The Suffolk Foundation on Tuesday gave its single largest gift ever to the Salvation Army to assist with the purchase of a generator for the organization’s new Robert W. Harrell Jr. Physical Health and Education Center.

The grant came from the foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund, created from leftover donations after victims of Suffolk’s April 2008 tornado were assisted. The new building on Bank Street will serve as a post-event disaster shelter in between its ordinary duties as a recreation center and hosting programs and classes for the Salvation Army.

“The Foundation felt funding this project was a wise use of funds and would be of immediate help to those affected by some form of disaster,” according to a press release from Foundation Executive Director Billy Hill. “The Board believed the request by the Salvation Army to be a great opportunity to be proactive by helping put in place an emergency shelter in the downtown area.”

In addition to the gift to the Salvation Army, the foundation this week disbursed $105,000 to 25 nonprofit agencies during its 2013 grant cycle. It was the largest number of recipients since the first grants were awarded in December 2008, and the amount increased more than 23 percent from last year.

The 2013 grant recipients by category included:

Arts

• Suffolk Art League — $1,000 to provide education in the arts for the citizens of Suffolk and surrounding communities.
• Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts — $5,000 to support the funding of the center’s Student Matinees and “Artists in Schools” Program and youth art education initiatives.
• Virginia Symphony Orchestra — $2,000 to assist in providing “Young People’s Concerts” to all Suffolk Public Schools fifth-graders at no charge.

Education

• Suffolk Literacy Council — $5,000 to assist the “Tutor Retention and Student Pairing Project.”
• Access College Foundation — $2,000 to assist with the operating funds of the program in Suffolk public high and middle schools.
• Nansemond-Suffolk Academy — 5,000 to help support NSA’s mission to develop and inspire leaders who value diversity.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia — $7,000 to support tutoring program and the Kids Café at the Suffolk Unit.
• Paul D. Camp Community College — $5,000 to help implement the first phase of the PDCCC Math Academy.

Environment

• Nansemond River Preservation Alliance —$3,000 to help the K-12 School Oyster Growers Program and the Annual River and Creek Fest.

Health

• Western Tidewater Free Clinic — $5,000 to help provide full and partial dentures to 50 Suffolk patients.
• Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia — $5,000 to assist with providing healthy, high-quality foods for Suffolk’s most vulnerable residents by supporting the expansion of the Mobile Pantry.
• Bon Secours Maryview Foundation — $4,000 to provide medical and pharmacy supplies at no cost through the medication assistance program.
• Southeast Virginia Areawide Model Program — $5,000 to provide 250 trips to medical appointments for Suffolk residents 60 years of age and adults with disabilities.
• Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters — $5,000 to help support the child abuse program by providing medical, mental health and forensic services to children suspected of being abused and neglected.
• Suffolk Partnership for a Healthy Community — 2,500 to continue helping fund the cost of a community-wide comprehensive well-care management program called Positive Lifestyle Commitment Program.
• American Heart Association — $3,500 to assist in funding the CPR Anytime Program which will increase the number of Suffolk residents trained in CPR.

Human Needs

• Suffolk YMCA — $5,000 to provide scholarships to public school children coming from low-income families for Afterschool and/or Summer Camp.
• The Genieve Shelter — $5,000 to help update and upgrade the educational room for its children’s program.
• Suffolk Meals on Wheels — $6,000 to help improve the quality of life for senior and disabled residents by providing home delivered meals to those in need.
• The Children’s Center — $3,500 to allow the placement of “Raising a Reader Program” in the new Head Start classroom at the Suffolk Head Start Center.
• ForKids — $5,000 to help provide children’s services and transportation for homeless families.
• Virginia Legal Aid Society — $5,000 to help support the VLAS Strengthening Families with Children, which incorporates legal advice and representation to strengthen low-income families in stress.
• The Up Center — $2,500 to help provide Trauma Informed Care Services to individuals. The funds will be used to provide incentives to increase enrollment and encourage attendance in trauma groups.
• Suffolk Salvation Army Corps — $5,000 to help provide basic services of food, shelter and energy to individuals in Suffolk and surrounding areas.
• Suffolk Special Olympics Area 29 — $3,000 to assist with the costs incurred for hosting Suffolk Games 2014 and help cover costs of annual State and Fall Championships.

For more information on the Suffolk Foundation, call 923-9090.