Latest news with #SophiaVeneziano
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon Central Ohio Community Fund gives $100K to 19 central Ohio community projects
At the end of June, Amazon announced a $100,000 investment in area community projects through its Central Ohio Community Fund. Nineteen projects across 16 organizations in the areas of STEM, education, sustainability and digital skills were awarded microgrants through the fund, which works to both address immediate community needs and invest in long-term impacts in central Ohio. Applications are now open through Aug. 1 for the next round of grants through another $100,000 Amazon Central Ohio Community Fund. The next round of grants is for projects in Franklin and Licking counties. Potential areas of impact, along with those highlighted in the previous round, could be addressing homelessness, food insecurity or energy. Nonprofit applicants are eligible for grants up to $10,000, while individuals and community groups can apply for grants up to $5,000. Applicants should hear whether or not their project proposal was successful by Sept. 12, according to the application portal managed by ChangeX. received funding for an after-school project providing academic and emotional support to immigrant children. secured an award for a gaming platform that encourages social interaction for children, especially those with disabilities. is launching a maker space summer camp, the Pacer Space, for elementary and middle schoolers. is an initiative for people to learn about the history of downtown Hilliard. is adding The Fairgrounds Storybook Trail Learning Adventure project to the Franklin County Fair. received funding for outdoor classrooms with native plants and seating. is working to provide clothing and home goods to more than 1,000 households. ICE Mentors Inc., which has rebranded to EPIC Youth, is launching a project to teach underserved youth how to code, and expose them to STEM careers. is funding 12 workshops focused on digital skills, privacy and internet use. is launching a community fridge project for Columbus. is establishing a business and skill development center for adults who are reentering the workforce. Mid-Ohio Psychological Services secured a grant for a Little Free Pantry project to address food insecurity. Midtown East Community Enrichment Center received grant funding for both a food pantry that serves over 100 families each month and a FIRST LEGO League project to engage youth in critical thinking. received funding for a youth empowerment program providing interactive STEAM activities for 1,000 Black youths. Simone Drake is distributing 1,000 books to diverse communities across central Ohio. is inspiring young kids to get involved in STEM from an early age. Sophia Veneziano is a Columbus Dispatch reporter supported by the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation. She may be reached at sveneziano@ The Dispatch retains full editorial independence for all content. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Amazon gifts $100K to 19 Columbus-area community projects
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A Kid Again brings kids with medical conditions to 'DreamNight' at the Columbus Zoo
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium kept its doors open a few hours later on June 6 to give children experiencing life-threatening medical conditions the chance to be a kid again. Hosted by A Kid Again, a nonprofit that organizes free events and adventures for families navigating medical bills and treatments, the DreamNight at the Zoo Adventure brought thousands of families enrolled in A Kid Again to the zoo. With every part of the zoo's experience covered by A Kid Again, including rides, interactive exhibits and the Zoombezi Bay water park, the families were able to explore accessible, child-friendly activities and connect with others facing similar circumstances. The organization's goal is to provide families relief from thinking about the next hospital visit or doctor's appointment and instead allow them to focus on making memories as a family, explained A Kid Again's program director, Ashley Hofacre. "We hear parents talk about how isolating it feels to be a medical parent and a medical family," she said. "By bringing families together, they really get to find people who understand what they're going through and can relate to them." The next adventure for central Ohio A Kid Again families will be a Kings Island weekend on July 26-27, with separate registration available for each day. Enrolled families can sign up on A Kid Again's website. Sophia Veneziano is a Columbus Dispatch reporter supported by the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation. She may be reached at sveneziano@ The Dispatch retains full editorial independence for all content. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: A Kid Again's DreamNight at the Zoo Adventure
