The Jackson EMC Foundation Board of Directors awarded a total of $107,864 in grants during its July meeting, including $97,700 to organizations and $10,164 to individuals.

Six agencies serving Hall County residents received $59,500. They are:

$15,000 to Our Neighbor, a Gainesville grass-roots nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting young adults with special challenges, to provide two developmentally disabled men with a year of rent at the organization’s fifth house, groceries and personal care items, as well as extra caregiving not currently covered.

$12,500 to the Gainesville Jaycees Vocational Rehabilitation Center, which provides vocational services to individuals with disabilities or others with similar vocational needs, to fund Follow Along Services, individualized support provided by team members, co-workers, family members and other supporters that enable individuals to work successfully, maintaining their employment and independence.

$10,000 to the Vision and Hearing Care Program, a service of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, to help provide surgical procedures to restore sight, eye exams, and prescription eyewear for low-income residents in the 10 counties Jackson EMC serves, using Lighthouse medical equipment, volunteer doctors, staff and volunteers.

$10,000 to the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center, a multiuse science, history, culture, heritage and environmental facility located on a 700-acre campus in Buford, to allow students from low-income families to attend interpretive, hands-on field studies and educational programs.

$7,000 to the Rainbow Children’s Home, a Dahlonega shelter for abused and neglected children, to help fund “Lydia’s Place,” a group home that provides supervision and support and that serves as a steppingstone to independent living for teens that have aged out of the foster care system.

$5,000 to the Gainesville/Hall County Fellowship of Christian Athletes to present the One Way 2 Play — Drug Free Program, which confronts the problem of drug use among students by instilling values, encouraging goal setting and establishing accountability through positive peer pressure in middle and high schools in Banks, Hall and Jackson counties.