Heritage Wind announces community grant awards
Press Release, Heritage Wind/Apex Clean Energy
ALBION – In recognition of “Giving Tuesday,” Heritage Wind announced the latest round of grant awards from the Heritage Wind Community Grant Program.
The program, launched in 2020, supports community organizations throughout Orleans County working to build healthy communities, support economic development, foster environmental sustainability, and promote education.
“We are thankful that Orleans County is home to so many motivated individuals and innovative groups doing everything they can to support their community,” said Carmen O’Keefe, Development Manager with Apex Clean Energy. “We are proud to support their work and are committed to being a long-term partner to the Town of Barre and all of Orleans County.”
Counting this year’s recipients, the grant program has awarded nearly $50,000 to community causes and non-profit organizations since its inception.
Some of the grants announced today include $2,879 for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County, $1,554 for Orleans County Adult Learning Services, $1,245 for Beds from Brian Inc., $1,000 for Albion Betterment Committee and $600 for Lee-Whedon Memorial Library.
Beds from Brian is a non-profit organization that works with local partner agencies to ensure all children have a bed to call their own. A Heritage Wind community grant will provide enough funds to provide beds and bedding to five children in partnership with the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern.
“We appreciate being the recipient of a Heritage Wind Community Grant. The generous amount will allow us to purchase new beds and bedding for children in Orleans County,” said Beds from Brian Founder and President Doreen LaFluer. “Thank you for helping us fulfil our Mission of ‘Comforting children with warm and cozy beds and bedding’ and for keeping our Vision of ‘For every child in our area to have a bed to call their own’ at the forefront of what we strive to do.”
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County will receive a grant to purchase new interactive educational displays to engage children at events such as the Orleans County Fair. Among a variety of agricultural-themed activities, the displays will also include a renewable energy puzzle game.
“We are incredible grateful for the support. Heritage Wind has allowed us to do some excellent educational activities in the past and has again supported that mission,” said Robert Batt, President of the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. “The proposed learning through play exhibit will provide families at the fair and other events a free, interactive experience that educates both about agriculture and is fun to do. We look forward to seeing people playing and learning together thanks to this funding.”
A grant to the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library will fund new discovery kits that can be borrowed from the library for use by children and families looking to explore nature, science, and the world around them. Library Director Kristine Mostyn thanked Apex Clean Energy for supporting the project, saying “Lee-Whedon Memorial Library greatly appreciates receiving this grant from Apex. We will be using the funds to create discovery kits, such as stargazing and geocaching, to be used around the community. The kits will benefit homeschoolers as well as anyone interested in nature or the sciences.”
Orleans County Adult Learning Services (OCALS) will receive a grant to help train and supply five new tutors for their digital literacy mentoring project. “The Orleans County Adult Learning Services Program is grateful and proud to receive this grant from Heritage Wind,” said OCALS Vice President and Treasurer Don Colquhoun. “It will be used to provide digital literacy services to County residents to enhance their skills and help them to become computer literate and connected to the power of the internet. It is a perfect complement to the tutoring services the agency has provided since 2006.”
The Orleans County United Way assisted OCALS with the grant application and is helping administer the funds.
“The Orleans County United Way is pleased by the generosity of Heritage Wind in helping OCALS with their request for equipment. We assisted in the grant application. These funds will help more community mentors assist their neighbors with Digital Literacy,” added Orleans County United Way Executive Director Dean Bellack. “The Orleans Digital Literacy Initiative has begun training Orleans County Residents and our goal is to have one on one training with 2000-3000 Orleans County residents to improve their skills.”
Other grants included a donation to the Albion Betterment Committee as part of their Charles W. Howard statue fundraising effort, and donations to Christ Church Community Kitchen, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, and Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance (COVA) in recognition of their consistent service and support to the community.
As the project approaches construction, Heritage Wind will continue its commitment to being a strong community partner to local governments, area businesses, and non-profits working to improve people’s lives across the region. To learn more about the program, or apply for a future round of grant funding, click here.
