From left, City of Parkersburg Development Projects Administrator Chris Rynd, YMCA of Parkersburg Chief Operating Officer Criss Welshans, Mayor Tom Joyce, YMCA Executive Director Benton Walker and City Council President Andrew Borkowski pose for a photo at a check presentation by the city of $20,000 from Community Block Grant funds to support youth scholarships for YMCA programs. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — The City of Parkersburg this week has given three organizations a total of $55,000 through the federal Community Development Block Grant program.

Recipients were the Parkersburg YMCA with $20,000 for youth scholarships, Discovery World on Market with $25,000 to expand access to educational and family-centered programming and Old Man Rivers with $10,000 for its Senior Nutrition Program. Presentations were made on Monday and Tuesday.

The youth scholarships through the YMCA help ensure local children will have access to after-school and summer programs regardless of their families’ financial status.

“We are incredibly grateful for the city’s continued support of our mission,” said YMCA Executive Director Benton Walker. “These scholarship funds make it possible for more children, especially those facing financial hardship or in foster care, to participate in programs that build confidence, friendships and lifelong skills”

The YMCA serves about 100 youth each year through its summer camp program and an additional 200 youth through its after-school programming. Many of these participants come from low-to-moderate-income households or are part of the foster care system.

From left, Parkersburg City Council President Andrew Borkowski, Old Man Rivers Executive Director Seth Franklin, Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce, Councilman Roger Brown and city Development Projects Administrator Chris Rynd hold an oversized check representing a Community Development Block Grant contribution to the mission’s Senior Nutrition Program Tuesday. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Community Development Block Grant program provides resources to communities to address affordable housing, public services and economic opportunity.

Beyond its impact on youth, the YMCA grant addresses a broader economic challenge, a shortage of child care services that is affecting workforce participation across West Virginia, according to Mayor Tom Joyce. The state has long been considered a “childcare desert,” where job opportunities often outpace available care options for working parents.

“This investment stems from our dedication to supporting families and expanding opportunities for young people in our community,” Joyce said. “Child care availability is a real workforce and economic development issue. The YMCA offers programs that care for and educate children while allowing parents to work. It’s a win-win for families and employers alike.”

Discovery World on Market is an interactive children’s museum dedicated to hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and math learning for children aged 0-12. The museum opened in April 2023 in the renovated Masonic temple on Market Street and features interactive exhibits designed to foster curiosity, imagination and play.

The funding will enable Discovery World on Market to participate in Museums for All, a national initiative designed to make museum experiences more accessible to children and families from low- and moderate-income households.

From left, Parkersburg City Council President Andrew Borkowski, Mayor Tom Joyce, Discovery World on Market Executive Director Wendy Shriver and city Development Projects Administrator Chris Rynd pose for a photo at a presentation of $25,000 in Community Development Block grant funds to support the Museums for All program at the children’s museum. (Photo Provided)

Through this program, Discovery World will offer free admission to families with incomes at or below 80% of the Area Median Income.

“We are thrilled that the city of Parkersburg has allocated CDBG funding to help ensure underserved families in our community have access to our children’s museum through the Museums for All program,” Wendy Shriver, executive director of Discovery World on Market, said. “This support removes barriers and opens the door for more children to learn, explore, and grow through hands-on experiences.”

In addition to Museums for All, the grant will support Izzy’s Birthday Blessing, a special program that provides free birthday party experiences at the museum for children from income-eligible households.

“The city of Parkersburg is proud to support this dedicated, hands-on learning and innovation space where kids, families and even adults can explore science, technology and creativity in a really interactive way,” Joyce said. “Programs like Museums for All and Izzy’s Birthday Blessing help to ensure that all residents can enjoy this true community asset.”

The funds to Old Man Rivers for its Senior Nutrition Program reinforces the city’s commitment to addressing food insecurity and supporting residents in need, Joyce said.

The funding is provided through Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Funds, a federal resource through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under the CARES Act, designed to help communities prevent, prepare for and respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for vulnerable low- and moderate-income populations.

The Senior Nutrition Program provides hot meals for seniors who are physically unable to prepare food for themselves in the Parkersburg area. On Saturdays and Sundays, volunteers prepare and deliver 580 meals each day, 50 weeks of the year. Residents over 70 and the most disabled receive priority.

“This $10,000 grant from the city of Parkersburg will greatly support our Senior Nutrition Program at Old Man Rivers, assisting us in delivering over 1,100 nutritious meals every weekend directly to the doors of seniors and disabled individuals throughout Wood County,” Executive Director Seth Franklin said. “In addition to providing vital nutritional assistance, each delivery offers a moment of social connection and a wellness check, which is essential to the overall health and well-being of our neighbors in need.”

The grant is another example of the commitment to meeting the needs of the community, Joyce said. Old Man Rivers was established in 1991.

“Old Man Rivers plays a critical role in ensuring residents, especially our seniors, have access to nutritious food, and we are proud to assist in advancing that Mission,” Joyce said.