Nearly a dozen Hopewell Valley nonprofit groups have been awarded grants totaling $2,000 by the Hopewell Harvest Fair Board of Trustees.
The 11 grant recipients, all based in the Hopewell Valley, range from a running club for children to community choral groups and those that provide support for special needs children.
Money for the grants is generated through the annual Hopewell Harvest Fair, which is set for Sept. 22 in Hopewell Borough. A percentage of proceeds from the fair goes directly to the grants program, which has distributed more than $200,000 in grants since its inception in 1987.
The Hopewell Harvest Fair is all about community, said Julie Sansone, president of the Hopewell Harvest Fair’s Board of Trustees.
“On the day of the fair, we bring thousands of residents together for a day of family fun. It is also a fundraiser. The proceeds from the event are invested directly back into the community through our grants,” Sansone said.
This year, grants were awarded to Central NJ Let Me Run, which is a running club for 4th- and 5th-graders; Costume Hangers, which will use its grant to pay for shipping costs to provide costumes to children in need; and HomeFront, which will provide enough money for one week’s worth of food for its food pantry.
Recipients also include the Hopewell Elementary School PTO, which will use its grant for a science assembly in connection with the school’s science fair; the Hopewell Public Library, which will buy a magazine display rack for the library; and Hopewell Valley Central High School for a scholarship for a graduating senior.
The Hopewell Valley Chorus and VOICES, which are community choral groups, will use their grants for a student conductor initiative and educational programming, respectively.
The OSIP Foundation, Inc., will use its grant to pay for signs promoting sportsmanship at local athletic fields, and Union Therapeutic Horseback Riding will take its grant to cover the costs of installing a wheelchair ramp. We Care Special Sports’ grant will provide for a social skills scholarship.
Although the Hopewell Harvest Fair is six months away, the group is forming its 2018 planning committee and invites residents to volunteer to take part in organizing this year’s fair.
“We encourage anyone who has enjoyed the Hopewell Harvest Fair in years past to think about how they might be able to lend a hand,” said Heidi Wilenius, who chairs the planning committee.
“Volunteering is a fun, rewarding and easy way to meet new people and celebrate the community we all love,” she said.
The Hopewell Harvest Fair Planning Committee would like to fill its openings by April. More information is available by visiting www.hopewellharvestfair.org.