WOODSFIELD – The John and Lois Baker Education and Economic Development Fund was established in 2007 to support Monroe County. Recently, the Fund advanced its work to meet needs and create opportunities for the community by awarding a grant to support the Monroe Theater and by joining forces with the Monroe County Community Foundation.

As part of the recent dollar-for-dollar match program through the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, a substantial grant from the John and Lois Baker Education and Economic Development Fund was doubled to create a Baker Fund with the Monroe County Community Foundation. FAO contributed $199,850 to grow the fund.

The Fund’s recent $4,000 grant to the Monroe Arts Council will help purchase a new furnace for the Monroe Theater. The furnace will support the theater in continuing to serve as a hub of arts and culture for the Monroe County community. This grant support is all the more important due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Arts and culture organizations have faced particular challenges this year, limiting the in-person programming and fundraising events on which arts organizations rely.

This grant award was the fund’s first since it joined the Monroe County Community Foundation’s Family of Funds earlier this year. By partnering with the Monroe County Community Foundation, the Baker Fund was able to take advantage of a match opportunity to expand its resources and deepen its impact. This spring, the fund will launch a grant round with the Monroe County Community Foundation to support opportunities throughout the community.

“The Monroe County Community Foundation is pleased to have the support of the Baker Fund to create opportunities for Monroe County, and we look forward to many years of partnership,” said Rusty Atkinson, chairman of the Baker Fund committee. “It was a great honor to assist with the project to double the grant from the Baker Fund to the local Monroe Foundation with FAO’s support.”

The Baker Education and Economic Development Fund is directed by a committee of John Ackerman, Rusty Atkinson, Nikki Baker Lude, Gwynn Stewart and Bill Wells. John and Lois Baker established this fund and a scholarship fund to support the needs and opportunities of Monroe County, including those that increase quality of life, create access to opportunities and implement a solution for a community need in the County.

The Monroe County Community Foundation was established in 2009 to ensure permanent support for the citizens and communities of Monroe County. A local community fund of the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, MCCF works to inspire philanthropy. To learn more about the Monroe County Community Foundation and its Family of Funds, visit AppalachianOhio.org/Monroe.

To support the Baker Education and Economic Development Fund with a gift, visit AppalachianOhio.org or call 740-753-1111.