Meyer Foundation announces 2015 grants

The MMI Recreational Therapy Cooking Club received a grant.

The Meyer Foundation for Disabilities announced its 2015 grants. Seven organizations were awarded a total of $40,909 in grants for the year. Organizations receiving grants included:

• MMI Recreational Therapy Department: To support the department’s Thursday evening Respite and Habilitation Program, serving individuals over the age of 21. Along with annual funding, the MFD board is building an endowment with the University of Nebraska Foundation to provide for the perpetuity of this program.
• MMI Recreational Therapy Wheel Club: To purchase a new Freedom Rider tandem trike that will be used for club activities.
• MMI Recreational Therapy Cooking Club: Through a partnership with Whole Foods Market, the grant will add additional cooking classes and reduce the waiting time for individuals who want to take the classes. This partnership with Whole Foods was made possible through its “One Dime at a Time” Program.
• The Ollie Webb Center’s Next Chapter Book Club: To be used for continued expansion in Omaha of the club, which provides teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities of all reading level abilities the opportunity to read, discuss books and socialize while participating in an age appropriate activity. This is the only NCBC in the state of Nebraska and is currently the third largest program in the United States.
• Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy (HETRA): To fund the Tack Shack, as part of HETRA’s mission to improve the quality of life both physically and emotionally of adults and children with disabilities through equine-assisted activities. The Tack Shack will feature used tack, grooming items, blankets and other horse-related items. This pilot program will allow adults with disabilities to work in the Tack Shack and develop work skills.
• Sportsmen Assisting the Nation’s Disabled Sportsmen (SANDS): To purchase fishing rods and reels, camp gear and specialized adaptive equipment, brochures and other education materials for SANDS’ mission of creating increased outdoor recreational access for adolescents and adults with disabilities. SANDS is a partnership with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
• Circle Theatre: To enable individuals with disabilities to work with other theatre artists in a professional setting as the theatre produces an intergenerational play and a play which will specifically relate to and resonate with adults with disabilities.