by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Sep 3, 2026 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Nearly 200 child safety seats have been provided to community members through a Catalyst for Change Grant, and an additional 200 is expected to be distributed by the end of 2026.
Leah Ambrosini, Nursing Supervisor, and Anna DeFazio, Unit Manager, with car seats purchased through the grant
The Community Foundation of Fayette County awarded a $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant, funded through Gala of Giving proceeds, to support the Infant and Child Safety Program at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital.
The Infant and Child Safety Program addresses a critical need for lower-income families by ensuring access to properly fitted car seats. For many families, the cost of a car seat can be a significant obstacle, creating challenges in safely transporting children to medical appointments and other essential services.
To help overcome these challenges, WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital supplies car seats to families in need. Car seats are distributed to infants born at the hospital, Head Start participants, patients of the hospital’s pediatric practice, and community families who seek assistance.
In addition to providing critical safety equipment, the program invests in education and prevention. Funding supports car seat technician certification training for hospital staff, equipping them to teach parents and caregivers how to properly install and use car seats. Together, these efforts improve child passenger safety, increase access to healthcare, and help ensure that Fayette County families have the resources they need to thrive.
WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital shared a patient story:
Tatem and Jonathan with their baby girl and car seat
A big stressor weighed on Tatem and Jonathan as they prepared to welcome their infant daughter this spring. The young couple already had baby supplies like diapers, clothing and a crib previously used by their toddler son. Yet one costly supply felt out of reach, even though it was absolutely essential: a high quality car seat.
“We weren’t sure if we could buy a good car seat and it was one of the things we worried about the most,” Tatem said.
When they arrived at the new WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Birthing Center at Uniontown Hospital, the couple asked staff whether financial assistance was available to purchase a car seat. They had come to the right place.
The hospital is able to provide convertible car seats to expectant mothers and their babies in Fayette County. These seats accommodate a child’s growth, up to 100 pounds, ultimately lasting years for one family.
“We are so thankful to the hospital for providing us with this car seat,” Tatem says. “It made everything else about welcoming our daughter easier and we were so surprised at how nice and lightweight it was.”
Check photo (left to right): Bonnie Ryan, Karen Merryman, Beth Konick, Dawn Hunchuck-Piccolomini, Renee Couser, Carrie Willetts, Garnet Gordon, Meredith Aumer
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Aug 5, 2026 | Building a Stronger Fayette
With last year’s grant award, elementary STEM teacher Daniel Arnold purchased robotics and STEM kits with computer-controlled motors, sensors, and lights. “This project is impacting roughly 300 students in 16 classes at our elementary schools in the Laurel Highlands School District. The students can build over 30 activated models and, in the future, can engineer their own designs,” said Mr. Arnold.
The grant for these kits was awarded by the Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund, a donor advised fund held at the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC). Donors have ongoing involvement with how their advised fund awards grants to support the community, and this fund has a history of supporting reusable items for classrooms in the Laurel Highlands and Uniontown School Districts.
Mr. Arnold submitted an application to purchase twenty-four (24) LEGO® Spike Prime Kits and was awarded $9,600 for the school district to purchase these items. “The project has greatly enhanced hands-on STEM activities, which correspond to problem-solving skills, building models, introducing beginning robotics, and evaluating operational solutions that the students create,” he explained. A wide variety of students in grades 3 – 5 benefit from this project as Mr. Arnold teaches in multiple elementary schools within Laurel Highlands School District.
“We look forward to helping our donors support more amazing projects like this!” said CFFC Chief Executive Officer Jessica Hajek-Bates. From August 1 until September 15 at 5:00 p.m., CFFC is accepting fall grant requests for the 2026-2027 school year, through the generosity of three donor advised funds. Learn more on the “Nonprofits” page at www.cffayettepa.org.
Photos courtesy of Laurel Highlands School District.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jul 7, 2026 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Ron Gabriel, Michelle Knight, Steve Strange, Terry Burden
EEUCC hosted a program by Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia
During a visit to East End United Community Center (EEUCC), we saw children and volunteers in the flourishing garden, residents accessing their food pantry, and a room full of children enjoying a wildlife presentation about birds. With a diverse range of programs, the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is happy to support EEUCC in their efforts to build a stronger Fayette County.
A recent capacity building grant from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund enabled the nonprofit to purchase an industrial color printer/copier machine. Their previous machine was unable to print in color, and they needed a machine that can handle their high volume of printing without breaking down or lagging.
“The ability to use the color printer will help enhance educational programming by providing high quality color materials that will help improve the children’s comprehension and engagement, in addition to improving the professionalism of printed materials for community members,” said Michelle Knight, EEUCC Office Manager.
Residents can benefit from EEUCC’s programs such as daycare, after-school programming, truancy prevention, seniors programming, nutrition assistance, and other community outreach projects.
“Our community is better because of East End United Community Center’s programs and the dedicated service of their staff and volunteers,” said CFFC Chief Executive Officer Jessica Hajek-Bates. “We’re grateful for opportunities to partner with their organization through grants, participation in Fayette Gives, and our wonderful network of local nonprofits.”
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 15, 2026 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Tucked away in the beautiful scenery of the Laurel Highlands, Touchstone Center for Crafts offers arts programming that draws people from near and far. To help strengthen their capacity, with technology equipment and staff expansion, they have been awarded grants from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund at the Community Foundation of Fayette County.
