Rockdale Citizen

COVINGTON -- General Mills continues to support area community organizations with its grant program.

On Friday, the Covington plant provided $190,000 worth of grants to schools and nonprofit organizations in Conyers, Covington and Social Circle.

"This is General Mills living our mission -- nourishing lives," said Mark Bible, plant manager of General Mills' Covington plant.

He said he is proud that in both good and rough economic times the company is able to provide the grants.

General Mills received more than $500,000 in requests this year.

"It speaks to the need in our community," Bible said.

The company's Community Partnership Council reviews each grant application to determine which will receive funds each year.

This year, 27 organizations received grants.

Area groups and organizations that split the grant funds include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, the Conyers Rockdale Council for the Arts, Georgia Elks Aidmore Children's Center, J.H. House Elementary School in Conyers, Newton County Community Partnership, Newton County Senior Services, Newton County Sheriff's Office, Prevent Child Abuse Newton and Rockdale, Project ReNeWal, Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families, Washington Street Community Center, Middle Ridge Elementary School in Covington, Covington Family YMCA, American Red Cross East Georgia, Social Circle City Schools and Walton County Senior Citizens Council.

"Every year you come through for J.H. House," said Stacy Roper, physical education instructor at the school. "You help our school more than you even know."

This year, J.H. House plans to install more audio-visual equipment in a fitness program called Moving to the Beat in accordance with stricter physical education requirements from the state.

The grants also will support the Arts Smart summer day camp for the Conyers Rockdale Council for the Arts, improving healthy living at the Boys & Girls Club and a Saturday morning academic enrichment program called Kids College through the Rockdale Coalition for Children & Families.