Cawaco RC&D and the Walker County Legislative Delegation gathered at Jasper Main Street to celebrate the awarding of $157,789 in grant funding to 15 organizations across Walker County. The grant day event highlighted the diverse community projects that will strengthen public safety, support youth development, and enhance local services.
The celebration brought together local elected officials and organization leaders to recognize the collaborative efforts that make these vital projects possible. Each funded project represents a targeted investment in addressing specific community needs identified by local people and implemented by local organizations.
2025 Projects
Impact Grants
Capstone Site Relocation Project
Capstone Health opened a replacement clinic at its rural Nauvoo location to offer expanded primary care services and includes an on-site pharmacy. The location serves 1,200 individuals each year.
Purchase of Positive Pressure Ventilation Fans
The City of Cordova Volunteer Fire Department purchased two positive-pressure ventilation fans, which are essential in providing ventilation to clear heat and smoke in structures to allow search and rescue operations. The fans will benefit the roughly 5,000 people in the area and provide a safer working environment for the firefighters.
Radio and Gear Grant
The Pineywoods Volunteer Fire Department equipped its first responders with radios and pagers to safely respond to and mitigate emergencies. This equipment improved communications between the department’s responders and 911.
Small Amphitheater/Pavilion
The Carbon Hill Women’s Club is building a pavilion to use for community and school events. The project will benefit 300 people, bringing the community together to the center of town.
Town Creek Park Revitalization – Phase 2
Jasper Main Street transformed a weedy park in downtown Jasper into a vibrant, accessible, and ecologically sustainable community space. This project supported a landscape plan as well as outdoor lighting to allow for safe park usage in the evenings and encourage its use year-round.
Ventilation Equipment
The Oakman Fire Department purchased new ventilation fans to aid in removing harmful gases, locating hotspots more quickly, and extinguishing structure fires. The new fans will keep the firefighters safe as they serve roughly 900 people in their area.
Walker County Humane Society Spay and Neuter Program
The Walker County Humane Society aims to alleviate unwanted litters of kittens and puppies and reduce the number of homeless animals roaming the streets and entering overcrowded shelters by providing low/no-cost spay neuter services. They provided 725 spay and neuter services to the family pets of Walker County residents.
Weekend Food Bags for Needy Children
Backyard Blessings is the only weekend feeding program for children in Walker County and is the sole provider of weekend food for children whose caretakers are unable or unwilling to find other means to feed them. By partnering with 18 local schools and a few additional schools in neighboring counties, they provided weekend food bags to approximately 1,400 children each week.
Education Grants
Autism Clinic Needs
Arc of Walker County equipped their clinic with autism testing materials, larger activity items needed for observation ability, and manipulatives that can be used for testing and sent home with families. As autism testing and diagnosis are often an unmet need in rural areas, this clinic is a critical need and cuts typical wait times from 18 months to within 8 weeks. The clinic has served over 50 children since the project began.
Building Renovation
The Walker County Community Action Agency renovated the flooring, bathrooms, and kitchen in its new building. As the Agency grows, the new building will provide additional space so up to 100 youth can participate in their afterschool and summer program, a larger activity room to host larger group classes for financial planning and career development, and include space for a computer lab, library area, game area, and arts and crafts area.
CHEER SAFETY
Carbon Hill Jr. High School replaced 15-year-old cheer mats to provide cheerleaders with the safest equipment possible. With the new mats, a safer environment, and the ability to safely tumble, the cheer team has increased its practice and competition time and now is able to host cheer clinics and competitions.
Conservation Education
Nine hundred second-grade students schools across Walker County received a backpack filled with educational and Smokey Bear items. 
Seven signs noting the waterways were installed along Interstate 22 
Walker County Soil & Water & Sen. Matt Woods 
Stacy Williams, District Administrative Coordinator, Walker County Soil & Water Conservation District
The Walker County Soil & Water Conservation District educated 1,360 students about the need for responsible environmental action through several programs, including the Water Festival. The District also installed seven waterway signs along I-22 marking the location of creeks to educate motorists about the location of water and to deter littering and pollution.
Reclamation Gardens: Outdoor Classroom, Signage, and Community space
Jubilee House built an outdoor classroom in their community garden to be used for training and workshops for people of all ages and to serve as a gathering place for community movie nights, meals, and other social events. The “Reclamation Gardens” project increased seating, shade, and lighting. Jubilee House also installed signage to communicate information about the project as well as their mission and vision. The project has benefited 150 people and impacted 25 students, as well as facilitated a greater level of communal engagement and events.
SFRS Training Program
Sumiton Fire and Rescue Service elevated its training capacity through the purchase of a forcible entry prop. The device will help firefighters train for the rapid and emergent entry into a structure during emergencies. This training will help Sumiton Fire and the surrounding departments keep over 5,000 people safe.
Soaring Students to New Heights with the ACE Aviation Academy
The Jasper City School System sent 10 students to the Aviation Career Education (ACE) STEM Academy. Through hands-on experience like flight simulators, discovery flights, and immersive STEM-based learning, students gained valuable exposure to the fundamentals of flight, aircraft operations, aerospace technology, and aviation careers. The program sparked curiosity and helped students develop critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills – all while introducing them to the skies above.
Building Partnerships for Lasting Change
The success of these community projects reflects the power of collaboration between local organizations, government partners, and dedicated volunteers. The projects demonstrate how strategic investments in community infrastructure create lasting positive change across the county.
The impact of these projects would not be possible without the continued partnership and support of the Walker County Legislative Delegation. Special thanks to Sen. Matt Woods and Rep. Tim Wadsworth for their commitment to supporting locally driven solutions to strengthen Walker County.
“I appreciate the combined effort to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Walker County and surrounding areas,” said Sen. Matt woods. “Cawaco provides the bridge funding to accomplish so many worthy projects and I am extremely proud of the projects we are celebrating this year,”
“When good organizations partner together to help others in my community, I want to do all I can to support their efforts,” Woods continued. “The RC&D councils are a lifeline for many and CAWACO does a great job of bringing state resources to worthy causes.”
“I have a real affection for rural communities; that’s where I grew up,” said Rep. Tim Wadsworth. “This is all about helping our community give back to itself. Because we can’t always do everything, but we can help them help themselves.”
Cawaco RC&D is proud to support educational and community development projects like these throughout Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, and Walker Counties. These grants represent our ongoing commitment to fostering vibrant communities that achieve balance between economic, human and natural resource needs.
