Rocky Brands Invests to Create Opportunities in Nelsonville and Hocking County

$175,000 Gift is Matched to Double Support to
Nelsonville and Hocking County Community Funds

Nelsonville, OH – Longtime supporter of the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO), Rocky Brands recently gifted a combined $175,000 to make a difference for communities in Nelsonville and Hocking County by supporting the Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund and the Hocking County Community Fund.

With headquarters and a store located in Nelsonville and a shipping facility in Logan, Rocky Brands employs people from Hocking County, Nelsonville and surrounding communities. Rocky Brands has continually invested back into the communities where it operates and the people who call those communities home.

Through the recent gifts from Rocky Brands the Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund will receive $100,000 over five years and the Hocking County Community Fund will receive $75,000 over five years. And through matching funds awarded to FAO through the Ohio legislature, each of these gifts from Rocky Brands will be matched dollar-for-dollar for a $350,000 impact that will make double the difference for both Nelsonville and Hocking County.

The gift from Rocky Brands and the dollar-for-dollar match from the Ohio legislature will be invested in endowment funds to continue making a difference for generations to come. These endowment funds support annual grantmaking and community projects in Nelsonville and Hocking County. The investment from Rocky Brands will increase the resources available to these communities over time.

The Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund was established at FAO in 2016 to build upon the legacy of the Nelsonville area’s generosity by partnering with others to create a more desirable community to live and work. The Fund supports projects that improve the quality of life for people in Nelsonville and the surrounding communities of Buchtel, Murray City, and Carbon Hill.

“This gift from Rocky Brands will make a huge difference for people in the Nelsonville area,” said Betty Jo Parsley, a board member of the Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund. “Rocky’s continual support of Nelsonville is outstanding and we are so grateful for all that they do. Hopefully the gift also indicates the power of FAO’s current match opportunity, which can empower anyone make double the difference for the Nelsonville community.”

The Hocking County Community Fund was created at FAO in 2018 with a vision of increasing the ability of those with a heart for Hocking County to invest in communities and enhance quality of life for generations through grants and scholarships.

“We are very grateful for this gift from Rocky Brands,” said Abby Saving, a committee member of the Hocking County Community Fund. “If we succeed in meeting our current match opportunity we will be able to award an additional $24,000 in grants to support Hocking County’s communities each and every year. We still have a long way to go, and we need additional support from the community to get there, but this gift from Rocky Brands is setting us up for success.”

All gifts to the Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund and the Hocking County Community Fund will be matched dollar-for-dollar through May 2020, up to $300,000 for each fund, while the match lasts. If the funds succeed in meeting this match, that will mean $600,000 for each fund’s endowment, which will forever benefit the Nelsonville and Hocking County communities.

But the Hocking County Community Fund and the Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund only have until May 31, 2020 to secure their respective $300,000 in matching dollars. If Nelsonville and Hocking County do not reach this goal, match dollars will become available to other communities.

To help Hocking County Community Fund and Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund meet this goal, and to see your gift to Nelsonville or Hocking County communities, nonprofits and children matched dollar-for-dollar, mail your donation to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, PO Box 456, Nelsonville OH 45764 and designate either the Hocking County Community Fund or the Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund. Gifts can also be made online at www.AppalachianOhio.org by selecting either the Hocking County Community Fund or the Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund when donating.

For more information about the match opportunity currently available for gifts to either of the funds, contact the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio at 740.753.1111 or info@ffao.org.

About the Hocking County Community Fund
The Hocking County Community Fund was created in 2018 to increase and advance charitable activities in the Hocking County area that will attract philanthropic resources, advise and assist donors to achieve their charitable objectives, and provide grants from the Fund to benefit Hocking County residents. For more information about Hocking County Community Fund, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org/Hocking.

Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund
The Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund was created to inspire and support philanthropy in Nelsonville and the surrounding communities of Buchtel, Carbon Hill, and Murray City. The Fund strives to create opportunities for all those who call the Nelsonville area home. For more information about the Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org/Nelsonville.

About the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio
The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) is a regional community foundation serving the 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio. A 501(c)(3) public charity, the Foundation creates opportunities for Appalachian Ohio’s citizens and communities by inspiring and supporting philanthropy. For more information about FAO, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org.