WTOC interviews DNA President, David McDonald - 2020 Grant Awards
DNA Community Grants awarded to help alleviate local COVID - 19 impacts
Downtown Neighborhood Association Announces
2020 Community Grant Award Recipients
Funds Raised by the DNA’s Holiday Tour of Homes 2019 Awarded to Community Groups
Providing food and shelter for the needy, sponsoring educational activities for children, addressing domestic violence issues, and supporting youth counseling. These are just some of the activities that the Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) will support with its 2020 Community Partner Grant Program.
DNA’s Board of Directors announced today the recipients of this year’s grants. They are:
Chatham County Family Justice Center $3,500
Deep Center $3,000
Emmaus House Soup Kitchen $1,000
Forsyth Farmers’ Market, $1,600
Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club Inc. $3,500
The Front Porch $2,500
Friends of Massie $600
Heads Up Guidance Services $2,500
Horizons Savannah $2,000
Inner City Night Shelter $3,500
Loop It Up Savannah $3,000
Park Place Outreach, Inc $5,000
Rape Crisis Center of the Coastal Empire $2,500
Savannah Children’s Choir $2,500
Thomas Park Food Pantry $3,000
Urban Hope, Inc. $5,000
WRUU-LP: Savannah Community Radio $600
Each year, the DNA bestows grants to community organizations that have an impact on the greater downtown area, particularly those that help or enrich the residential quality of life. Each application goes through a review process overseen by the DNA Board of Directors which makes the selections.
“Because our community is in crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic, this year we decided to primarily focus the grants on food distribution, educating children both now and this summer, and support for those organizations that address domestic violence,” said David McDonald, President of the DNA. “We’re very grateful to these organizations for being part of our community and want to honor the work they do for our most vulnerable neighbors.”
The funds for the grants are raised each year through the DNA’s Holiday Tour of Homes and Inns. Members and supporters of the DNA open their homes and inns for visitors to tour and learn about architecture, home décor, and the history and culture of the South.
More than a hundred DNA volunteers supported the day-long event held last December. The DNA sold more than 600 tickets and raised $45,000 from the event.
Funds raised by the Holiday Tour of Homes support downtown Savannah’s Landmark Historic District in a number of ways. One of those is through the DNA's Community Grants Program.
2019 Grant Awards
(funds raised through the 2018 Holiday Tour of Homes
- Bike Walk Savannah $1,500
- Deep Center $3,000
- Emmaus House Soup Kitchen $1,000
- Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home Foundation $1,500
- Forsyth Farmer’s Market, $1,000
- Frank Callen Boys & Girls Clubs $5,000
- Friends of Massie $500
- Heads Up Guidance Services $1,000
- Inner City Shelter $1,000
- League of Women Voters of Coastal Georgia $1,000
- Loop It up Savannah $1,500
- Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire $2,000
- Savannah Association for the Blind $500
- Savannah Children’s Choir $2,000
- Savannah Tree Foundation $1,000
- Thomas Park Food Pantry $1,000
- Trustees Garden Club $5,000
- Urban Hope, Inc. $5,000
- WRUU-LP $500
Past Grant recipients are listed below
2018 Grant Awards
(funds raised through the 2017 Holiday Tour of Homes)
- Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless, $5,000
- The Creative Coast, $2,000
- Deep Center $1,000
- Emergent Savannah, $1,000
- Forsyth Farmer’s Market, $1,200
- Frank Callen Boys & Girls Clubs $5,000
- Friends of Massie $500
- Heads-Up Guidance Services, Inc. $1,200
- Loop It Up Savannah, Inc. $1,000
- King-Tisdell Cottage Foundation, $500
- Park Place Outreach, Inc. $1,500
- Savannah Bicycle Campaign $1,000
- Savannah Children’s Choir $2,500
- Savannah Tree Foundation $2,000
- Thomas Park Food Pantry, $1,000
- United Ministries of Savannah: $1,000
- Urban Hope, Inc. $5,000
- WRUU Community Radio, $500
2017 Grant Awards
(funds raised through the 2016 Holiday Tour of Homes)
- Friends of Massie $500.00
- SCMPD Explorer Post 290 $700.00
- CNU Savannah & CNU 26 $1,000.00
- Emmaus House $1,000.00
- Union Mission, Inc. $1,200.00
- Savannah Bicycle Campaign $1,500.00
- Deep Center $2,000.00
- Helping Hands of Savannah $2,000.00
- Horizons Savannah $2,000.00
- Loop It Up Savannah Inc. $2,500.00
- Savannah Tree Foundation $2,800.00
- Savannah Children’s Choir $3,000.00
- Urban Hope, Inc. $3,000.00
- Frank Callen Boys & Girls Clubs $5,250.00
2016 Grant Awards
(funds raised through the 2015 Holiday Tour of Homes)
Arts and Cultural Life
- Arts Resource Collective (ARC) $500
- Art Rise Savannah $1000
- Friends of Massie $500
- Savannah Children’s Choir $1500
Humanitarian Causes
- City of Savannah’s Tourism Management Plan $5000
- Emergent Savannah $1500
- Emmaus House $500
- Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club $2500
- Heads Up Guidance, Inc. $750
- Thomas Park Food Pantry $500
- Urban Hope, Inc. $2500
Beautification and Improvements
- Savannah Classical Academy $1000
- Savannah Development and Renewal Authority $1000
2015 Grant Awards
(funds raised through 2014 Holiday Tour of Homes, Savannah, GA)
- Arts Resource Collective (ARC Savannah)
- Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless (CSAH)
- Lighting of the Oglethorpe Monument
- Savannah Bicycle Campaign
- Savannah Tree Foundation
- Urban Hope, Inc.
