Community Foundation Accepting Grant Applications for Organizations Serving Children in Foster Care

November 20, 2007: The Community Foundation of Frederick County is pleased to announce that grant applications are being accepted for funding from The Libby Hough Van Winkle Foster Children’s Fund. The Fund provides grants for the unique educational, social, recreational/leisure, and/or medical needs of foster children that are not provided by the foster care system. The rolling grant application cycle begins December 1, 2007 and will conclude June 30, 2009.

The following organizations providing services to children in foster care are encouraged to apply: existing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, government agencies and religious organizations, and longstanding non 501(c)(3) community service organizations. Preference for grants from The Libby Hough Van Winkle Foster Children’s Fund will be given to agencies serving children in foster care in Frederick, Maryland and its surrounding communities, and in the State of Iowa.

Libby Hough Van Winkle had a strong commitment to helping children, especially those who had no one else they could depend on. Libby first became a foster parent while living in Iowa for four years. Her commitment to children in foster care never wavered, even as she returned home to Maryland with her own family and ran her own business. When Libby died in January 2007, her parents, Hammet and Jeri Hough, wanted to honor their daughter’s dedication to foster children by creating The Libby Hough Van Winkle Foster Children’s Fund at The Community Foundation of Frederick County.

The Houghs say that being a foster parent was one of the most gratifying experiences for Libby. “She found it very rewarding to see the impact of a loving, caring home upon these young lives. This fund will ensure that the work Libby did to better the lives of children continues in her name through the grants it provides. We are pleased to honor her memory in such a special way.”

The Libby Hough Van Winkle Foster Children’s Fund Grant Application is available by clicking here or by calling The Community Foundation of Frederick County at 301.695.7660. Completed applications with required attachments should be mailed to The Community Foundation of Frederick County, 312 East Church Street, Frederick, Maryland 21701. Electronic submission of grant applications is not accepted.

Since 1986, generous citizens have turned to the expertise of the Community Foundation to establish charitable funds that award grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships to deserving students. Additional information about the Community Foundation is available by calling 301.695.7660.