Six non-profit charities and organizations in Hays and WaKeeney have been awarded Healthy Living and Area Action grants by the Heartland Community Foundation.

Mendi Alexander, board chair of the Heartland Community Foundation, which encompasses Trego, Rooks and Ellis Counties, said, “This was one of the most difficult challenges our grants committee has had to date in selecting the grant recipients. We had 17 applications and most of them were well done and very deserving.

“We are pleased to announce that Healthy Living Fund grants have been awarded to these non-profit organizations for their program and project needs for 2013: The Center for Health Improvement; Trego Recreation Commission, and Healthy Start/Hays Area Children Center.

“And we awarded Area Action Fund grants to the Cancer Council of Ellis County; Girl Scouts/Kansas Heartland, and USD 489’s Ellis County Dolly Parton Imagination Library,” Alexander said.

Bob Lowen, executive director of the HCF, said the Cancer Council plans to use its $400 grant to purchase nutritional supplements for Ellis County cancer patients; Trego Rec will use its $600 grant to purchase bicycles and safety helmets for an upcoming children’s Bicycle Safety Rodeo; and Healthy Start plans to use its $566 grant to purchase 100 books that deal with young children who are sick for first-time parents.

Lowen also said the USD 489/Dolly Parton group will use its $391 grant to enroll young children in a program whereby they receive age-appropriate books monthly; the Center for Health Improvement will use its $400 grant to support its Park Crawl fitness program, and the Girl Scouts group will use its $400 grant to support its annual Girls Night Out at the Mall in Hays.

Grants are awarded annually by the Heartland Community Foundation. Detailed information and grant applications can be found at the foundation’s website.