Wellness Services Awarded Bowling Green Community Foundation Grant to Support NourishBG Initiative

Wellness Services is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2025-2026 grant recipient from the Bowling Green Community Foundation (BGCF), an organization committed to enhancing the health, welfare and vitality of the Bowling Green community through annual grant awards to local nonprofits.

Each year, BGCF awards grants ranging from $500 to $7,500 to 501(c)(3) organizations serving residents in the 43402 and 43403 zip codes. The Foundation supports diverse, community‑strengthening programs, including those focused on health, education, food security and general community wellbeing.

This year’s grant will directly support NourishBG, a wellness‑focused initiative designed to improve nutritional health across vulnerable populations, reduce health disparities linked to poor nutrition and provide education that empowers community members to establish long‑term healthy eating habits.

Bowling Green faces rising rates of diet-related health issues such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. According to the 2025 Wood County Community Health Assessment, the county's obesity rate is 36% reflecting a growing public health concern. Additionally, 37% of survey respondents ranked nutrition and physical health as a priority need, signaling strong community support for wellness-focused interventions. Wood County also faces a significant nutrition gap with 13.4% of residents - approximately 17,000 individuals - experiencing food insecurity, including 1 in 5 children. Many families struggle to afford nutritious food, and busy work schedules often lead to reliance on processed snacks and fast food. The NourishBG nutrition project is designed to improve access to nutritious food, promote healthy eating habits and support overall wellness in the Bowling Green community.

“We are honored and deeply grateful for the support of the Bowling Green Community Foundation,” said Teri Laurer, Director of Wellness and Community Outreach. “This funding strengthens our ability to implement Nourish BG and continue addressing food insecurity with dignity, compassion and community partnership.”

The grant will be used to increase outreach efforts and expand educational resources to serve even more Bowling Green residents in 2026 and beyond.