SIDNEY — FISH has found another way to serve the Shelby County community by creating a charitable fund with the Community Foundation of Shelby County that will provide grants to other organizations.

FISH, which stands for Friends In Service to Humanity, provides assistance in times of need to residents of Shelby County in the way of food, personal care items, diapers, clothing, household items, steel-toed and slip-resistant shoes, some prescriptions, gasoline vouchers and Ohio birth certificates. The all-volunteer organization operates a thrift store on West Michigan Street in Sidney.

The FISH Fund will provide grants to other local organizations with missions similar to that of FISH and serve Shelby County residents in need of basics such as food, clothing, housing, utilities and life-sustaining medications. Organizations applying through the Foundation’s Community Grants process will be considered for funding from the FISH Fund. Information about Community Grants is available on the Foundation’s website at www.commfoun.com.

FISH was started in 1979 by Barbara A. Smith, Farrell Kaplan and a small group of volunteers. The thrift store opened in the downtown in 1982 and later moved to its present location across from Wilson Health.