by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Sep 14, 2022 | Building a Stronger Fayette
There’s a saying “all dressed up with nowhere to go,” but sometimes there’s somewhere to go and no way to get there. Transportation can be a challenge for a variety of residents. The Mary and John J. Depcrymski Memorial Fund, held at the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC), supports transportation for Fayette County senior citizens and awarded a grant to Lafayette Manor, an assisted living residence. “We were able to use the grant money to fuel our wheelchair van to have transportation accessible to our residents that otherwise would not have been available,” said Director of Social Services Shari Viano.
Lafayette Manor’s van was used for group outings such as seeing fall foliage, trips to the mountains, ice cream outings, and group lunches. In addition to these fun group outings, this grant enabled transportation for important family functions, such as a resident attending her granddaughter’s wedding. “Without the use of the van, she would not have been able to do so, and it meant so much to her to be able to share in the special day. And the family was grateful, especially since that was the last family event that they were able to share with her,” explained Viano. Another resident was transported to her husband’s funeral, which she otherwise wouldn’t have been able to attend.
The van was also used for those who didn’t have or couldn’t afford transportation for home assessments, a vital part of planning for safe discharge from the residence. Alternate transportation options, like wheelchair van services or ambulance, can be costly and sometimes unavailable, and not all residents have family members who are able to arrange transportation with them.
Lafayette Manor assisted 60+ residents through this grant. “CFFC is an asset to Fayette County and our community. Through their hard work and dedication, projects can be completed and services can be provided to members of our community that would not otherwise be available,” said Viano.
(Viano pictured at the Spring 2022 Grants Presentation, when Lafayette Manor was awarded another grant for senior transportation.)
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Aug 8, 2022 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) launched the Mask Initiative in April of 2020 to provide disposable masks to local organizations during the covid-19 pandemic. The initiative wrapped up in July 2022, donating nearly 300,000 masks to over 140 organizations. Online mask requests were open to first response organizations, healthcare organizations, human service agencies, churches, and other nonprofits serving Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties.
Thanks to a $30,000 grant from The Heinz Endowments and a $25,000 grant from the Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation, CFFC purchased masks from local manufacturer DCG Supplies.
“At the beginning of the pandemic, we would review requests and have them picked up at our office every week. There were times when over thirty organizations would be picking up masks in one cycle,” explained CFFC Executive Director Renee Couser.
Fayette EMS
The Mask Initiative provided masks at no cost to organizations and became a reliable resource to help protect staff, clients, and residents as organizations continued to serve the community. Some of the organizations that received multiple mask donations include: Brownsville Ambulance Service, Centerville Clinics, Fayette County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Fayette EMS, German-Masontown Public Library, Greensburg YMCA, John Wesley A M E Zion Church, Mt. Macrina Manor, Salvation Army Uniontown, St. Florian Church, Verland, and Washington Christian Outreach.
“The Mask Initiative is a great example of our flexibility as a community foundation,” said CFFC Chair J.D. Ewing. “CFFC was able to create a new initiative to address the urgent needs of the community at the outset of the pandemic, all through philanthropy and while staying true to our mission,” explained Ewing.
To learn more about the Community Foundation of Fayette County’s mission, visit www.cffayettepa.org.
Uniontown Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
“Everyone at our Fayette County home really appreciates receiving these masks from the Community Foundation of Fayette County!” said Verland’s Kathy Kacvinsky.
“We are grateful for the donation of these much-needed supplies. Your gift makes it possible for us to safely provide essential programs such as child care to the many families who rely on us,” said Greensburg YMCA’s Suzanne Printz.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jul 1, 2022 | Building a Stronger Fayette
“The number of volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania has decreased by 50% in the last ten years,” said Dr. Shawna Little, Workforce Development Coordinator at Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center (CACTC). CACTC hosted a five-day, hands-on Junior Firefighter Boot Camp to encourage young people to get involved in serving their communities as volunteer firefighters. The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) supported the boot camp with a grant from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund.
Experienced fire service instructors lead 23 Fayette County students, middle school and high school aged, in the boot camp. Certified EMS personnel were also on scene to ensure everyone’s safety.
Students learned about the main facets of firefighter training throughout the five days, including engine work, ladder work, fire science, and vehicle rescue. Students experienced wearing full gear, connecting a hydrant and hose, forcing doors and vehicles open with tools, and more. On the last day, the students went to New Haven Hose Fire Company and worked in teams to respond to a fire simulation in a vacant house, putting their new skills to the test in a safe environment.
