HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — Fourteen area nonprofit organizations have reported measurable impact after receiving grants totaling roughly $159,500 in 2024–2025 from endowed funds managed by The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg & Rockingham (TCFHR). The grants supported initiatives in mental health, food security, arts and culture, animal welfare, and youth mentoring.

The grants stem from seven distinct endowed funds overseen by TCFHR. Applications for the 2025 cycle are currently under review, with new awardees expected to be announced in November.

Mental Health: Grants Address Gaps in Services

  • Adagio House’s Compassion Fund received a $5,000 grant, enabling about 50 of 162 free or discounted therapy sessions for low-income clients. Many served include single mothers of autistic children, young adults with co-occurring diagnoses, and newly diagnosed individuals.
  • Family Life Resource Center (FLRC) used $2,935 in grant support to offer sliding-scale scholarships for 21 clients, including families and individuals awaiting Medicaid/Medicare benefits, many battling grief or mental health challenges.
  • Healthy Community Health Centers applied $16,100 toward purchasing infant bilirubin monitors that don’t require blood snips, and the loaning of reusable blankets to jaundiced newborns.
  • FREE (Foundation for Rehabilitation & Endowment) was awarded $25,000 to support mobility-services programs for low-income residents by reusing donated medical equipment through partnerships.

The Arts Get a Boost

From the Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts, multiple local arts nonprofits received support:

  • Arts Council of the Valley used more than $45,000 for its “Arts for All” year-long programming, including concerts, murals, festivals, and films — many free to the public.
  • Harrisonburg Dance Cooperative purchased sound panels and subsidized performance costs to offer tiered and “pay-what-you-can” ticketing, increasing accessibility.
  • OASIS Fine Art & Craft awarded scholarships for students attending classes at regional arts facilities and provided programming for children at a local shelter.
  • Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival used its grant to complete its transition to independent 501(c)(3) status and mount its 2025 season.
  • Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley invited over 1,500 second graders in the region to a puppetry performance and funded similar arts outreach.
  • Silk Moth Stage used funding to pay stipends to professional actors, expand education programs, and boost ticket sales.

Food, Animals & Youth: Targeted Support

  • The Corner Cupboard Food Pantry, operating under Emmanuel Episcopal Church, expanded its offerings to include feminine hygiene items, adult diapers, and culturally appropriate foods. The pantry reports a 20% increase in clients served this year.
  • The Wildlife Center of Virginia used funding to treat 479 local sick, injured, or orphaned wild animals — averaging $195 per case — in its Harrisonburg/Rockingham service area.
  • Rockingham Harrisonburg SPCA’s “Community Cat Program” received $11,685 to support spay/neuter, microchipping, vaccinations, and community trapping efforts, in collaboration with a local veterinary center.
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of HR received $13,220 to expand recruitment and match youth with mentors. The funds covered staff time, background checks, and match events — enabling 109 youth to be matched so far in 2025, with more in process.
  • FLRC also applied its Sean Warner Memorial Fund toward play therapy materials and resources (e.g. sensory toys, role-play sets). About 73 children under age 15 have used these services this year.

With these grants, recipient organizations say they’ve been able to both stabilize ongoing programs and expand services to underserved populations.