RICHMOND, Va. -

CarMax recently announced that its community enrichment program, The CarMax Foundation, has awarded $300,000 in grants to Richmond, Va.-area nonprofit organizations.

As CarMax lends a hand to help causes around its hometown, the nonprofits benefiting from these grants range from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond to the Special Olympics Virginia.

The grants are for programs that focus on education, youth leadership and wellness, officials noted.

And this is the first time the foundation has given a wellness-focused grant, the company shared, and its Richmond Giving Program just introduced them this year.

“The wellness initiative has been embraced by CarMax associates as many make personal donations and participate in charity walks to benefit important health causes. The wellness grants in Richmond support resources focused on healthy living, physical activity and prevention,” officials further explained.

Commenting on the recent donations, Lynn Mussatt, president of The CarMax Foundation and vice president of business operations, said, “Each of these organizations is making a significant difference for the families and youth of our hometown.

“To have the opportunity to support these programs and witness the impact they are making is such an honor for The CarMax Foundation,” she added.

And of the $300,000 total,  a $100,000 grant will go to the Enrichmond Foundation. The money will  go toward operating expenses of the sixth season of the CarMax Summer Basketball League, officials noted.

The league is a  partnership between The CarMax Foundation and the City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities and hosts nearly 500 local youth each summer.

The CarMax Foundation also provided a list of additional Richmond area grant recipients, as follows: 

•    Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond – $15,000 for Camp Little Hawk
•    Children’s Museum of Richmond – $15,000 for Math and Art Head Start programs
•    Family Lifeline – $15,000 for School Readiness
•    FeedMore – $15,000 for Kids Café and Summer Feeding Program
•    Greater Richmond Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) – $15,000 for the Circle Preschool Program
•    Jacob’s Ladder – $15,000 for Summer Residential Camp and Advocacy/ Follow-Up Program
•    Partnership for the Future – $15,000 for the Changing Lives Curriculum
•    YWCA of Richmond – $15,000 for the Child Development Center
•    Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Richmond – $7,500 for Making Men, the Mentoring Boys Facing Adversity program
•    CRG Foundation – $7,500 for Drive2Survive
•    Comfort Zone Camp – $7,500 for the 2012 Children’s Bereavement Program
•    Communities in Schools – $7,500 for Performance Learning Centers
•    Girls for a Change – $7,500 for after school programs
•    Higher Achievement Program – $7,500 for Closing the Middle School Opportunity Gap
•    Capital Area Partnership Uplifting People – $5,000 for Project Discovery
•    Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers – $5,000 for Kids Run RVA
•    Richmond First Tee – $5,000 for Get in the Swing with Richmond City Public Schools
•    St. Joseph’s Villa  – $5,000 for the Villa Pals Mentoring Program
•    Special Olympics Virginia – $5,000 for the Richmond Urban Program
•    Sportable Richmond Adaptive Sports and Recreation – $5,000 for the Sportable Spokes wheelchair basketball program
•    YMCA of Greater Richmond – $5,000 for the Goochland YMCA Middle School Mentoring and Tutoring Program