by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Apr 8, 2025 | CFFC News
Thank you to everyone who attended the Community Foundation of Fayette County’s (CFFC) fourth annual Gala of Giving on March 29, 2025 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Your overwhelming support and record-breaking attendance are helping to catalyze change in Fayette County by raising money for bigger and bolder funding initiatives.
The event features a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner with a brief program and open bar, live auction, live music and dancing, and an after-party.
Photo credit: Melinda Dominico Photography
Since the inaugural Gala of Giving in 2022, we have awarded two $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grants from event proceeds to support collaborative, county-wide projects. Stay tuned for a third grant award this summer.
Special thanks to the Presenting Sponsor, Fairchance Construction Company, and all Gala of Giving 2025 sponsors.
Visit CFFC’s Facebook page to see photos. Tag us @cffayettepa and use #galaofgiving to share your pictures from the event!
2024 Catalyst for Change Grant: Car Seats & Training
Photo credit: WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital
CFFC’s $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant for the Infant and Child Safety Program makes it possible for more than 300 new mothers at the Uniontown Hospital’s Birthing Center to receive a convertible car seat and car seat training. The program is a partnership between WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital and Head Start of Fayette County, addressing the critical transportation needs for prenatal and pediatrician appointments.
Congratulations to this family who recently welcomed a new baby and received a car seat and training from hospital staff.
Read more!
2023 Catalyst for Change Grant: Musical Showcase
Photo credit: Kelly Tunney/KGTunney Photography
More than 150 local students performed in the inaugural “ENCORE!” production on May 5, 2024, funded by CFFC’s first-ever $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant. This program is the first of its kind in Fayette County, showcasing musicals from local high schools and bringing select students together for a special opening and closing number. Main Street Theatre Company produces ENCORE! and collaborates with State Theatre Center for the Arts for rehearsal and performance space. Students were recognized for music, theatre, and visual arts with the presentation of the Fayette County Cultural Trust‘s Achievement in the Arts awards.
“This event truly unites our school students and communities, all while highlighting the talent we have here in Fayette County and underscoring the vital importance of arts education,” said John Wager, Artistic Director of Main Street Theatre Company.
Read more!
Feeling Inspired?
You can be a catalyst for change! Donate to support bigger and bolder grants for funding projects that will affect change and growth in Fayette County.
So far, the foundation has awarded two $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant awards, and a third award will be announced this summer. Help strengthen these grant opportunities by making a tax-deductible contribution to the Gala of Giving Fund.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Apr 8, 2025 | Building a Stronger Fayette
More than 150 local students performed in the inaugural “ENCORE!” production on May 5, 2024 at the State Theatre. This program is the first of its kind in Fayette County, showcasing musicals from local high schools and bringing select students together for a special opening and closing number. Main Street Theatre Company produces ENCORE! and collaborates with State Theatre Center for the Arts for rehearsal and performance space. Students were recognized for music, theatre, and visual arts with the presentation of the Fayette County Cultural Trust‘s Achievement in the Arts awards.
Photo credit: Kelly Tunney/KGTunney Photography
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) awarded its first-ever $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant in the fall of 2023 to launch ENCORE!
Catalyst for Change Grants are made possible by the Gala of Giving event proceeds, an annual event that raises money for bigger and bolder funding projects in Fayette County.
Kelly Tunney/KGTunney Photography
“We were excited to award our first Catalyst for Change Grant for a project that includes people from all across the county and sparks economic growth by bringing people together for a special show in town,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
“This event truly unites our school students and communities, all while highlighting the talent we have here in Fayette County and underscoring the vital importance of arts education,” said John Wager, Artistic Director of Main Street Theatre Company.
ENCORE! engages student performers, local arts organizations, family members, friends, and people across – and beyond – the county. Students from seven local schools will participate in this year’s production on May 2, 2025.
Kelly Tunney/KGTunney Photography
“CFFC’s board of directors was happy to support the first year of ENCORE! and it’s clear that this county-wide program will make a meaningful impact each year,” said Couser.
To date, the foundation has hosted four Gala of Giving events and awarded two $50,000 Catalyst for Chang Grants, with a third grant award anticipated for the summer of 2025.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Feb 7, 2025 | CFFC News
Tickets are now available for the Community Foundation of Fayette County’s (CFFC) Gala of Giving ~ Catalyst for Change. This year’s event is set for Saturday, March 29 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort, with Fairchance Construction Company as the Presenting Sponsor. The formal event features a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner with a brief program and open bar, live auction, live music and dancing, and an after-party.
CFFC hosts the Gala of Giving to raise money for projects that can affect change and growth in Fayette County. Event proceeds have supported two $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grants for collaborative, county-wide projects. The first grant supported Main Street Theatre Company’s inaugural Fayette County high school musical showcase, called ENCORE!, in partnership with the State Theatre Center for the Arts and Fayette County Cultural Trust. The second grant was awarded in fall of 2024 to support the WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital’s Infant and Child Safety Program. The hospital partners with Head Start of Fayette County to address the transportation needs of new mothers and their children. The Catalyst for Change Grant will provide over 300 convertible car seats and car seat training to new mothers at the recently re-opened Birthing Center.
