YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Foundation has announced $839,866 in new grants, the largest of which will support the operations and special needs programs led by Students Motivated by the Arts (SMARTS) in Youngstown.

“The support of the Youngstown Foundation enables us to continue SMARTS programs that are unique in their ability to engage elementary and high school students up to the age of 21 with special needs,” Rebecca L. Keck, president & founder of SMARTS, said. “There are no other programs in the region that offer classes in music, visual arts, theater and dance with curriculum designed specifically for these students.”

The program received $180,315 to support programs like SMARTS Beats and Smarts Empowers.

“Teaching students with these unique abilities enables our community teaching artists to become better at their work with all students. Without SMARTS, these students most often would not have access to arts education,” Keck said.

The SMARTS Beats program uses percussion instruments to teach foundational skills, including making eye contact, taking turns and listening for instruction. Students use drums to respond to comprehension questions from reading materials, practicing addition and subtraction, and other learning exercises.

SMARTS Empowers teaches similar foundational skills through elements of the visual arts, dance, and theatre. Students have better attendance on SMARTS days and learn skills that translate into the classroom and everyday life.

“SMARTS is doing a stellar job offering programming that enhances and expands the efforts of local school districts to offer education in the arts,” Lynnette Forde, president of the Youngstown Foundation, said.

“The Youngstown Foundation has been very pleased to support SMARTS and now provides 18 percent of the organization’s budget through our support of their operations and Beats and Empowers programs. We expect that the community and local school districts will join us in sustaining this important resource for students with special needs,” Forde said.

The foundation also announced grants of $100,000 each to the Ursuline Sisters Mission, Akron Children’s (Mahoning Valley) and Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries.

The Ursuline Sisters grant supports work under way to convert the Ursuline Motherhouse in Canfield to assisted living quarters for retired nuns. The grant to Akron Children’s supports an expansion of eye care and eye therapy services at the hospital’s Boardman location. The Goodwill grant supports administrative costs in the development of new workforce training programs.

Eleven other local nonprofits received these Youngstown Foundation grant awards:

• Easter Seals of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties for services and resources for children with disabilities, $60,000.

• Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries of Youngstown for its Super Kids programs, $60,000.

• Youngstown Playhouse, for 5,000 free tickets for underserved children and their families, $60,000.

• ACTION Inc. for 2,500 $20 food vouchers for needy families, $50,000. The organization serves both Mahoning and Trumbull counties with its mobile food truck.

• Ohio Living Home Health and Hospice for senior activities at the Vivo Center in Youngstown, $50,000.

• Moab House for bathroom renovations and staff salaries, $25,000.

• The Carter House for staff salaries for transitional housing, $20,000.

• Youngstown Little Bears youth football team for expenses, $15,000.

• Humility of Mary Housing for grocery store gift cards for needy families, $10,000.

• Behind Closed Doors Ministries for food pantry, workshops and operations, $5,000.

• Youngstown State University for the recovery of McDonald Steel artifacts for historic preservation, $4,551.