Three local organizations will receive funding for community-based projects across Martinsville-Henry County
Martinsville, Va. — Three community-based organizations received Project Hope grants totaling $26,600 at a recent grantee celebration in October, held at Piedmont Arts in Martinsville.
These projects will work to strengthen family bonds, preserve local wisdom, and build practical life skills in Martinsville-Henry County (MHC). The awards support Dine and Converse from Tau Omicron Que School Foundation, Wisdom From The Hive from For The Children Partners in Prevention Coalition, and Community Camp from The Blueprint Impact Foundation.
“Project Hope is really about more than grants,” said India Brown, program officer at The Harvest Foundation. “It is about listening to our community, trusting the people who know their neighborhoods best, and creating space for local ideas to grow. This initiative was built on the belief that some of the best solutions come from the people who are already doing the work and know what their communities need.”
Speakers at the celebration included Brown, members of Martinsville’s Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), Project Hope Committee Members Dominique Hylton and Amanda Gray, and Harvest Foundation Board member Dr. DelShana LeGrant.
LeGrant offered her heartfelt congratulations on behalf of The Harvest Foundation’s Board of Directors, and shared her thanks for the community members who are taking a chance on MHC.
“What I love about Project Hope is that it reminds us that meaningful community change doesn’t always begin with large organizations or a complicated plan,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s your neighbor, it’s your friend, it’s your church member or your students. It’s you, it’s us. Sometimes it begins with a conversation or a thought.”
She added, “The Harvest Foundation may provide that initial investment, but you provide the imagination, the relationships, the energy, and the heart that turns that investment into impact. I hope you leave knowing we’re not just celebrating grants, but celebrating the people who believe in this community; the people who believe in us, our families, and who believe in moving Martinsville and Henry County forward.”
The Tau Omicron Que School Foundation received $6,000 for its Dine and Converse (Families Eating Together) project. Dine and Converse will bring 20 Martinsville-Henry County families to the dinner table with a meal from a local restaurant and a set of conversation-starter cards designed to go deeper than “How was your day?” Families will apply by submitting a short letter explaining why they want to take part. Each participating family will record a short video reflecting on the experience, to be shared online so other families can hear the benefits of eating and talking together.
For the Children Partners in Prevention Coalition received $12,600 for its Wisdom From The Hive program, bringing together children, parents, grandparents, educators, faith leaders, and youth-serving agencies. Each gathering will feature one or more Community Wisdom Bearers, local residents whose lived experiences with resilience, leadership, recovery, athletics, family, and hope anchor an evening of storytelling, reading, and reflection.
The series will culminate in the Wisdom Hive Wall, a permanent community exhibit created with help from youth participants and local student artists, and a free Community Wisdom Toolkit that churches, schools, senior centers, and other groups can use to host their own gatherings.
The United Way of Henry County & Martinsville will serve as a fiscal sponsor for Tau Omicron Que School Foundation and For the Children Partners in Prevention Coalition.
The Blueprint Impact Foundation received $8,000 for its Community Camp program. The camp is an eight-month program that brings youth ages 10 to 17 and adults together one weekend each month to learn practical skills by doing them. Sessions will cover financial literacy, healthy cooking, container gardening, home maintenance, entrepreneurship, and community service, with families preparing meals, planting gardens, and building household budgets together.
Each household receives a Blueprint Passport, stamped at every monthly camp. Families who complete all eight sessions will be recognized as Blueprint Impact Families at a closing graduation and community celebration. The camp is delivered with partners Mr. Hailey & Associates, Heart of Elegance, Men of Valor, and Life Stages Enrichment Services, Inc., which also serves as the fiscal sponsor.
The project also turns family time into service. Each family will partner with a local school, business, or organization to complete an outdoor improvement project, such as planting flowers, painting rails, or cleaning up a playground.
A 13-member committee comprising local hope builders reviews grant applications and allocates funding for the program. Members of the 2026 Project Hope Committee include Amanda Gray, Anna Wheeler, Dominique Hylton, Jessica Martinez, Peyton Nibblett, Valerie Harper, Tinikia Deering-Woods, Finley Underwood, Christopher Janey, Ed Preston, Kinya More, Mary Jordan, and Kimberly Clark.
This year’s grantees will receive a free one-year membership to the Dan River Nonprofit Network, a member-based organization offering support for nonprofits across the region. They will also receive ongoing support and technical assistance throughout their grant year.
Project Hope is designed to fund small projects that involve volunteers to build hope in MHC communities. Since its launch in 2022, $299,787 in grant awards have been funded to support 29 projects and programs. Grant awards are typically capped at $15,000 and must be completed within a year. Call (276) 632-3329 or visit theharvestfoundation.org/project-hope for updates and to learn more.