“This is the fourth year for the Gala of Giving, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has joined in support. The event has been a game-changer for our ability to impact the community through grants,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
The foundation is currently accepting Letters of Inquiry for a third Catalyst for Change Grant, up to $75,000. The deadline to submit a proposal through CFFC’s online grant system is March 1, 2025.
“We expect about 350 guests this year. Each of them is helping us raise money for these grant awards, so we’re working hard to plan a fabulous evening for them,” said Angela Braun, DC, Gala of Giving Event Chair.
Tickets can be reserved at cffayettepa.ejoinme.org/2025galaofgiving. Please direct questions to Trish Desvarro, Gala of Giving Event Manager, at desvarro@gmail.com or 724-557-0820.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Oct 22, 2024 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is awarding a $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant to WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital to support their Infant and Child Safety Program. The grant will be used to provide 358 convertible car seats and car seat training to new mothers at the hospital’s new Birthing Center, which will open in January 2025. This program will support expectant mothers, infants, and children in Fayette County.
Pictured from left to right: Bonnie Ryan, Karen Merryman, Beth Konick, Dawn Hunchuck-Piccolomini, Renee Couser, Carrie Willetts, Garnet Gordon, Meredith Aumer
This is CFFC’s second $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant, following last year’s grant for “ENCORE!”, Main Street Theatre Company’s Fayette County high school musical showcase. These grants are funded through CFFC’s Gala of Giving ~ Catalyst for Change event proceeds.
“The foundation launched the Gala of Giving in 2022 to raise money for bigger and bolder grants. We know there is a need for healthcare services in the county, and we’re happy to support maternal and child welfare through this grant award,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital partners with Head Start of Fayette County for the Infant and Child Safety Program. Their partnership addresses critical transportation needs for prenatal and pediatrician appointments. Transportation is cited as a significant barrier for low-income mothers seeking high-quality healthcare resources, often resulting in missed appointments and inadequate prenatal and pediatric care. Head Start provides transportation for expectant mothers and children up to age four in their program, and WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital will provide convertible car seats and car seat installation/training to patients who give birth at the hospital.
“By integrating transportation assistance with the provision of convertible car seats, the program addresses a key barrier to healthcare access for low-income families in Fayette County,” said Bonnie Ryan, BSN RN, Manager of Patient Experience/Patient Advocate at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital. The hospital anticipates a reduction in appointment cancellations and an increase in routine wellness visits, testing, and adherence to immunization schedules.
The Catalyst for Change Grant will fund the purchase of 358 convertible car seats that will accommodate a child’s growth, up to 100 pounds. The grant also supports car seat technician classes for staff, enabling eight (8) staff members to educate parents and caregivers on how to properly use car seats.
CFFC will continue raising money for grants that can affect change and growth in Fayette County by hosting the fourth annual Gala of Giving ~ Catalyst for Change on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Fairchance Construction Company is the Presenting Sponsor.
The formal event features a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner with a brief program and open bar, live auction, live music and dancing, and an after-party. CFFC is accepting sponsorships, ads, and auction items for the event. Individual tickets will be available in February. To learn more, visit cffayettepa.ejoinme.org/2025galaofgiving.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Oct 16, 2024 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) has hosted three annual Gala of Giving ~ Catalyst for Change events, awarded a $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant from the proceeds, and will be awarding another $50,000 grant this fall. The momentum will continue to build with the next Gala of Giving on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Fairchance Construction Company is the Presenting Sponsor, once again generously supporting the Gala of Giving.
The formal event features a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner with a brief program and open bar, live auction, live music and dancing, and an after-party. Proceeds from the Gala of Giving will be invested in projects that can affect change and growth in Fayette County.
CFFC is accepting sponsorships, ads, and auction items for the event. Download the Sponsorship Packet. Individual tickets will be available at a later date. To learn more, visit https://cffayettepa.ejoinme.org/2025galaofgiving. Please direct questions to Trish Desvarro, Gala of Giving Event Manager, at desvarro@gmail.com or call the CFFC office at 724-437-8600.
“The Gala of Giving is the foundation’s effort to raise money for bigger and bolder grants that will spark change in Fayette County. We’ve had amazing support from the start, and we thank everyone who is getting on board for another successful event,” said Angela Braun, DC, CFFC Board Chair and Gala of Giving Chair.
The first Catalyst for Change Grant was awarded in fall of 2023 to Main Street Theatre Company, for their Fayette County high school musical showcase, called “ENCORE!”. CFFC’s $50,000 grant made it possible for them to launch this new program, collaborating with State Theatre Center for the Arts and Fayette County Cultural Trust. “Local theater transcends across organizations, schools, and counties. It is a community. It is a family. ENCORE! not only solidified the bonds these organizations share, but allowed the community to be a part of celebrating students in their accomplishments in the arts,” said Megan Clark, Treasurer of Main Street Theatre Company.
CFFC will announce a second grant soon, selected from this spring’s Catalyst for Change Grant requests.
Sponsorship Packet 2025