UMW Philanthropy Class Awards $10K to Area Agencies

University of Mary Washington (UMW) philanthropy class students awarded more than $10,000 in grants to three Fredericksburg-area nonprofit organizations Dec. 3.

The presentation ceremony was the culmination of the semester-long Economics of Philanthropy and the Nonprofit Sector course taught by Professor of Economics Robert Rycroft, according to a UMW press release.

The class of 26 students received 53 applications for the grants, funded by philanthropist Doris Buffett’s Learning by Giving Foundation and $500 raised by students.

“We chose the recipients based on how well the programs they wanted to fund fit in with our mission statement,” said Taylor Knight, a junior in the class.

The Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic, operated by the Fredericksburg Area Regional Health Council, received $3,087 to purchase additional medical equipment for cancer screenings.

“Funding from UMW’s philanthropy class will help to provide access to essential services, including annual pap smears, for hundreds of low-income, uninsured women,” said Karen Dulaney, executive director of the Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic. “The clinic is proud to partner with the University of Mary Washington in providing critical women’s health services and education to women in our community,” she said.

Serenity Home of Fredericksburg, which offers residential substance abuse services for medically stable, chemically dependent adult males, received $5,013 to refurbish bedrooms in its primary location.

“I was thrilled [when I found out about the grant]. To me, this was our last hope,” said Mary McCary, director of Serenity Home. “We are allowing them to live in a nice place. The money also will go to a computer lab to help the residents work on their resumes.”

THRIVE, The Healing Center, which provides affordable health and wellness services for women, received $2,400 for its employment training programs.

“After receiving initial treatment from mental health and traditional medical providers, women often find themselves at a crossroads and failing to thrive,” said Joanie Walsh, board member and program coordinator for Thrive. “One such transition involves recent job loss or re-entry into the workforce. Thrive’s Employment Preparation, Marketing and Career Coaching for Women program will pick up where the State of Virginia Workforce Center leaves off," she said. "Upon completion of the program, women will have gained an increased level of confidence, thereby feeling better prepared to interview and enter the workforce.”

The philanthropy course, in its eighth year at UMW, was one of 17 courses sponsored by the Learning by Giving Foundation at universities across the country this fall. Since its inception in 2005, the UMW class has awarded more than $80,000 in grant money.

UMW's Brynn Boyer provided this information to Fredericksburg Patch.

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