Meador Foundation donates $20,000 to HELP program

HUNTINGTON -- The James A. Meador Foundation, based in Salem, Va., recently donated $20,000 to the Marshall University Higher Education for Learning Problems (HELP) Program.

The gift reflects the foundation's mission of empowering students to obtain their college educations, in addition to assisting health associations, human services organizations, federated giving programs, Christian organizations and churches, among others.

Cathie Thomas, vice president of the foundation, said she believes HELP is a very deserving organization based on all that it does to help individuals diagnosed with a learning disability and/or ADHD achieve success in higher education.

Thomas and her husband, Jeff, have a daughter, Meghan, who participates in the HELP Program. Meghan works hard in her classes, attends tutoring, and will be an MU graduate in the not-too-distant future.

A luncheon took place June 25 to thank the Meador Foundation for its generous donation. Those attending included: Dr. Rosalyn Templeton, dean of Marshall's College of Education and Human Services; McRae Pennington, director of foundations and corporations at Marshall; Lynne Weston, director of HELP; Sara Barker, coordinator of HELP Remediation, and Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Thomas.