The Board of Directors of the Annie Penn Community Trust has determined that the Trust would undertake pro-active grant making. This type of grant making involves the Trust identifying areas of need or population groups in Rockingham County that would benefit from projects or programs initiated by the Trust.
The Annie Penn Community Trust Program Committee has been assigned to research and evaluate areas of need in the County and recommend programs or initiatives to the full board for funding consideration.
A initiative by the Trust was the Reidsville Elementary School Nutrition and Fitness Initiative. This initiative involved the Trust funding a multi-faceted program for three years to address concerns about juvenile health and fitness. The three schools involved
initially were Moss Street Elementary, Lawsonville Avenue Elementary and South End Elementary Schools.
This program began with the Trust asking Rockingham County School System personnel to design a program to address juvenile nutrition and fitness in Reidsville Elementary Schools and the Trust would consider funding it for three years. The school system made a proposal and program activity started with the 2004-2005 school year.
Some of the items included in this program are as follows:
- Salaries and benefits for additional physical education teachers
- Salaries and benefits for additional physical education assistants
- Paving of tracks at three elementary schools
- Purchase of pedometers for students and staff
- Funds for classroom resources and student incentives
- Child size salad bars for three elementary schools
- Salaries and benefits for additional cafeteria workers to maintain salad bars
As a result of progress shown in the first
three years, the Trust Board approved funding for the fourth year
and expanded the initiative to include all elementary schools in the
county.
The Annie Penn Community Trust Board, through the Program Committee, will continue to look at programs and projects that will result in a lasting improvement in the health, nutrition, fitness and quality of life of the citizens of Rockingham County.
May 2008
