Community Knights strive to ensure GIFT grant awardees are innovating and growing their programs. Their primary goal in fundraising efforts and grant awards are based on community collaboration. The GIFT program has a few simple, yet strict, requirements: All grants must directly benefit the citizens of the Virginia Peninsula of Hampton Roads; all awardees must be 501(c)(3) non-profits, public school organizations, or non-profits that the Community Knights’ Board deems a benefit to the Community, which demonstrate the ideals of Community Knights and show fiscal responsibility with the use of the grant. The results from their grant funding to Phoebus High School Track Team have been astounding.
Over $100,000 in Grants awarded in September to Peninsula Schools and not-for-profit programs by Community Knights, a local nonprofit funded by BINGO! Many of these grants support under-funded school programs, such as Phoebus High School’s FIRST Robotics and track teams, Menchville High’s arts programs (Band, Choral, Drama, etc.), and Woodside High’s band boosters, to name a few. The remaining grants are distributed among civic and other non-profit organizations, such as Dream Catchers, Housing Development Corp of Hampton Roads, and Virginia Food Bank. Through these charitable efforts, Community Knights strives to build durable networks throughout Peninsula groups to provide better options for students and a stronger community overall.
The Board of Community Knights, Inc. is pleased to announce this quarter’s GIFT program grant awards. Our total grant pool was $100,050.00 and it was awarded to the following:
Phoebus High School Robotics FIRST Team – Registration Fees – $3,000.00
Phoebus High School Track Team – Tent for use at Meets – $1,600
Phoebus Phantoms Cheerleaders – Cheer Mats- $2,100.00
Phoebus Student Activities – Service Learning Leadership Camp for SCA Training – $3,500
Phoebus High School Band – Basic Musical Equipment – $4,400
Phoebus High School Class of 2018 – Senior Class Activities – $1,000
Menchville High School Band – Uniform Closets & Band Instruments- $5,000.00
Menchville Choral Department – Costumes – $2,600.00
Menchville Men’s Varsity Soccer Team – Uniforms – $3,000.00
Menchville Archery – Equipment & Shirts – $3,000.00
Intentional Innovation Foundation, Inc. – Shipping for Rumble in the Roads playing field – $2,175.00
Woodside Athletics Booster Club Band Boosters – Percussion Equipment, Uniforms – $5,000.00
Woodside High School Visual Ensemble – Flag Poles & Silks – $2,500.00
Woodside High School (Newport News) Football Parent Support Group – Jerseys – $1,750.00
Heritage High School
Heritage High School Activities – Art Supplies & Student Incentives – $1,500.00
Heritage Perfect Harmony Choral Boosters – Spring Tour Trip – $4,175.00
Heritage Marching Storm Band Booster Association – Band Uniforms – $4,000.00
Heritage High School Athletics – Gym Chairs with Logos – $2,000.00
Heritage High School Governor’s STEM Academy – Registration Fees for FIRST Robotics Team Competitions – $1,500.00
Warwick High School PTSA – Care Closet – $1,500.00
Francis W. Jones Magnet Middle
Jones Magnet Middle School Math Department – graphing calculators – $1,000.00
Hines Middle School Robotics – EV3 Lego Robots & IPads – $1,000.00
Spratley Gifted Center PTA – Cultural Assemblies, Career Night – $2,000.00
Spratley 4th Grade Team – Fish Release – $2,200.00
David A. DutrowElementary PTA – Basketball Poles & Hoops – $1,500.00
RichneckElementary Archery – Equipment – $925.00
Yates Elementary School PTA – One Classroom Set of Chrome Books – $3,800.00
Colony Pools – Backstroke Flags – $3,000.00
Downtown Hampton Child Development Center – 3 Laptops, Peripherals, & a Computer Cart – $1,950.00
Dream Catchers of Williamsburg – Camp for Grieving Children – $2,000.00
Hampton City Schools Mayors Book Club – 50% of Sponsorship for 1 month of books for the program – $2,300.00
Hampton Roads Rams – Uniforms – $1,500.00
Hampton-Newport News Alumni Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.– Guide Right Program – $3,000.00
Housing Development Corporation of Hampton Roads – Rehab of an Apartment & a House – $875.00
Knights of Columbus 16226 – Partnerships with Phillips and Forest Elementary School, Sunday Supper Program, ICC Food Pantry – $3,500.00
Menchville House Ministries – 3 Washing Machines – $2,600.00
Our Youth Our Future Foundation Inc. – Youth Summit – $1,000.00
Peninsula Sports F.C Fundraising – Tournament Fees, Uniforms – $4,000.00
SMART-One, Inc. – Resource Events – $1,000.00
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Church – Catholic Heart Trip – $3,600.00
Virginia Peninsula Foodbank – Purchase Needed Food – $1,000.00
Youth Volunteer Corps of Hampton Roads – Free Library Project and Youth Trips – $1,000.00
We want to thank everyone for their hard work as we continue to grow our GIFT program and support local non-profit and public school organizations. These awards will be paid to the above recipients at our Open House Celebration Hosted by the Newport News Branch of Sona Bank on September 28, 2017 from noon to 5:00 if their Close Out Statements from past grant awards have been received and approved.
Community Knights next round of grants will be issued this fall and they look forward to again supporting public school organizations and non-profits that are a benefit to our community.
Join us for a Bingo Game and help our community through a little socialization and fun!