. Hacksaw Jim Duggan will be signing autographs with fireworks following the game. For tickets contact the Keys at 301-815-9939 or purchase online at FrederickKeys.com