Part III: Who We Are — Exploring Our Values
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From the desk of Harvest Foundation President Kate Keller
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As we wrap up 2022, it seems fitting to wrap up our final three value statements that the Harvest Board of Directors approved in September. As a reminder of the first four:
- We choose hope
- We uphold integrity beyond reproach
- We are committed to equity in all we do
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We advocate for an inclusive and united community
The next three reflect our focus on impact and how we hope to make a difference in MHC. When we make programming or funding decisions, you should know that we take many things into consideration, but how a project might positively change the lives of the people in MHC is the most important.
With that in mind, our next value is We Are Boldly Ambitious. I’ve said this many times, but one of our roles is to take risk and test innovative ideas — game-changing ideas. Not all work out, but knowing that some do means that you have to try. We continue this 20-year legacy of trying big ideas.
The next value closely aligns with being boldly ambitious. We Are A Catalyst For Generational Change. As we learned at the Level Up MHC summit, changing the course of a community can take up to forty years. With a long-term focus, you can make deep and meaningful investments that will pay off for many years to come.
The simplest example is the SEED Fund — investing in our youth and helping all of them to have a positive future is surely the best investment we could make. However, we have many of these examples- investing in our early childhood system, supporting our economic development efforts, and preparing our community to bring in new industries all are examples of long-term investments that should pay off for generations.
Finally, We Never Walk Alone. Our mission statement says it all: “In partnership with the diverse people and organizations that call MHC home…” Harvest may have financial resources (and a pretty spectacular board and team), but the only way MHC is going to progress is to accomplish this in partnership. Improving our community is an all-hands-on-deck effort. We are here to listen and to walk in partnership with all of you.
That sums up our current value statements. We hope you see these shine through our strategic plan and how we show up in our community. I wish you all a blessed and wonderful holiday season and I look forward to working with you in 2023!
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Project Hope grant recipients, pictured from left, include Chris Powell, operations project manager at Philpott Lake, Clifford Stone, treasurer of Greater Bassett Area Community (GBAC), GBAC President John Thomas “Smokey” Pegram, Pastor CJ Martin of House of Purpose Ministries, GBAC Coordinator Ruby Davis, Joyce Staples, chair of the Fayette Area Historical Initiative (FAHI) board of directors, Heidi Pinkston, executive director of Piedmont Arts, and Lauren Ellis, programs and public relations coordinator at Piedmont Arts.
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Harvest Foundation celebrates Project Hope grantees, announces intent for 2023 program
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Five organizations received $44,525 to fund proposed projects and programs
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Martinsville, Va. — This year’s Project Hope recipients gathered at Piedmont Arts on Dec. 7 to celebrate their upcoming projects and the 20th Anniversary of The Harvest Foundation.
The Project Hope grants initiative, announced Aug. 16 on Harvest’s 20th Anniversary, not only celebrates the occasion but it’s also designed to plant seeds of hope for the future and develop opportunities to strengthen relationships among neighbors through grassroots organizing and engagement.
Throughout the foundation’s extensive strategic planning process in 2021, Program Officer India Brown said it was clear that community engagement and community voice were necessary to spark real hope in Martinsville-Henry County.
“What better way to kick off the Harvest Foundation’s 20th anniversary than to provide an opportunity for residents to take action on building a better community where we all live, work, and play?” Brown said.
A group of local “hope builders” worked on Project Hope from developing the RFP (request for proposals) to vetting projects and allocating funding. Committee members include Kendall Davis, Cameron Brummitt, Brandon Martin, Autumn Morris, Kimberly Keller, Beverly P. Lyle, Larissa Rash, Sarah Short, DeShanta Hairston, and Viola Rich.
“I am inspired and impressed by the Project Hope grant recipients this year, and I’m excited to see their ideas brought to life in our community,” Lyle said. “My hope for the future is that Project Hope continues next year and that we will see more and more citizens engaged in it. Harvest has provided a support system for grassroots visioning (whether the idea is big or small), organizing, and implementation. Let’s all encourage and facilitate this and continue to see the hopes of our citizens realized and celebrated.”
Harvest announced five approved grants totaling $44,525, while two are pending. Approved proposals include:
- Greater Bassett Area Community (GBAC) received $10,000 for the Carson Lane School Restoration Project;
- Piedmont Arts received $9,180 to fund a Pollinator Garden and Art Trail;
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The Martinsville-Henry County Chamber’s Partnership for Economic Growth received $10,000 to fund a “Rooting” for the Same Hope Mural; the
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received $10,000 to fund trail improvements at Philpott Lake; and
- Fayette Area Historical Initiative received $5,345 to fund the Hope Book Club for Middle School Girls.
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Members of the Project Hope Committee include (from left) Larissa Rash, DeShanta Hairston, Beverly P. Lyle, Brandon Martin, Cameron Brummitt, Autumn Morris, and Sarah Short.
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David Stone Jr., pictured with Harvest President Kate Keller, attended his last meeting as a director on Dec. 8, 2022. David was instrumental in developing the foundation's shift to community engagement, and has served on and chaired nearly every committee, in addition to serving as chairman in 2019 and 2020. He led the foundation through the initial uncertainty that was the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to be an ambassador for The Harvest Foundation and Martinsville-Henry County. We thank you, David, for your service over the past nine years and wish you well in your retirement.
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The Harvest Foundation 20th Anniversary Documentary
Celebrating 20 Years of Serving Martinsville-Henry County
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We are thrilled to share with you our documentary celebrating 20 years of serving Martinsville-Henry County. We've seen tremendous changes in our community since our first grants cycle in 2003. There's still much work to be done, but we can all be proud of how far we've come.
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There's always something fun to do in
Martinsville-Henry County.
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Make an impact in your community. Share your HOPE.
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We welcome your voice and ideas at The Harvest Foundation.
Our general responsive grants cycle is open year-round with consideration from our Board of Directors once a quarter. Our PUP Small Grants Program is an open process with decisions made in less than six weeks. The newly announced Project Hope program is about supporting small, grassroots projects with immediate impact.
Give our office a call to schedule an appointment with a program officer.
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About The Harvest Foundation:
The Harvest Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 2002 by the sale of Memorial Hospital. In partnership with the diverse people and organizations that call MHC home, we serve as a long-term catalyst, advocate, and investor to make our community a welcoming place where all can thrive. Our vision is a community where everyone shares in the promise of an MHC that is healthy, prosperous, and vibrant. To date, the foundation has invested more than $150 million in grant dollars back into the community and has an annual grants budget of roughly $10-12 million. To find out more about Harvest, visit www.theharvestfoundation.org.
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