Time to get those project ideas brewing – Try This WV Conference coming in June

BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

The sixth annual Try This WV Conference is coming this June 7-8 in Buckhannon, WV, and this is the perfect time to get started with brainstorming. If you have an idea for a community project that gets people moving or eating healthy foods, you can attend the conference with a team of three and apply for a mini-grant that qualifies for up to $3,000.

Register and find more information about the Try This Conference »

The team at Try This shares:

Try This is taking community spirit and translating it into a public health model for the rest of the country. Last year’s mini-grant teams turned $102,500 in mini-grants into over $1.1 million in additional support in year one. That is an astonishing 11-1 return on investment, proving that with a little seed money, communities can make amazing things grow.

One project that was recently funded is part of Camellia Mountain, Inc. Camellia Mountain will work with individuals recovering from addiction in Mercer and McDowell counties providing housing, community support, mentoring, occupational therapy, and employment for individuals in transitional living. Their Try This project is part of the beginning steps to create a more sustainable nonprofit while also providing a service to the West Virginians they are working to support.

The group will be planting, growing, and harvesting tea that will then be sold. It takes about 3-5 years for the tea tree to mature enough to have a strong yield, so they need to plant the seeds now. In the meantime, they will be growing and processing herbal teas. The group just had their first seed planting workshop with a group of women from Stop Abusive Family Environments (SAFE) in Welch, WV.

The other part of the project is to provide occupational therapy services. The occupational therapist, Rachael Porter, OTR/L, helps participants in developing life skills with the assistance of volunteers.

Do you have a great idea to share that will get people moving or eating healthy foods? Are you ready to seek out some funding?

Consider joining the Try This movement. The Try This Conference will feature spotlights on innovative projects, resource-sharing with experts and peers, opportunities to get moving and eat delicious, good for you foods, and more.

Learn more about this opportunity on the Try This website »