08/17/2026
The Hero Fund America Fund at the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties recently awarded over $20,500 to 15 first-responder organizations across the United States. The fund annually seeks to help meet the education, training, lifesaving equipment, and mental health needs of fire, emergency medical services (EMS), and law enforcement agencies.
Each organization received a grant of up to $1,500:
Allison Hook and Ladder No. 2 – Harrisburg, PA
Buffalo Township Fire Protection District – Louisiana, MO
City of Daingerfield Police Department – Daingerfield, TX
City of Sparta – Sparta, GA
Florida Emergency Responders – Delray Beach, FL
Granville Police Department – Granville, MA
Jewish Volunteer Ambulance Corp. – Boynton Beach, FL
Lincoln Park Volunteer Fire Department – Thomaston, GA
Marion Rescue Squad – Marion, SC
Maryland Line Volunteer Fire Company – Maryland Line, MD
Mount Carmel Volunteer Fire Department – Wallingford, KY
Nadeau Township Fire – Carney, MI
Village of Hunting Valley Police Department – Chagrin Falls, OH
Village of Ilion Police Department – Ilion, NY
White Sulphur Springs Volunteer Fire Department – White Sulphur Springs, MT
Hero Fund America Fund was founded in partnership with Hero Fund America by Garth Roberts of Sharon Springs, NY. Inspired by the selfless and heroic efforts of first responders during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, Roberts initiated the Provincetown First Responders Appreciation Month, honoring 45 Boston EMS paramedics, emergency medical technicians, dispatchers, and their families. The success of that project inspired the 2016 creation of Hero Fund America Fund.
Since 2016, the fund has awarded more than 115 grants totaling over $143,000 to meet the needs of first responders across the nation.
“We are grateful to provide assistance to the First Responder community and for our enduring partnership with the Community Foundation,” said Roberts. “Our endowment will ensure grant making in perpetuity.”
To learn more about Hero Fund America, visit herofundamerica.org. To learn more about the fund, visit foundationhoc.org/hero.
Discover the diverse funds, from scholarships to memorial and community funds, through the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties. Explore how you can support causes you care about and create lasting impact through charitable giving.
