b'ECCF GRANTEE SPOTLIGHTSANDUSKY ARTISANS RECOVERY COMMUNITY CENTER LEADING THE WAYTO RECOVERYGrantmaking is a significant part of how the Erie County Community Foundation makesa difference in the community. In addition to supporting general operating expenses or ongoing programs, grants can allow nonprofits the opportunity to launch new initiativesor make capital improvements that they dont have the money for otherwise.When the Sandusky Artisans Recovery Community Center (SARCC) applied for a grant from the ECCF, they needed additional funding to complete the long-overdue renovation of their building. After receiving a grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), they launched a Capital Improvement Campaign in the fall of 2020 to raise the additional $100,000 required to complete the project. The ECCF responded with a $25,000 grant to fund theconstruction of a fully functional kitcheninside the center, including new appliances.SARCC is a peer-driven, peer-supported Founded in 1996 by Joey and Mary Supina, the nonprofit that serves the needs of people battling addiction and/or mental health disorders. All of its employees and volunteers are in active recovery, so anyone coming to the center for help knows they will be welcomed by someone who understands what theyre going through. There is no charge for their services and no membership fee. The integration of art with recovery is fundamental to their mission. According to Joey Supina, SARCCs Executive Director and an accomplished artist himself, Art heals. We offer a safe place for people in recovery to explore their trauma and express themselves so they can find health and wellness and live their fullest potential.'