by Mickie Ross –

On the evening of April 26, the membership of Seeds of Strength gathered at the Georgetown Health Foundation Community Rooms to hear fourteen grant proposals from some of the leading nonprofits in the community. By the end of the evening, $154,000 would be shared among seven chosen agencies.

The evening began with fun and healthy refreshments. Special thanks go to the committee members who worked so hard to make this happen. It helped fortify the women for the monumental task ahead–determining which of the agencies would receive grants.

As the presentations progressed, the needs in our community became more and more apparent. The stories from these worthy groups touched the hearts of everyone present. All of the stories shared affect the people of Georgetown, and all of the needs are valid and necessary. Unfortunately, the funds are limited.

The responsibility of the members of Seeds of Strength is never taken lightly, and the difficulty in choosing where to spend our money was clear to all. So the most heart-wrenching part of the evening was casting votes to decide which organizations would receive grants. After listening intently for about an hour, our members voted their hearts and pocketbooks to help the following nonprofits fund their projects. The recipients for 2016 are:

Boys and Girls Club of Georgetown – $25,000
Brookwood in Georgetown – $25,000
Capital IDEA – $25,000
CASA of Williamson County – $24,000
Georgetown Palace Theatre – $10,000
Hope Alliance – $20,000
Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center – $25,000

While these seven nonprofits were the big winners of the night, each group won by making us all more aware of their needs and their good work. How exciting for the women of Seeds of Strength to be able to make such a difference in our community. We are all truly blessed, indeed.