(Taylorville)--As part of its ongoing mission to help children and youth in the Taylorville community, the Taylorville Kiwanis Club this week awarded 4 Kiwanis Grant applications totaling 2-thousand dollars, to non-profits that submitted applications by the September 30 deadline.

Each non-profit organization will be receiving 500-dollars from the Kiwanis Club.  They include:

1.  Dinner Seasoned With Love's "Operation Loaded Book Bag" program, so that students and their families will not have the burden of worrying or stressing about where they are going to receive the money to purchase the school supplies that they need to be able to participate and succeed in school.  This program was shared by the head of the organization Suzy Traughber in a Kiwanis program a few weeks ago.  She was also honored at that time with the club's "Community Hero of the Month" award.

2.  Loving Arms Crisis Pregnancy Center, whose Executive Director is Kiwanis member Cathy Coker.  Our grant will help fund their "Earn While You Learn" and "Bright Course" programs, helping new-born parents learn important information regarding pre-natal and new baby care, healthy relationships, and life skills.  The "Earn While You Learn" program provides new parents "Mommy or Daddy Dollars" which they can use to purchase new or gently used items from their Baby Boutique, such as diapers, formula, cribs, car seats, strollers, and other items a baby needs.

3.  The Taylorville Public Library's Summer Reading Program.  It's meant to encourage children to develop a structured reading habit, engage with art and science, work with children their age in an informal capacity, and to promote continued personal and intellectual growth.

4.  The Taylorville Police Department Police Explorers program.  This program is simliar to the Boy Scouts, but has a law enforcement emphasis.  Chief Dwayne Wheeler, Officer Jody Grove, and several of the Explorer post members, gave a program at a Kiwanis meeting a few months back.  The TPD Explorers teaches youth different careers in law enforcement, life skills, and leadership.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.