OceanFirst Foundation Awards

Who says there’s no good news to report? OceanFirst Foundation recently announced awards of $325,000 in grants and gift certificates to area schools as part of its Third Annual Library/Media Center Enhancement Program with school representatives getting the good news during a reception at Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Lakewood.

The program is designed to encourage students to read and learn with the money helping schools purchase materials and supplies to upgrade libraries and media centers. 116 applications were received from eligible public and private schools in Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties for the 2007 grant program and the biggest of the awards was $25,000 which went to four high schools and four middle schools.

The high schools receiving $25,000 grants were Brick Township, Monsignor Donovan, Southern Regional and Toms River South. The Mill Pond Middle School in Lanoka Harbor and Toms River Intermediate North each received that amount as did two Monmouth County middle schools.

In addition ten elementary schools in Ocean County received $10,000 with those grants going to the Lavallette Elementary School, Spruce Street School in Lakewood, Walnut Street Elementary School in Toms River, Waretown Elementary School, Brick Community Primary Learning Center and Drum Point Road School in Brick, H&M Potter and Clara B. Worth Elementary Schools in Bayville and the Manchester Elementary School and Ridgeway School in Manchester Township.

The schools that applied for a grant but did not receive one were awarded $250 gift certificates for books or supplies which made the total contribution from the OceanFirst Foundation $325,000 this year and nearly $1 million in just three years. While this program is relatively new the OceanFirst Foundation was established in 1996 and has given millions of dollars to local charities focusing on Housing, Health and Wellness, Improving the Quality of Life and Youth Development.

Good news may be hard to find at times but it is out there.