Sandy Springs City Council awarded $160,000 in grants to six nonprofit organizations to provide recreational programs to the city’s underserved populations.
“The purpose of the grant is to work with local nonprofits to create and expand recreational programs targeted to underserved populations and low-income communities,” Recreation and Parks Director Mike Perry told the council during its March 7 meeting.
The City Council had budgeted $75,000 for the 2023 Nonprofit Arts and Recreation Grant Awards, he said. The financial impact for recommended grants was $160,000, which would require an additional $85,000 added to the program’s budget, he said.
On a motion by Councilmember Andy Bauman, the recommended grants were approved with the required additional funding.
Perry said the nonprofits that receive grants are required to submit reports that show they meet the grant requirements.
City Council approved the award of a $15,000 continuation grant for rising first graders and a $25,000 new grant for rising kindergarteners to Horizons Atlanta to support its summer learning program held at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School.
The program includes academics with an emphasis on literacy and STEAM, field trips, swimming, yoga, art dance, physical education, and music, according to the agenda memo. The students in the program qualify for free or reduced lunch, and no tuition is required to participate in the program.
“This class is predominantly made up of underserved children from Title One schools from Sandy Springs,” Perry said.
Northside Youth Organization received a $15,000 continuation grant to provide scholarships for eligible children to cover the registration, and equipment needs to be involved in the selected sport, he said.
The Healthy Youth USA Foundation was awarded $15,00 to continue its June summer camp program for elementary-age children, Perry said. The program requires students to provide free or reduced lunch verification or other explanation of the need to qualify and is provided at no cost. The nonprofit organization received another $15,000 grant for its July summer camp program.
The City Council approved the award of $25,000 to Catalyst Sports. He said the funding would support expanding outdoor programming for the nonprofit’s targeted population of persons with disabilities. Most of the programs will be conducted at Sandy Springs’ Overlook Park and along the Chattahoochee River, he said.
A $25,000 grant award went to the Sandy Springs Youth Sports Association to assist it with providing additional scholarship funding for program registration and to provide sports equipment, free youth sports camps and clinics. The nonprofit operates at Morgan Falls Athletic Complex under a separate contract with the city, Perry said.
Los Niños Primero was awarded a $25,000 grant to offer a new wilderness discovery, swim and paddle program and other river programs for its target populations, he said.
CORRECTION: In a previous version of this story, the total amount for grants awarded was listed incorrectly. The city awarded $160,000 to nonprofit organizations for recreation programs.
