Merchants Association Awards Grants

TYLER — The East Texas Communities Foundation announces the recipients of a $100,000 grant from the Retail Merchants Association of Tyler Charitable Fund. A foundation news release says the merchants’ fund provides annual grants to support designated charities benefiting Smith County. Here’s a list of this year’s grant recipients and where the money will go:

Boys & Girls Clubs of East Texas – After-school program scholarship assistance
City of Tyler Communications Department – Community branding and marketing campaign
Discovery Science Place – Arts and Science Integration Program
East Texas Area Boy Scout Council – Leadership EASTEXAS Program
East Texas Regional Food Bank – BackPack Program
Goodwill Industries – Purchase equipment for recycling program
Salvation Army – H.E.L.P. Program
Tyler ISD Foundation – Teacher and Campus Grants Program
Living Programs Foundation – School of Tyrannus programs
United Way of Tyler/Smith County – Professional training and consulting to area nonprofits

The East Texas Communities Foundation is a nonprofit corporation serving 16 counties in East Texas. In 2009, the Foundation distributed over $3.4 million and manages over $40 million in 167 unique charitable funds which support non-profit organizations and student scholarships. The mission of the Foundation is to support philanthropy by offering simple ways for donors to achieve their long-term charitable goals. For more information about the Foundation, you can contact Kyle Penney at 903-533-0208.