by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Oct 26, 2023 | CFFC News
The third Gala of Giving ~ Catalyst for Change is set for Saturday, April 13, 2024 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) hosts this event to raise money for significant investments in projects that can affect real change and growth in Fayette County. The first Catalyst for Change Grant, from event proceeds, was recently announced.
CFFC is awarding a $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant to Main Street Theatre Company, for their Fayette County High School Musical Showcase, in collaboration with State Theatre Center for the Arts and Fayette County Cultural Trust. After Main Street Theatre Company’s October 6 performance of “Godspell”, CFFC’s Executive Director, Renee Couser, presented a check on stage as a special surprise to John Wagner III, Main Street Theatre Company’s Artistic Director.
Photo credit: Kelly Tunney
All Fayette County high schools will be invited to perform a selection from their musical at the showcase, bringing together youth from across the county. The showcase will shine a light on the vibrant arts community in Fayette County and invite youth, family, friends, community members, and people beyond Fayette County to attend performances and support local businesses on show day. Main Street Theatre Company will lead this project, the State Theatre Center for the Arts will provide the space for rehearsals and performance, and the Fayette County Cultural Trust will present their Fayette County Achievement in the Arts awards throughout the event.
“It is our foundational belief – backed up by significant data – that live performing arts experiences bring communities closer together, spur economic development and inspire change, growth and hope in those who participate,” said Kristen Tunney, Vice President of Main Street Theatre Company.
Photo credit: Kelly Tunney
Though showcases like this have been taking place in Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties for years, this project is the first of its kind for Fayette County. An afternoon and evening performance are planned for May.
“This first Catalyst for Change Grant is just the start, and we encourage everyone to save the date for our next gala on April 13 to help us build up the proceeds that will be used for future funding. With the continued support of individuals and businesses, we hope to offer bigger grants in the future to help spark change in Fayette County on a bigger scale,” said Angela Braun DC, Gala of Giving Chair and CFFC Board Chair.
CFFC is currently accepting sponsorships for the 2024 Gala of Giving, and individual ticket sales are expected to open in February. In addition to sponsorship and tickets, donations can be made to CFFC’s Gala of Giving Fund by check or with the “Donate Now” button at cffayettepa.org.
“We are happy to announce that Fairchance Construction Company is the Presenting Sponsor for the 2024 Gala of Giving. Next year, the community foundation will be celebrating its 25th anniversary, and we are excited to get everyone together in the spirit of charitable giving,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
Mike Clark, WTAE Anchor, will be the event’s emcee, and guests will have access to a cocktail hour and exclusive auction items, dinner with a brief program and open bar, a live auction with big-ticket items, live music by the Kendall Brothers, and an after-party. To make it easier to track bidding and make bids from anywhere throughout the event space, guests will use online bidding again this year for the silent auction.
CFFC invites everyone to play a part in helping to make Fayette County a thriving place to live, work, and play. If you or your business is interested in sponsorships or ads, please contact Trish Desvarro, Gala of Giving Event Manager, at 724-557-0820.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 16, 2023 | CFFC News
A Night to Remember
In addition to the special announcement of the $50,000 “Catalyst for Change Grant” opportunity, guests at the second annual Gala of Giving ~ Catalyst for Change enjoyed an evening with great company, food and drinks, music and dancing, a photo booth, and exclusive auction items. Guests accessed online bidding for the silent auction, which enabled them to keep an eye on their competition and make bids all at their fingertips.
Mike Clark, WTAE Anchor, was the emcee, and entertainment was provided by the Kendall Brothers, Joe Materkowski, Ed Balling, and Levi Graft. The afterparty in the Matterhorn Lounge also included a cigar bar by Stix – DiMarco’s Cigar Bar.
“Thank you to all of the sponsors, guests, and supporters who helped make this another successful event,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director. “Our board of directors is excited to offer a grant of this size, as the first step in being a catalyst for change through the event’s proceeds,” continued Couser.