“The students came together and were focused and engaged in every skill we taught them, and in doing so, they learned self-confidence and teamwork…. All of the students were asking if we were going to host the boot camp again next year, which is a testament to how much they enjoyed their experience and gained from it,” said Dr. Little.
Ronald Barry is a Protective Services Instructor at CACTC and Chief of the South Brownsville Fire Company. He believes that supporting this boot camp “to ignite the spark in these young men and women will save lives and property well into the future.” CACTC’s first-ever Junior Firefighter Boot Camp was a success, providing hands-on training and education about the crucial services of local firefighters, which follows CFFC’s grantmaking theme of “building a stronger Fayette“.
Photos submitted by CACTC
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jun 16, 2022 | CFFC News, Scholarships
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is awarding over $195,000 in post-secondary scholarships to local students. “On behalf of the CFFC Board of Directors, congratulations to the scholarship recipients! We wish you well as you continue your education and contribute to the future of Fayette County,” said Angela Braun, CFFC Scholarship Committee Chair.
Scholarship funds are created in honor or memory of a loved one, to support certain career paths, or to simply give back to the community. CFFC works with donors to determine criteria for each scholarship fund, including qualifications related to academic achievement, community service, financial need, extracurricular participation, area of study, or school preference.
CFFC extends thanks to the generous donors who support students through these funds, the guidance counselors who help promote these opportunities to students, and the volunteer CFFC Scholarship Committee members who review hundreds of applications to recommend selections.
Through the CFFC’s partnership with the Pennsylvania Access to Higher Education Program, qualifying students may have their scholarship awards matched by the state.
Visit www.cffayettepa.org and follow @cffayettepa on social media for more information.
Scroll down for a full list of awards, sorted by scholarship fund.
CFFC visited Albert Gallatin, Uniontown, Connellsville, and Laurel Highlands High Schools to congratulate the senior scholarship recipients. Students from Geibel Catholic, Frazier, Charleroi, and Brownsville High Schools also received scholarships, in addition to current post-secondary students from various institutions.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 18, 2022 | CFFC News, Grants
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) hosted the Spring 2022 Grants Presentation on May 17, 2022 at the Connellsville Canteen and announced $36,333 in grant awards. The fifteen (15) selected nonprofits received their grant check and spoke about their awarded project or program. From healthcare and environmental science to musicals and food assistance, CFFC is proud to fund a variety of community needs through these grant awards – thanks to the generosity of donors who create and support these charitable funds.
Renee Couser, CFFC Executive Director, welcomed the group and highlighted the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund, an endowment that CFFC created in 2020 to provide general grantmaking in perpetuity. EQT Foundation is one of the supporters of the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund, donating $15,000 in 2021. Ellen Rossi, EQT Foundation President, spoke to the group about EQT’s presence in the region and their engagement with Fayette County.
To learn more about CFFC’s grantmaking program to or donate, visit www.cffayettepa.org.
Building a Stronger Fayette Grants
Support arts and culture; education; community and economic development; health and human services; and other areas of interest. These awards are made with the combined funding from: Building a Stronger Fayette Fund; Fayette County Charities Endowment; Franklin K. and Jean Smith Family Fund; Thompson Fund.
- Alternatives.Yes Pregnancy Support Center: GrandFamily Program
- CASA of Fayette County: Operating – Software
- Christian Church of Connellsville: Community Lunch Program – Lunches Plus
- Christian Layman Corps.: Fayette County Emergency Beds Program
- Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center: Junior Firefighter Boot Camp
- State Theatre Center for the Arts: Summer at the State 2022
- The Salvation Army: Sally’s Café Household & Hygiene Pantry
- Uniontown Public Library: 2022 Summer Quest Program
Burchinal Family Endowment Fund
Supports charities that provide health and medical care for Fayette County residents.
- Fayette Emergency Medical Service: PPE Gloves
- Fayette County Community Action Agency, Inc.: Breastfeeding Support in Fayette County
- Ohiopyle-Stewart Volunteer Fire Company: AED and Enhanced Medical Response
Community Beautification Fund
Supports landscape improvements (including but not limited to planting of trees, shrubs, and flowers) for community beautification projects.
- Fayette County Cultural Trust: Downtown Connellsville Beautification Project 2022
Mary and John J. Depcrymski Memorial Fund
Supports organizations that provide transportation for Fayette County senior citizens.
- Lafayette Manor: Senior Transportation
Jack and Diane Hughes Family Fund
Supports projects and programs in the areas of community gardens and/or science/environmental education.
- Great Meadows Garden Club: Blue Star Memorial – Landscape Renovation & Maintenance
- Mountain Watershed Association: Ecology Education & Outreach in the Yough River Watershed