Funding to provide local youth with winter clothing, skill development and mental health resources
NELSONVILLE, Ohio – The Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund to Support Partnership in Appalachian Ohio has awarded $3,000 in grants to three organizations working to strengthen quality of life in the region.
“Each of these grants is an investment in the children of Appalachian Ohio, which is an investment in the future of our region,” said Eric Myers, a Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund committee member and Myers’ son. “It is an honor to see my father’s legacy continue to shape Appalachian Ohio and to support organizations doing important work in our communities every day.”
The 2026 grantees are:
- Newcomerstown NOW in Tuscarawas County to purchase winter boots to be distributed to children attending the annual Whoville event
- Ohio Valley Youth Network to support the Sycamore Young Chefs: Life Skills and Food Security Initiative, a year-round after-school cooking and mentoring program serving Jefferson County students in grades 1-12
- SOCC Foundation Inc. to launch a pilot program that will provide wellness kits to Buckeye Trail and Cambridge middle and high school students who receive school-based mental health support, encouraging healthy coping strategies and increasing awareness of available mental health resources during the summer months
The Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) supports nonprofit and public organizations serving Appalachian Ohio’s 32 counties with projects and activities that improve quality of life. Emphasis is on areas Myers worked so passionately to address during his lifetime: education, regional networking, support for community leaders and fulfillment of basic needs.
Myers was a stalwart champion for Appalachian Ohio, serving as executive director of the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Alliance and president of the Eastern Ohio Development Alliance. During his years of service, Myers advocated for Appalachian Ohio and generated countless financial investments to support the region’s progress in meeting basic needs, including infrastructure development that advanced quality of life and economic growth – a legacy that continues through the FAO fund that bears his name.