Women’s Fund donates $100,000 to 14 organizations

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A local organization is giving grants to 14 different non-profit organizations around the area totaling $100,000.

This distribution of the money is different than previous years because the Women’s Fund wanted to use the money to help combat struggles COVID-19 has caused local organizations.

Because of the virus, nonprofit organizations’ fundraisers have been canceled, resulting in a loss of essential operating revenue and endangering the services they provide.

The Women’s Fund grant is typically a one-time grant of $100,000 all at once to one organization, but this year, they decided to split that amount among 14 organizations, according to Jennifer Wethington, the executive director of the Community Foundation of South Central Kentucky.

“We know they are here. They are adding back to our community, and so we want to definitely support that and that was the whole goal,” said Wethington.

The Salvation Army, The Foundry, Hotel Inc and Barren River Area Safe Space received over $12,000 each.

Brass director Tori Henninger doesn’t know how they will use the money quite yet, but has a few ideas bouncing around to better serve victims of domestic abuse.

“I think that it is just very important for people to invest in their communities and when groups like the Women’s Fund that take comparatively smaller amounts that collectively become a large amount can do a lot of really great good in our community,” said Henninger.

Commanding officer of the Salvation Army in Bowling Green, Michael Cox, saying this money was desperately needed.

“I had just told her that our washing machines and dryers are wearing out from the smaller home that we allow our clients to use to the commercial larger size that we use for the larger items. They are all wearing out and the funds coming at this time couldn’t have been more of a blessing. Again it just tells me that God is making this possible,” said Cox.

This $100,000 in grants is in addition to the nearly $44,000 granted to the COVID-19 community response and recovery fund at the United Way back in March.