Six Grants totaling $25,000 awarded in 2006

The Brownsville Community Foundation announced its first round of grants in 2006, thanks to a generous $25,000 gift from the Houston Foundation. Six grants were awarded, after a painstaking application and review process. Grantees were chosen from among 28 different community organizations who applied, with requests totaling $220,805 Ð nearly 10 times the amount available. We were impressed and inspired by the level of interest, and also mindful of the tremendous unmet need it represents. Health and education was our focus in 2006. The Foundation's program committee included Yolanda Rosenbaum, Sandra Wilson, Diane Garza and former CEO and community volunteer Christy Burton.

MOODY CLINIC,
Brownsville Society for Crippled Children Inc.
$5,500 for Universal Exercise Unit
Hundreds of local children with cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome and neuromuscular disorders are improving their independent motor skills through new state-of-the-art pediatric therapy equipment based on Russian space agency technology. The Moody Clinic is one of the only non-profit clinics in Texas to have The Universal Exercise Unit, also called intensive suit therapy. This innovative system includes a series of pulleys, straps and splints that target specific muscle groups. Special-needs children - including those with spinal cord injuries - benefit from this therapy through progressive exercises.

CHILDEN'S MUSEUM OF BROWNSVILLE
$5,000 for interactive "Stuffee"
Seven-foot, blue-haired "Stuffee" teaches Children's Museum visitors important lessons about health and the human body. Stuffee is a super-size fabric doll, with removable soft-sculpture internal organs. Museum staff and volunteers can use him to teach about organ donation, the dangers of smoking and many other health topics. Part of the museum's hands-on Dr. Bones health exhibit, Stuffee is already making appearances at school field trips and weekend workshops, where he illustrates lessons about the circulatory and digestive systems, and other inner workings of the human body.

KIDS VOTING BROWNSVILLE
$5,000 for voting clubs in Brownsville schools
Kids Voting USA promotes voter education and civic responsibility among school kids through a partnership with Brownsville public and private schools. By introducing students to candidates and the issues, these non-partisan clubs fight voter apathy in the community, and encourage good voting habits. In the last election, 35,000 Brownsville students enjoyed an actual voting experience as they filled out ballots and cast them for state and local candidates of their choice.

SABAL PALM AUDUBON SANCTUARY
$2,500 for their school science program
Students learn how to protect our natural resources as part of the Sabal Palm Audubon Sanctuary's "Nature of Learning" program. This educational outreach serves 3,000 students a year and focuses on outdoor science and responsible citizenship. The sanctuary, which includes 557 acres and three miles of Rio Grande border frontage, welcomes school field trips and also takes the ÒNature of LearningÓ program to children across the river in Matamoros, Mexico.

PROYECTO DIGNA
$3,328 for an after-school tutorial
Students from predominately immigrant families receive help to succeed in school through a popular after-school tutorial program of Proyecto Digna. This non-profit social services agency operates out of Brownsville's Cameron Park neighborhood, one of the
city's poorest. Students gather in the education building of San Felipe de Jesus Church every school day for help with reading, homework and Science Fair projects, under the watchful eye of staff and volunteers. Computers and school supplies are available - a huge resource for these disadvantaged elementary school students. Many of the children also participate in after-school drama and dance classes.

GLADYS PORTER ZOO
$3,672 for audio and visual equipment and retrofitting
The Gladys Porter Zoo welcomeshundreds of school children, teachers and other visitors each year for summer education programs, camps and workshops. Its Special Events Building is often called into service when its education classroom is too small or already booked. This grant helped equip and wire the Special Events Building for its own audio-visual system, and provide storage for media items.