East Texas Communities Foundation announced the recipients of $110,000 in annual grants from the Retail Merchants Association of Tyler Charitable Fund.

Nineteen nonprofit organizations were invited to apply for funding for “strong projects based on good ideas and compelling needs that have the potential to improve the community and the lives of its people,” according to the written release.

Applications from 16 charities requesting more than $385,000 in funding for a total of about $4.2 million in project costs were considered.

The following organizations and projects were selected for funding in 2013: The Boys and Girls Clubs of East Texas, the Discovery Science Place, the East Texas Crisis Center, the East Texas Food Bank, People Attempting to Help (PATH), The Salvation Army, Tyler Junior College Family Learning Center and United Way of Smith County.

One Salvation Army client described how the homeless prevention grant changed his life.

“Since coming to the Salvation Army, my family has started the healing process,” he said in the news release. “I have gained and sustained employment, I have become strong in my faith, and my overall situation has improved.”

ETCF is a nonprofit corporation serving 32 counties in East Texas. In 2012, the foundation distributed a record $5 million in grants, and now manages over $53 million in 195 unique charitable funds that support nonprofit organizations and student scholarships. The mission of the Foundation is to support philanthropy by offering ways for donors to achieve their long-term charitable goals. For more information, visit www.etcf.org.