Touchstone’s mission is to advance excellence in the arts and crafts by educating and encouraging individuals to develop technical skills, good design, and innovative expression. The nonprofit offers a variety of programs for people of all experience levels, with opportunities customized for youth, arts educators, veterans, and resident artists. Those who visit their campus for workshops can learn blacksmithing, ceramics, jewelry-making, and more.
Throughout daily operations, staff was facing challenges with their outdated phone system, describing it as cumbersome and inefficient. Implementing a new phone system, with grant funding, has had a positive effect.
“It is important for employees of our organization to be able to conduct business seamlessly, whether they are working remotely or in our offices. Support from a CFFC grant allowed us to move from an outdated phone system to a more responsive and flexible platform that works from our computers and phones,” said Lindsay Ketterer Gates, Executive Director.
Touchstone also received funding to support their staff expansion and the computer equipment needed for new team members. Lindsay explained the impact of hiring strong talent to enhance the organization’s mission: “We’ve strengthened our fundraising capacity, expanded our programming season, and increased off-season visibility.”
CFFC is happy to support Touchstone’s capacity to inspire, teach, and serve the community.
Photos courtesy of Touchstone Center for Crafts
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Mar 13, 2026 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Women who are pregnant and seeking resources can turn to Alternatives.Yes Pregnancy Support Ministries. The nonprofit provides services 100% free of charge, empowering women to make healthy, informed choices and supporting the family through and beyond pregnancy.
In 2025, Alternatives.Yes created an agency fund at the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) to provide a steady source of income each year. They will receive an annual grant distribution to support their nonprofit, and the fund will be invested for growth.
“We were blessed by the opportunity to set up an agency fund. This fund not only provides annual support, but its existence also loudly conveys to our donors that our ministry is committed to being a long-term presence in our community – saving lives, providing support, and improving early maternal health outcomes for years to come,” said Andrea Pritts, Alternatives.Yes Executive Director.
The creation of this fund comes after years of partnership between Alternatives.Yes and CFFC. The nonprofit has participated in Fayette Gives (CFFC’s day-of-giving) for six years, raising a total of $124,000. They have also received grants from Burchinal Family Endowment Fund and the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund, totaling $20,000 over the past five years. These grants have supported the nonprofit’s conversion to a medical facility and their ongoing programs.
photo courtesy of Alternatives.Yes
2024 was the first full year that Alternatives.Yes offered pregnancy tests and ultrasounds performed by trained medical professionals in their newly formed medical center, the Alternatives Laurel Highlands Pregnancy Center. This added to existing programs like “Earn While You Learn” – mothers earn a “baby buck” for each educational class they complete. A digital curriculum covers hundreds of topics related to pregnancy, labor/delivery, infant care, and life skills. Mothers use the “baby bucks” they earn to purchase items from the Alternatives.Yes pantry, such as car seats, strollers, cribs, clothing, toys, diapers, formula, and other supplies.
Services are also available to help other family members who are caring for an infant under the age of one, including grandparents who take emergency custody of an infant. Additionally, Alternatives.Yes provides around 1,000 referrals to clients each year, connecting them with other nonprofits and social service resources based on their needs and circumstances.
Their recent relocation to a facility at 1829 University Drive in Dunbar houses all their medical, educational, and referral services under one roof. CFFC is happy to be a source of support as they help mothers and families across Fayette County.
Featured photo: Lacey Krysak and Andrea Pritts creating an agency fund for Alternatives.Yes
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Nov 25, 2025 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Tammy Barnhart admired the perfect match of a baby blue blouse with a beige and blue plaid blazer that a woman selected from the racks. Reading that, you might picture a department store, but this shopping experience did not involve a trip to the mall or any price tags – it was on wheels and free of charge. Barnhart is the Mobile Services Coordinator for Dress for Success Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that helps unemployed and underemployed women achieve economic independence by providing no-fee programs, development tools, and professional attire to thrive in work and in life.
“Of the 4,000 women we served last year, 2,500 were from the mobile units,” said Tanya Vokes, Dress for Success Pittsburgh’s Chief Executive Officer. Their three mobile units bring professional clothing, accessories, and hygiene products to women across the region.
In Fayette County, they partner with community organizations, such as Good Works Life Recovery House, Brownsville Free Public Library, and Legacy of Hope Center, to get referrals for clients and to bring their van to locations on a recurring basis. Though Dress for Success no longer has an office in Uniontown, the mobile services that they started in 2019 continue to help local women. Vokes says they plan ahead for their mobile services, stocking the racks on the van with clothing that fits the needs and the sizes of the women they will be meeting.
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) awarded a Building a Stronger Fayette Fund grant this spring to support mobile services to Fayette County.
Renee Couser, Tammy Barnhart, and Tanya Vokes in front of the mobile services unit.
“A suit, a dress, or scrubs is more than just an outfit — having appropriate attire for a job or an interview can be crucial. Dress for Success is helping women with this important step in employment readiness, and they’re making great connections along the way,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
Dress for Success Pittsburgh notes that at least 96% of their clients are considered low-to-moderate income and approximately 40% rely on public transportation. Bringing services directly to community centers helps address these barriers as women are taking the next step in their career journey.