"Grants for Great Ideas" to Benefit Local Educational Efforts

Teachers and other school-based professionals that work directly with students at a local school are invited to apply for a mini-grant that will fund classroom activities.

The GFWC Lake Wales Junior Woman's Club Grants for Great Ideas program is offering $5,000 that will be divided into $250l grants to augment teaching,

Instructors at Lake Wales Charter Schools and Polk County Public Schools with a physical Lake Wales address are eligible. Grant applications have been sent to all eligible school principals and assistant principals for the second grant cycle of this school year.

A volunteer committee of key community stakeholders will review, score, and rank the competitive applications, which are due by Feb. 9.

Funds for the Grants for Great Ideas program were raised through the success of the inaugural Fall Festival that the Junior Woman's Club held in October last year. The club is a member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC), a worldwide women's service organization.

In addition to the Grants for Great Ideas program, the Junior Woman's Club works to support Lake Wales students who are at-risk, homeless, live in a shelter, are unaccompanied minors, or who have been displaced from their home due to an emergency removal.

The Junior Woman's Club works directly with the Lake Wales Police Department to provide "Backpacks of Love" for these students.

Junior Woman's Club President Shelley Clemons shared that the Club "worked hard on this year's Fall Fest to raise more money to expand both programs" so that more people in the community can benefit.

For more information about the Grants for Great Ideas program contact Chairperson Mary Walkup. To become involved with the Fall Fest fundraiser or other community fundraisers, including sponsorships, contact the Lake Wales Junior Woman's Club at [email protected] or call 863-949-0252.