PENDLETON — South Madison Community Foundation has selected its three finalists for this year’s Open Hearts, Open Purses program, a women’s giving circle that awards a $10,000 grant to a local organization.

”The women of Open Hearts, Open Purses (OHOP) will continue their legacy of giving on the evening of June 8,” foundation director Tammy Bowman wrote in a press release to The Times-Post.

It costs $100 to join OHOP, and then participants get to vote for the grant recipient at a banquet, during which finalists give presentations.

The first 100 memberships fund the $10,000 grant, with membership fees beyond that being divided between the two finalists not selected, to be used to address their most urgent needs.

This year’s OHOP finalists are:

Friends for Paws/Ninja’s Legacy — Friends for Paws provides on-call rescue services and has taken in more than 700 animals during the past 11 years. The purchase and use of a new, controlled-access shelter building will allow for more efficient intake, quarantine and socialization of animals. This would result in better care and less stress for animals and free up capacity of volunteers to find homes or reunite more pets with the people who care about them.

Outfitters/Partners and Pop-ups — Outfitters changes lives by providing new and gently used clothing to children in the Madison County area. Outfitters has tripled the number of children served during the past year but has determined that — through strategic distribution and eliminating barriers — it can grow even more. By strengthening relationships with partner agencies, offering satellite clothes closets and pop-up shops, Outfitters proposes to fund closet supplies for partner agencies and material and staffing costs for pop-up events.

South Madison Fire Protection Territory/ Educating Paramedics — South Madison Fire Protection Territory proposes to provide educational resources to help members advance to paramedic status, which not only attracts and retain talent on the service, but also helps every person who might need their assistance. As the community grows, the need for licensed paramedics increases with it. Grant funds would support two students through the 14 month intensive training and the continuation of their services post training for at least two years.

This year’s awards banquet will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at Crystal Coop in Anderson.

“Members gather together to hear presentations from three finalist organizations, which each make a presentation outlining a project to benefit the community,” Bowman said in the release. “The project proposals competing for the 2023 OHOP Grant address a common theme: each proposes unique ways the organizations have identified to meet a larger demand for services.”

Open Hearts, Open Purses is still accepting members for this years program.

There is also Junior OHOP program for girls under 18 that costs $25 to join.

Since OHOP began in 2010, OHOP has awarded nearly $185,000. Recipients have included Pendleton Community Public Library, local fire departments, and non-profits that help children and families.

For more details, visit southmadisonfoundation.org or email [email protected].