The United Way of the River Cities has awarded $511,700 in impact and safety-net grants to 26 nonprofits in its six-county service area for the 2026 funding cycle.
These grants target critical issues in the areas of healthy community, youth opportunity, financial security and community resiliency by investing in local programs managed by nonprofits that work to solve these issues in Cabell, Lincoln, Mason and Wayne counties in West Virginia, and Gallia and Lawrence counties in Ohio.
“We are very proud to partner with these organizations that work every day to meet the immediate needs of individuals as well as strengthening the long-term well-being of our community,” said Steve Cline, United Way’s director of community impact. “These grants represent our community’s belief that every person deserves stability and opportunity.”
The grantmaking process is driven by the UWRC’s Community Impact Council, which is comprised of five United Way board members and four community-at-large members who review and score all grant applications.
Each grant was announced on Thursday, Dec. 11 at an awards presentation at the Marshall University Shawkey Room.
“These grants are a testament to the power of partnership,” said Jedd Flowers, executive director. “Our nonprofit partners are doing vital work every day, and community support through the annual campaign ensures we can fuel that work. Together, we are building a healthier, more resilient, and more hopeful future for all of our six counties.”
As 2025 comes to a close, so does United Way’s campaign season. Money raised through the campaign is how United Way awards grants each year. Donations can be made at unitedwayrivercities.org/donate.
Safety Net Grants
- Branches Domestic Violence Shelter — $20,000 — Providing a 22-bed emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and shelter utility bill costs.
- Catholic Charities — $10,000 — Emergency Assistance Program serving Cabell and Wayne counties. Providing utility assistance to 50 households primarily in Cabell and Wayne Counties (power bills, sewer, water, gas, etc.) for homes at primarily 150% or below the federal poverty level.
- Children’s Home Society of WV — $20,000 — Serving Cabell, Lincoln, Wayne and Mason counties. Providing food, clothing and infant essentials through a resource center that serves 5,000 people.
- Cridlin Food Pantry — $20,000 — Serving Cabell and Wayne counties. Providing personal care items and infant essentials through a pantry that serves 4,000 low-income individuals.
- Community Mission Outreach — $13,500 — Serving Lawrence and Gallia counties. Providing food, clothing and personal care items through a pantry that serves 10,000 people. Grant covers the cost of potatoes and onions, and home delivery for individuals that have no transportation.
- Court St. Ministries — $20,000 — Serving Gallia County. Providing food to 3,000 people from a pantry, which includes boxed meals and hot meals.
- Facing Hunger Foodbank — $15,000 — Serving Lincoln County. This grant supports their Lincoln County backpack program that plans to serve 1,500 people in Lincoln County.
- FaithHealth Appalachia — $5,000 — Serving 1,000 people in Cabell County. This grant will fund the Cabell Care Tree Project through the Cabell County Family Resource Network program. Cabell Care Trees are wooden, tree-shaped shelving units placed in high-traffic community locations including 3 Cabell County Schools, the Cabell-Huntington Health Department, and the Ronald McDonald House. These units will be stocked with essential basic needs items including personal hygiene products, baby supplies, household cleaning supplies, and menstrual health items.
- Gabriel Project — $14,200 — Serving Cabell, Lincoln, Mason and Gallia counties. Providing infant essentials to rural areas that have little to no community resources. Serving 1,200 individuals with car seats, diapers, specialty formulas, etc. Including a new site at Leon United Methodist Church in Mason County.
- God’s Hands at Work — $20,000 — Serving Mason and Gallia County. Providing infant essentials to 450 individuals including car seats, diapers, baby clothing, formula, etc.
- Harmony House — $10,000 — Serving Cabell, Wayne and Lawrence counties. Providing 4,000 hot meals, 500 prescriptions filled, 1,000 showers and laundry services, 20 nights of emergency shelter/hotel nights during inclement weather, and 15 utility payments to help prevent homelessness. Helping to serve 1,350 unique individuals.
- Harvest for the Hungry — $20,000 — Serving Lawrence County. This program helps offer seniors nutrition drinks that help supplement nutrients needed. Serving 6,638 people.
- Huntington City Mission — $20,000 — Serving all six counties. The Community Feeding Program helps serve hot meals to 3,000 individuals who are experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of becoming homeless.
- RLB Ministries/Backpack Buddies — $20,000 — Serving Lawrence County. Providing food to 750 individuals who range from preschool students to high school students in 19 schools in Lawrence County.
- SPECO — $20,000 — Serving Cabell County. Providing 1,400 individuals with food and personal care items through their give box and seasonal boxes. 300 summer care bags and 300 winter care bags will be supplied.
- The Salvation Army of Huntington — $20,000 — Serving Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, and Wayne counties. Providing 200 individuals with food and 50 households with utility assistance.
- Wayne County Community Services Org — $4,000 — Serving Wayne County. Providing food and personal care items 210 people at their Fort Gay Food Pantry.
Impact Grants
- Big Brothers Big Sisters — $35,000 — Serving Cabell, Mason, Wayne and Lawrence counties. Growing mentorship opportunities for Tri-State youth by providing children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better.
- Boys and Girls Club — $35,000 — Serving Cabell County. Power Hour program serves ages 6-18 by offering a dedicated academic enrichment program that focuses on schoolwork tutoring and activities designed to blend learning and fun. Each child also receives a hot meal.
- Field of Hope — $35,000 — Serving Mason, Gallia and Lawrence Counties. The Resilient Youth program offers an after school program that provides work training and entry programs as well as alcohol and substance abuse counseling if needed.
- Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA Area, Inc. — $35,000 — Serving Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, and Wayne counties. Their Community Prosperity Services program offers financial literacy education, life skills training and digital literacy aimed to help community members gain employment and financial stability.
- Lily’s Place — $35,000 — Serving Cabell County and Lincoln County. Offering an on-site and mobile prevention and mentorship program for children 10-18 years that also includes outreach events to help create positive core memories and a sense of belonging in the community. Serving 125 individuals.
- Mason County Library — $10,000 — Serving Mason and Gallia counties. Supporting KidsConnect, a program that aims to increase school readiness and maintain target grade level reading. This program will serve all three branches in Mason Country and support their Story Time program, Discovery Zone, Kids Connect Summer Edition and providing additional books for all three programs.
- Tri-State Literacy Council — $25,000 — Serving Cabell, Mason, Wayne and Lawrence counties. Providing free one-to-one tutoring, on and offline programming, and classroom instruction to adult learners with a professional or educational goal.
- Hamlin Lincoln Public Library — $7,500 — Serving Lincoln County. The Healthy Senior Living Program includes chair yoga at all three library locations, Hatha yoga for strength and flexibility, holistic healing workshops, nutrition education classes and walking clubs. Serving 300 individuals.
- Hamlin Lincoln Public Library — $22,500 — Serving Cabell, Lincoln, and Wayne counties with their Filling in the Education Gaps program. Supporting their story time hour and summer reading and helping to launch a new Homework Help and Family Literacy Program across all three library locations. The homework help program will offer after school academic support. The Family Literacy Program will offer caregiver engagement and resources including GED preparation.
