by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Mar 17, 2023 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Students in the Brownsville Area, Laurel Highlands, and Uniontown Area School Districts benefited from a $12,000 grant for the STEM and Computer Science Initiative. The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) partners with Penn State Extension’s Fayette County 4-H for this initiative, led by 4-H Educator Jennifer Deichert. The foundation’s grant was used for the 2022 Race Day workshop and competition, where students learned how to program robots to navigate a bowtie-shaped race track and play table-top dodgeball.
A group of students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade participated in Race Day. SPIKE™ Prime sets were provided for students to use drag-and-drop coding language to maneuver their robots around the race track and dodgeball table. Each set includes a programmable Hub with built-in gyro to determine direction, three sensors (distance, force, and color), one large motor, two medium motors, wheels, and over 500 LEGO® Technic™ elements.
“Teams modified their robot’s design and used a variety of the programming skills acquired throughout the school workshop to upgrade their robot’s performance,” explained Deichert.
Members of the 4-H Robotics Club served as teen leaders to share their knowledge in robot design and programming. These particular students are members of FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Team #16011. They compete with other FTC teams in the state, and they design and manage robotics workshops and competitions for Fayette County youth.
CFFC awarded an additional grant of $26,665 to Albert Gallatin Area, Brownsville Area, Frazier, Laurel Highlands, and Uniontown Area School Districts for the STEM and Computer Science Initiative to continue the program in 2023.
This grant opportunity is made possible through the Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) Educational Improvement Organization (EIO) Program. Eligible businesses are encouraged to participate in this tax credit program. More information can be found at https://dced.pa.gov.
“This is a special program that incentivizes businesses to support education through philanthropy. CFFC is an approved EIO Organization and we’re grateful to award grants for exciting learning opportunities like the STEM and Computer Science Initiative,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
Watch the video!
*All photos included in this feature were submitted by Penn State Extension’s Fayette County 4-H.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Feb 14, 2023 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Do your canned food items at home have pull tabs that can be opened by hand, or do they require a can opener? You may not notice this feature when purchasing a can of soup at the grocery store, but the opening mechanism can be a hurdle for certain populations who don’t have access to kitchen equipment. Captain Erin Rischawy, Commanding Officer, gave the example of a can opener when explaining why The Salvation Army – Uniontown Corps wanted to expand their services for Sally’s Café soup kitchen and food pantry.
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) awarded a Building a Stronger Fayette Fund grant for Sally’s Café Household & Hygiene Pantry, to help provide items that would address unique needs, in particular for transient and homeless individuals. The grant was used to purchase ready-to-eat meals, houseware items like reusable utensils, personal care products in travel-sized containers, and warming kits. These items require minimal preparation for those with limited supplies, and they are easily portable for individuals who carry their belongings on the move.
“This generous grant from the Community Foundation of Fayette County in support of this project has allowed us to always be prepared to help especially vulnerable homeless and transient populations in our community, and people struggling to afford the rising costs of non-food essentials,” said Captain Rischawy.
“We’re happy to support The Salvation Army in addressing this un-met need for those they serve. The direct services and referrals they provide are an asset to the community,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Dec 14, 2022 | CFFC News, Fayette Gives
Over 1,000 individuals and businesses donated to Fayette County charities during the third annual Fayette Gives. During this “day of giving”, everyone has the opportunity to be a philanthropist by donating to support local causes. The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) hosts Fayette Gives to help build a stronger Fayette, and is thrilled to distribute a total of $581,589 for Fayette Gives 2022. CFFC hosted a Fayette Gives grand finale event on December 12, 2022 at Fay-Penn Economic Development Council’s Launch Box to celebrate the fundraising success of the participating charities and the generosity of the community.
Eighty-eight charities participated in Fayette Gives this year, fundraising to support their mission and services to Fayette County. Charity profiles, which are still available at www.fayettegives.org, provide details about their various efforts to address community needs.
CFFC began accepting Fayette Gives check donations in September. However, the main focus of Fayette Gives is the online giving day, which was November 10. The public was able to view live results and leaderboards, and online giving was available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fayette Gives day wrapped up with more than $500,000 in donations, in addition to the $74,000 bonus pool.
Watch the slideshow!
Fayette Gives has grown each year since its start in 2020. Over the last three years, $1,315,892 has been raised to support Fayette County charities. CFFC is grateful to the community for their generosity and support of this initiative.
“The community foundation invests in Fayette Gives to help local charities beyond our typical grantmaking program. It’s a way to showcase their good work to the entire community and create excitement around giving back,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director. “As charities raise money and build relationships with their supporters, they’re able to strengthen their sustainability,” noted Couser.
Fayette Gives provides a special incentive for charitable giving, because gifts are increased by a prorated percentage of the bonus pool. Thanks to the sponsors who contribute for the bonus pool boost, the public’s generosity is able to make a bigger impact.
CFFC will continue the effort to build a stronger Fayette by hosting Fayette Gives again on November 9, 2023. Charity registration is planned to open in June 2023, and more information can be found year-round at www.fayettegives.org.
CFFC thanks the Fayette Gives 2022 sponsors: (Community Sponsors) Charity Fund; Mike Kelly Toyota; The Swimmer Family; (Generosity Sponsors) Charitable Fund of Specialty Conduit and Manufacturing, LLC; COE Distributing; Erie Insurance; (Humanity Sponsors) The Eberly Foundation; First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Greene County; Ford of Uniontown; Montgomery Medical; MountainCreek Property Group; Nemacolin Resort; Neubauer’s Flowers & Market House; Pittsburgh-Fayette Express, Inc; the Uniontown Office of Janney Montgomery Scott; Uniontown Walmart Supercenter.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Dec 6, 2022 | CFFC News, Grants
CFFC has awarded $35,302 in fall grants. Awards range from $500 to over $7,000. “These funding opportunities were created by generous donors who want to give back to the community, and we’re happy to support such diverse projects,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
To support health and medical care for Fayette County residents, CFFC awarded two grants from the Burchinal Family Endowment Fund. Alternatives.Yes Pregnancy Support Center received a grant for their conversion to a medical model pregnancy center – specifically for a medical exam room and staff training materials. New Haven Hose Company also received a grant, which they will use to purchase two new AEDs. These devices will be utilized for medical service on the bike trail, at the fire department, and at the social hall which serves as Connellsville’s emergency shelter.
The Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund supports the purchase of reusable items to enhance classrooms. Laurel Highlands School District was awarded three grants for autistic support educational and sensory room items, a book vending machine at an elementary school, and STEM activities for elementary media centers. Uniontown Area School District was awarded two grants for cooking supplies in middle and high school family & consumer science classes and graphing calculators for high school algebra classes.
Albert Gallatin Area School District was awarded a grant from the Idea Fund to enhance traditional classroom learning with the purchase of an audio booth for the high school’s AGTV studio. It will be used for all media classes and for the speech and presentation course.
To learn more about grant opportunities and how you can make an impact in our community through philanthropy, contact our office at 724-437-8600.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Nov 17, 2022 | CFFC News, Fayette Gives
The Community Foundation of Fayette County hosted the third annual Fayette Gives on Thursday, November 10, 2022. The preliminary total is $575,541, and we thank everyone who helped make this “day of giving” such a success! Your generosity will make an impact for Fayette County charities and the community as a whole. Preliminary results are displayed at www.fayettegives.org, but the summary and leaderboards do not include bonus pool dollars. Stay tuned for final numbers in the coming weeks, and thank you for joining us in building a stronger Fayette!
