PRINCETON - Gibson County Community Foundation will award grants to 20 organizations serving Gibson County, totaling $40,282.

Grants to the nonprofit organizations come from the Friends of Gibson County Fund, Gibson County Community Foundation Trustees Fund, Melvin Oing Memorial Fund, Ray J. (Jerry) Watson and the Ruth L. Watson Memorial Fund, and the Toyota Fund---all of which are endowed funds created by donors in Gibson County.

The grants target community development, education, health, human services, art/culture, and other civic endeavors that make the community a better place, according to foundation director Tami Muckerheide.

Winners are:

• East Gibson Dollars for Scholars, $2,000 from the Toyota Fund for funding of scholarships for students at Wood Memorial High School.

• Princeton Area Dollars For Scholars, $2,000 from Toyota Fund for funding of scholarships for students at Princeton High School.

• South Gibson Dollars for Scholars, $2,000 from the Toyota Fund for funding of scholarships for students at Gibson Southern High School.

• Ride Solution, $8,362 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund and $170 from the Gibson Board of Trustees Fund to help purchase a new vehicle to expand the public transportation services. (Total amount granted: $8,532.)

• Gibson County Sheriff's Dept., $1,342 from the Toyota Fund and and $508 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund for funding to offset the cost of books, t-shirts, and completion certificates of DARE and pre-DARE drug awareness and prevention programs. (Total amount granted: $1,850.)

• Ronald McDonald House of Indiana, $1,000 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund to assist Gibson County families staying at the house.

• Girl Scouts of Raintree Council, $1,000 from Friends of Gibson County for funding for the "Discovering You" program.

• Gibson County Habitat for Humanity, $682 from Ray J. (Jerry) Watson and Ruth L. Watson Memorial Fund and $1,818 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund for funding for the 2010 house build. (Total amount granted: $2,500.)

• Gibson County Area Rehabilitation Center, $3,000 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund for funding to help purchase a vehicle.

• Patoka River Longbeards - NWTF, $750 from the Toyota Fund for funding for the JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics, and Sportmanship) program.

• Albion Fellows Bacon Center, $2,400 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund for funding of the Outreach Campaign.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters, $206 from the Melvin Oing Memorial Fund and $2,194 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund for funding of the mentoring program. (Total amount granted: $2,400.)

• Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra:, $1,500 from the Friends of Gibson County for funding to conduct orchestral concerts for Gibson County students in the third through fifth grades.

• Muscular Dystrophy Association, $500 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund for funding of the MDA summer camp.

• Domestic Violence Task Force, $2,000 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund for funding to pay for the "Silent Witness" display and creation of a web page.

• Oakland City - Columbia Township Public Library, $600 from the Toyota Fund for funding of the Storytime program.

• Princeton Public Library, $2,000 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund for funding of the book preservation project.

• Gibson County Council on Aging, $750 from the Friends of Gibson County Fund for funding to purchase a new ice machine.

• North Gibson Youth Coalition, $2,500 from the Toyota Fund for funding of the Transitional Camps.

• Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana, $1,000 from the Toyota Fund for funding of the Oakland City Kindergarten - 3rd Program.

The foundation will acknowledge winners at its annual meeting/dinner Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at Dick Clark's Family Restaurant.