Fifteen churches across West Ohio received help with their upcoming Vacation Bible School programs from the United Methodist Foundation of West Ohio. Thanks to the generosity of a Foundation donor, $5,750 will support VBS programs in this year’s grant cycle.

Previously, support was limited to the former Capitol Area Districts but was recently expanded at the discretion of the donor.

“We’re so excited to be able to support so many programs,” said Maddy DeWitt, Donor Relations Manager for the Foundation. “Fifty-nine churches applied – which is incredible! And although we don’t have enough funding to support them all, we were able to provide funding to churches in every district this year.”

The donor, Ketha Robbins established the Clara’s Kiddies/Jesse’s Vine Endowment with the Foundation in 2017 to support VBS programs in honor of her grandmother and great-grandfather who encouraged her faith. To Robbins, this is what made, and continues to make, VBS so special. In her words, “It is a bookend. It is the start of what a person’s spiritual life can become.”

Congratulations to the following churches:

Clifton UMC on behalf of the Grace and Possibilities Circuit (Great Miami River District)

New Paris - St Paul UMC (Great Miami River District)

South Perry UMC (Hocking River District)

Canaanville Stewart UMC (Hocking River District)

Hopewell UMC (Hocking River District)

Gilboa UMC and Pandora UMC Charge (Maumee River District)

Edgerton UMC (Maumee River District)

Hilliard UMC (Olentangy River District)

Smith Chapel UMC (Olentangy River District)

Iglesia Hispana St. Marks (Olentangy River District)

Urbana UMC (Western Lakes District)

West Jefferson UMC (Western Lakes District)

Ada UMC (Western Lakes District)

Rushsylvania UMC (Western Lakes District)

Five Points UMC (Scioto River District)

For more information or to receive notification of next year’s grant cycle, please contact Maddy DeWitt at mdewitt@wocumc.org.