The Union Community Foundation has made two more local organizations very happy.

Last month, the foundation awarded its first two grants in history — one to the Union County Carnegie Library, and the other to the Union County YMCA.

On Thursday, the foundation awarded grant Nos. 3 and 4.

The first grant presented Thursday — in the amount of $500 — was awarded to the Union County Service Center of the American Red Cross Piedmont Chapter. Carol Willis — director of the Union County Service Center — accepted the award.

According to Willis, the grant will be used to replace local disaster funds.

“We assisted 38 individuals in 14 house fires during 2009-2010,” Willis said.

She also said the grant could not have come at a better time.

“Union is in hard economic times, and non-profits are suffering,” Willis added.

The second grant presented Thursday — also $500 — was awarded to the Salvation Army. Cpt. Ray Morton — of the Union chapter — accepted the award. Morton also expressed his thankfulness for the financial boost.

“This will continue to help with every day social services such as utility assistance, vouchers for clothing in our store and our food pantry program,” Morton said.

The Union Community Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging the development of a community tradition of philanthropy. The foundation works to generate funds that can be used to support local organizations engaged in community improvement efforts and providing assistance to the people of Union County.

The foundation was started with an endowment created by insurance money received after the old Union High School was destroyed by a fire. The original endowment to the Union Community Foundation was invested through the Spartanburg County Foundation which will manage the Union Community Foundation money during its development.

Treasurer Bob Love said the foundation would continue efforts to get more money into the foundation while monitoring investments through the Spartanburg Foundation in hopes of eventually awarding more grants like the ones awarded in the last two months.