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By Charlotte Underwood
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- The East Tennessee Foundation Campbell Enhancement Fund awarded $16,000 in grants on Tuesday at the Campbell County Rotary Club luncheon.
WLAF’s Charlie Hutson shares his photo gallery HERE.
Representatives of area non-profit organizations packed the fellowship hall at the LaFollette Methodist Church.
The grants covered a huge range from local food pantries, to art and education, children’s organizations, help for seniors, pets and more.
A total of $16,000 was given away to eight organizations according to Scott Gillenwaters, who is the Director of Regional Advancement for the East Tennessee Foundation.
The East Tennessee Foundation “serves 25 counties in East Tennessee, all the way from Morgan County to Mountain City.”
The Foundation has 18 community funds just like the Campbell Enhancement Fund.
“These community funds raise money and they invest in the East Tennessee Foundation, we give back their earnings, and they give that money back to the county and it is then reinvested in the communities. I have the best job; we don’t consider it giving away money, it is investing back in the community. You can be proud of your community board,” Gillenwaters said.
Rotarian Brandon Johnson announced the grants recipients on Tuesday.
“It was a tough process; we always have a lot more requests for dollars than actual dollars,” Johnson said.
The following organizations received grants:
Bridges to Recovery, which is a female residential program for women struggling with addiction. It’s a 12 month program that helps them get apartments, jobs and get their children back. According to representatives with Bridges to Recovery, this particular grant will be used for mental health services and dental, according to Bridges to Recovery Board Vice President Tanya McCall.
“Our program is a very structured program. We will provide therapy and counseling to these women and also use funds for some dental and vision services,” McCall said. She thanked the East Tennessee Foundation and the Campbell Enhancement Fund.
The Campbell County Rural Fire Services received $1,500.
The rural fire service covers 275 square miles in Campbell County and makes about 450 runs a year, with about half of them listed as medical runs. They are using grant funds to purchase swift water rescue gear and equipment to mitigate fires.
The Campbell Culture Coalition (C3) received a grant for $1,000 that will be used for community art and cultural programs in schools. According to C3 Executive Director Manuel Mesa, funds will go to support an article project Campbell County High School, Jellico High School, Jacksboro Middle School and LaFollette Middle School where students will design and paint garbage cans to be displayed in government offices in the county. The project is called “Pride in Us.
Catholic Charities of East Tennessee received $1,500.
Money will go to the Crazy Quilt Friendship Center Program at Newcomb. The center offers a food pantry, emergency assistance, utility assistance, and a pregnancy help center. Additionally, it hosts the Mountain Arts Day Camp for three days in late June for children aged K-12 and an annual Christmas Toy Run.
Food Life Services of Campbell County received a grant for $2,750 to be used to purchase food from Second Harvest Food Bank and distributed to those in the community who need it.
Open Arms Ministry also received a grant for $2,750 for food purchases.
Both food banks received some of largest grants awarded on Tuesday to be used to feed Campbell County. Both food organizations reported higher levels of hunger and an increase in the number of individuals receiving food assistance. The goal of both organizations is to decrease hunger in Campbell County.
The Senior Center’s Home Assistance Services received a grant for $1,500 that will be used to provide caregiver services to elderly patients who cannot afford it. The grant will cover 375 hours of caregiver services for Campbell County clients so they “can age in place.”
Spay Campbell County Tennessee Pets received $2,500 and will use the grant to help low income families with covering the cost of spaying their pets.
The Campbell Enhancement Fund is an Affiliate Fund of East Tennessee Foundation and is an endowed fund for future needs, opportunities and challenges as well as a grant source for local Campbell County programs and services.
According to the East Tennessee Foundation, the Campbell Enhancement Fund was established in 1999 through the generous gifts of time, vision, and resources by a group of Campbell County residents committed to strengthening communities and improving the quality of life in Campbell County.
Enhancement Fund grants support “programs and projects that build community goodwill, seek to solve community challenges, and produce results for the benefit of the Campbell County community.”
Vice Mayor Randy Brown spoke on behalf of the Campbell Enhancement Fund.
“We would like to thank on behalf of our group the Campbell County Joint Economic Community Development Board who each year gives about $10,000 that goes to these non profit funds. The other day I looked, and since 2002, the Campbell Enhancement Fund has awarded over $200,000 to non profits in Campbell County. Congratulations to the recipients and we look for to all the good work that they are going to do,” Brown said. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-09/10/2025-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)