United Way announces over $646,000 in donations to Warren County nonprofits

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – United Way of Southern Kentucky announced organizations receiving funding as part of their investment in the Barren River region – and the numbers are in.

“Today, we’re thrilled that we announced almost $650,000 in funding to programs in Warren County, providing services in education, income, health and safety net,” United Way of Southern Kentucky President/CEO Debbie Hills said.

With all that funding, they’re not just impacting the organizations that receive it.

“We’re talking lives that will be improved… lives that will be put on a new course forever changing what their outcomes are. We’re funding programs in kindergarten readiness, college and career readiness, safe home and community… for programs that serve abuse victims, transportation programs… really just an incredible plethora, and when it’s all said and done, thousands of people will have been served. We will be investing $1.1 million into programs serving people throughout the region,” Hills said.

One of those organizations is Refuge BG, who received $55,000 total for three of their programs: their English Academy Preschool, English Academy and Driver’s Education.

“At Refuge BG, we don’t just do one person, we come with a holistic approach, helping the whole family to be self-sufficient because it would target only one area… the other part is falling apart. But if we’re able to take care of the whole family at the same time, we saw that the success rate is quicker because everybody’s life is getting at ease at the same time,” Refuge BG CEO/founder Daniel Tarnagda said.

Another organization receiving funding is Aid to Vulnerable School Children, or ADEVS, who received $6,000 total for transportation services – $5,000 of which was from provisional allocations.

That organization was founded by a man who Tarnagda said like many others, he helped get on his feet in America.

“Those folks spend close to 30 years in refugee camp. Now they are in Bowling Green and then they want to take initiative to help their own people that’s coming in. I sit down, because I helped them when they got here a long time ago, got them their first job… and see the progress that they are here today asking help so they can help other people. All those things that came up in my mind and it was just amazing,” Tarnagda said.

The full list of winners include:

• Family Enrichment Center: $78,000 for the Parents as Teachers Little Learners Program ($28,000) and Wee Care Child Care Center ($50,000)
• The Foundry Christian Community Center: $57,000 for the Preschool Academy
• Refuge BG: $55,000 for the English Academy Preschool ($25,000), English Academy ($12,500) and Driver’s Education ($17,500)
• Warren County Public Schools: $110,000 for the Kindergarten Readiness Summer Academy ($30,000), Little Learners Mobile Classroom ($38,000) and College & Career Transition Readiness Program ($42,000)
• Junior Achievement of South Central Kentucky: $15,000 for Preparing Our Youth program
• WROTE Foundation: $71,894 for Bridging the Gap After School/Summer Enrichment Program ($20,000 provisional allocations)
• Down Syndrome of Southern Kentucky: $9,610 for Scoops of Joy ($4,305) and Buddy Transportation ($5,305)
• SKYCTC Foundation: $13,500 for CDL Program ($10,000) and TRIO Student Support Services ($3,500)
• Kentucky Legal Aid: $142,500 for Barren River Long Term Care Ombudsman ($35,000), Benefits Counseling ($35,000), Emergency Shelter & Crisis Aid to Protect & Empower or ESCAPE ($30,000), and Emergency Legal Assistance ($42,500)
• Barren River Area Safe Space: $36,500 for ESCAPE ($30,000) and Shelter Transportation Assistance Program ($6,500)
• Bowling Green Independent Schools: $20,000 for Black Male Scholars Family Thrive Program
• First Christian Church: $25,000 for Community Grocery Store
• New Path Recovery Home: $6,720
• ADEVS (Aid to Vulnerable School Children): $6,000 for Transportation Services ($5,000 provisional allocations)

That total comes out to $646,724 in funding.