The Peyton Anderson Foundation announced its latest round of grant recipients, where 16 community organizations will receive $3.59 million towards place-based projects that benefit the needs of thousands of Central Georgians. This latest announcement caps nearly $7 million in grants awarded by the Foundation to 34 local projects in 2018.

This year’s largest grant is to the Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital. The $2 million grant was announced Monday at the annual “A Night of Lights” tree lighting event at the Hospital. The event was the first time the new hospital tower has been opened to the public, and it was also announced that the new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will be named in Peyton Anderson’s honor.

“Thanks to the generosity of the Peyton Anderson Foundation, we have exceeded our capital campaign goal for Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, Navicent Health,” said Dr. Ninfa M. Saunders, President and CEO of Navicent Health. “Navicent Health, along with the children and families throughout the region who rely on Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital for care, is grateful for the continued support of the Peyton Anderson Foundation and numerous other donors who have made this dream a reality.”

Other significant funding was awarded to Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia, Inc. for “A Hand Up: Goodwill's Campaign for Helms College.” The $500,000 grant will help prepare local residents to fill the 21,280 new middle-skills jobs Macon-Bibb is projected to gain by 2022. Goodwill is embarking on a campaign to strategically expand its own Helms College in alignment with the community’s urgent workforce needs.

Another $500,000 grant will go to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Georgia Inc. for the “Keeping MORE Families Close” program. This grant will help meet the growing needs of families by adding a new building to double the current capacity by the end of 2019.

Additional organizations and projects to receive funding in the latest round of grants from the Peyton Anderson Foundation are:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia: Funding of $15,000 will rebrand the local agency in accordance with the national rebranding of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and appeal to a broader volunteer and donor audience in order to increase the number of children served with one-to-one mentoring.

• Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia: Funding of $14,000 will allow the replacement of sports and game equipment in Macon-Bibb County Clubs and purchase defibrillators.

• Community Foundation of Central Georgia: The $25,000 grant will fund the next five-year iteration of the OneMacon strategic plan. The second version of OneMacon will work to increase the number of community partners who are united in creating an energetic and opportune region where workforce thrives, sense of place is keen and education excels opportunity.

• Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture: Funding of $25,000 will assist disaster relief efforts to help local farmers who suffered damage due to Hurricane Michael.

• Jay’s HOPE Foundation: Funding of $10,000 will assist the Hope on Wheels Program, which provides immediate help with travel-related expenses for families battling childhood cancer.

• Loaves and Fishes Ministries: Funding of $20,000 will replace outdated computer technology at the Jack Steppe Day Life Service Center that is serving the working poor and homeless.

• Mercer University: Funding of $70,000 will go to Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism to fund the Peyton T. Anderson, Jr. Journalism Fellowship at the Macon Telegraph. The Fellowship will offer one recent graduate a full-time reporting position for two years that will report on local issues in areas important to the Foundation: community development, education, health, human services and arts and culture.

• The Methodist Children’s Home: Funding of $100,000 will underwrite the final expenses of the Eagle's Nest Children's Early Learning Center and purchase evidence-based parenting curriculum to offer Parent Education Classes.

• Middle Georgia Regional Library: Funding of $10,000 will replace the outdated microfilm reader and mounting desk, as well as purchase archival supplies. This will soon be used to catalog and preserve the documents, books and photos of Peyton Anderson that grandson and Trustee Dr. Reid Hanson entrusted to the Foundation office.

• Motivating Youth Foundation: Funding of $20,000 will be used for the Adult Readiness Program, which targets unemployable adults over the age of 18. This project offers job training, GED prep, parenting classes and puts the participants on the path to becoming productive community members.

• Rebuilding Macon: Funding of $60,000 goes to the Restoring Hope program, which will bring over 600 students from Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Alabama together during the summer of 2019 to repair 30 houses in the King’s Park neighborhood.

• Southeastern Council of Foundations: Funding of $20,000 goes to the Georgia Grantmaker’s Alliance, which was established to build strong statewide connections in philanthropy and explore areas of common interest and concern.

• United Way of Central Georgia: Funding of $1,000 was provided to host the Poverty to Prosperity Summit held earlier in October. The Read2Succeed/AARP program received $150,000 to provide matching funds for the AARP Foundation grant in 10 Bibb County Schools and provide Read2Succeed funds for three Bibb County Schools. Additionally, the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program received $50,000 to build the Youth Development Park, an 82,500-square-foot multipurpose field adjacent to Matilda Hartley Elementary School.

“The lasting legacy of our benefactor continues to be shared with all members of our community, from our tiniest, neonatal residents at the Beverly Night Olson Children’s Hospital to our burgeoning workforce positioned to thrive here,” said Foundation President Karen Lambert. “The Peyton Anderson Foundation is proud of the diverse scope, innovative approach and service-led spirit found in our nearly $7 million of local grant funding this year.”