2014 Total $16,000 (funds raised through the 2013 DNA Holiday Tour of Homes)
- Coastal Heritage Society/ Savannah Children’s Museum
- Davenport House Museum
- Emmaus House
- Empty Stocking Fund
- HUGS-Heads Up Guidance Services
- Inner City Night Shelter
- King-Tisdell Foundation, Inc. Beach Institute Garden Project
- Old Savannah City Mission, Inc.
- Savannah Baptist Center
- Savannah Bicycle Campaign
- Savannah Children’s Choir
- Savannah Tree Foundation
- Telfair Museum of Art, Inc
- The Children’s School at St. Johns Church
2013 Total $20,000 (funds raised through the 2012 DNA Holiday Tour of Homes)
- Boys & Girls Club of the Coastal Empire
- C-S Citizen Advocacy
- City of Savannah
- Davenport House
- Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home
- Friends of Massie Heritage Center
- Inner City Night Shelter
- Old Savannah City Mission
- Rape Crisis Center
- Savannah Book Festival
- Savannah Bicycle Campaign
- Savannah Children’s Choir
- Savannah Morning News Empty Stocking Fund
- Savannah Philharmonic
- Savannah Tree Foundation
- Social Apostolate
- Starfish Community Garden
- Thomas Park Food Pantry
- The Children’s School at St. John’s Church
2012 Total $19,000
- Savannah Philharmonic $2,500
- Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club $1,250
- Savannah Childrens Choir $1,500
- Chatham-Savannah Citizens Advocacy $500
- Social Apostolate $1,500
- Savannah Book Festival $1,500
- Thomas Square Food Pantry $1,250
- Massie Museum Improvements $1,000
- Rape Crisis Center $1,000
- Coastal Heritage Children’s Museum $1,000
- Davenport House $1,000
- Savannah Beautification $5,000
2011 Total $25,000
- Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club $1,500
- Old Savannah City Mission $1,000
- Safe Shelter $1,000
- Chatham Citizens Advocacy $1,000
- Social Apostolate $2,000
- Thomas Square Food Pantry $1,000
- Inner City Night Shelter $1,000
- Rape Crisis Center $1,500
- Empty Stocking Fund $1,000
- All Walks of Life (AWOL) $1,500
- Davenport House $1,000
- Children’s Choir $2,500
- Book Festival $1,500
- Savannah Philharmonic $2,500
- To City for Park & Square Lights $5,000
2010 Total $14,000
- Old Savannah City Mission $1,250
- Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club $2,000
- Flannery-O’Conner Childhood Home $500
- Chatham-Savannah Citizens Advocacy $1,250
- Social Apostolate $1,250
- Savannah Book Festival $1,250
- Thomas Square Food Pantry $1,250
- Inner City Night Shelter $1,250
- Rape Crisis Center $1,250
- Savannah Family Emergency Shelter $2,000
- Davenport House $1,000
- Veterans Council WW II Monument $500
2009 Total $24,000
- Old Savannah City Mission $2,000
- Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club $2,000
- Union Mission $2,000
- Chatham Citizens Advocacy $2,000
- Social Apostolate $2,000
- Savannah Children’s Choir $2,000
- Thomas Square Food Pantry $2,000
- Inner City Night Shelter $2,000
- Rape Crisis Center $2,000
- Coastal Heritage Society
- Children’s Museum $2,000
- Davenport House $1,000
- Veterans Council WW II Monument $1,000
2008 Total $21,000
- Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club $2,000
- Davenport House $1,000
- Union Mission $1,000
- Old Savannah City Mission $1,000
- Flannery O’Connor House $1,000
- Lutheran Church of Ascension $1,000
- Safe Shelter $1,000
- Chatham Citizens Advocacy $1,000
- Mayors Alliance Save Historic Houses $10,000
- Trustees’ Garden Club (Fred Kent Visit) $1,000
- Rape Crisis Center $1,000
2007 Total $12,128
- Citizens Advocacy $1,000
- Rose of Sharon Flags $0,128
- Boys and Girls Club $2,000
- Union Mission $1.000
- Davenport House $1,000
- Lighting Study for Savannah $2,000
- Lights in Colonial Cemetery $4,000
- Dog Litter Bags or Benches $5,000
- Reprint Tree Lawn Brochure $500
- New Residents’ Brochure $500
2006 Total $25,000
- Tree Lawns $10,000
- Benches for Squares $ 9,000
- Boys and Girls Club $ 2,000
- Safe Shelter $ 1,000
- Davenport House $ 1,000
- Citizens Advocacy $ 2,000
2005 Total $5,000
- Historic Savannah Foundation $5,000.
