Three organizations awarded Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund grants

Funding to support efforts that are advancing quality of life in Appalachian Ohio

NELSONVILLE, Ohio – The Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund to Support Partnership in Appalachian Ohio has awarded a total of $3,000 in grants to three organizations advancing quality of life in the region.

“With these dollars, we hope to fill needs, create opportunities and, in the process, build stronger communities in Appalachian Ohio,” said Eric Myers, a Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund committee member and Myers’ son. “My father dedicated his life to those causes, and we honor him by carrying on his passion through investments in those who share his dedication to others and to this region.”

The 2024 grantees are:

• Eastern Local School District in Meigs County for supplies for new calm spaces, where elementary school students can learn self-regulation skills and emotion management.
• Steps for Success in Ashtabula County for summer workshops focused on time management, financial literacy and interpersonal skills held in partnership with After-School Discovery, a local organization that provides enrichment opportunities to underserved youth.
• Project Noelle, serving Hocking County, to purchase kids clothing, shoes and diapers for children who have suffered due to the opioid epidemic, including those who have lost parents to overdose death.

The Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund was created at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) to support nonprofit and public organizations in Appalachian Ohio’s 32 counties with projects and activities that improve quality of life, with an emphasis on areas Myers worked so passionately to address: 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 (EODA). 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.

This year’s grant recipients were celebrated at EODA’s Annual Meeting on April 26 at the Carlisle Village Inn in Walnut Creek.

For more information about the Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund to Support Partnership in Appalachian Ohio, FAO and how you can support or create opportunities throughout the region, visit www.AppalachianOhio.org, email info@ffao.org or call 740.753.1111.