by Geoff Fox
The Washington County Gaming Commission last Tuesday, August 11 announced the distribution of gaming funds to the Washington County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association and 54 local charitable organizations.
Of those 54 organizations, three of them are Hancock-based. They received a combined $40,000 from the gaming funds.
Gaming funds totaled $2,367,846 for fiscal year 2026, which ended June 30. The total is an increase of over $20,000 compared to fiscal year 2025’s gaming funds.
Out of the $2.3 million, Hancock Flag Football received $10,000, Interfaith Service Coalition received $15,000, and Main Street Hancock received $15,000.
State law requires funds be divided equally between the Washington County Fire and Rescue Association and local charities.
In January, the Association received $526,871 and as of last Tuesday, an additional $657,051 was distributed to bring the yearly total for Fire and Rescue to $1,183,923.
In April, the county’s Gaming Commission received 89 eligible applications from 74 charitable organizations requesting a total of $3.025 million.
After hosting a gaming hearing and a one-day workshop in June, the commission was able to either partially or fully fund 58 of the 89 requests. Of those 89 applications, 38 received full funding, 20 partial funding, and 31 were denied funding.
A total of $1,183,923 of the 2026 gaming funds plus $1,850 reallocated 2025 gaming funds were awarded to 58 of the 74 charitable organizations applying.
The largest awards were given to the Washington Community Action Council and Walnut Street Community Health Center, each receiving $100,000. R.E.A.C.H of Washington County received $75,000.