View all photos on CFFC’s Facebook!
Gala of Giving 2023 Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor: Fairchance Construction Company
Platinum Sponsors: First National Bank; Gabriel Family; Specialty Conduit and Manufacturing; Sprowls Insurance Group; Wells Fargo Advisors.
Gold Sponsors: The Braun Family; COE Distributing; The Ewing Family; Fayette Pipe Company; Ford Office Technologies; Gismondi Family Foundation; Joyce’s Jewelry; Mike Kelly Toyota; MountainCreek Properties; Neubauer’s Flowers & Market House; Pine Hollow Mechanical, Inc.; Stoney’s Brewing Company; Mr. & Mrs. Joshua & Maria Swimmer; WVU Health Sciences.
Silver Sponsors: Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania; Direct Results; Mr. and Mrs. Victor Fiano, Jr.; First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Greene County; Liberty Steel; Montgomery Medical; Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC – Uniontown Office; PNC Bank; SagePoint Financial; Somerset Trust Bank; United Bank; Gnagey Propane; Koval Building Supply.
Bronze Sponsors: Higinbotham Law Offices; Mid Penn Bank; Nickman’s Drug; Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus; Point Marion Veterinary Care; Radcliffe Law, LLC; Shallenberger Construction; Zodiac Management Services, Inc.
Patron Sponsors: Todd & Beth Casteel; Charlie & Renee Couser; Wealth Enhancement Group – Devan White.
Hospitality Sponsors: Stahls’; Chestnut Ridge Counseling Services, Inc.; Demco Excavating; EQT; Ford of Uniontown; Jonathan P. Krizner, DDS; Stix – DiMarco’s Cigar Bar; Universal Steel.
Donate to the Gala of Giving Fund
You can donate to the Gala of Giving Fund, at any time, with a check made payable to CFFC or through our online Pay Pal donation portal.
Contact our office at 724-437-8600 x1 if you have any questions.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 6, 2022 | Building a Stronger Fayette, Grants
Jacobs Creek Watershed Association (JCWA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of natural resources, rehabilitation of the creek and watershed, environmental education and recreation. They partner with the Fayette County Conservation District to host STEM and Science-based programs in summer: Tot Time for children ages 2-5 and Nature Explorers Camp for children ages 6-9. The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) awarded a grant to support the 2021 Tot Time and Nature Explorers Camp.
Photos submitted by JCWA
JCWA staff coordinated exciting and informative stories, crafts, and games around the theme of “Habitats Surround Us” for the four-week program. Topics included forest/trees, grass/meadows, wetlands, and water. In light of the pandemic, JCWA provided themed kits for families registered in the watershed. The kits had sub-sections for each week with materials to perform each activity, written instructions, and instructional videos. Some used the kits for a family night and sent photos of the activities in action.
The goal of Tot Time and Nature Explorers Camp is to introduce basic ecology and environmental science to preschool/elementary school children. “Thanks to the support of CFFC, Jacobs Creek Watershed Association was able to continue our mission and provide easily accessible and affordable STEM opportunities to our watershed community in 2021,” said Denise Wilkins, JCWA Executive Director. JCWA is happy to resume in-person programs at Greenlick Lake for 2022.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Apr 13, 2021 | CFFC News, Grants, News Releases
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) received a $15,000 gift from the EQT Foundation for the Building a Stronger Fayette Endowment. This endowment was created in 2020 to support CFFC’s general grantmaking program.
The Building a Stronger Fayette Endowment is an important part of the CFFC’s annual competitive grantmaking, accepting grant requests from nonprofits for the following funding priorities: arts and culture; education; community and economic development; health and human services.
Left to right: Renee Couser – CFFC Executive Director; Joy G. Huston – CFFC Grantmaking Committee Chair; Ellen Rossi – EQT Foundation President
The EQT Foundation’s generous donation to the Building a Stronger Fayette Endowment will have a direct impact on local nonprofits and, in turn, the Fayette County residents they serve. Established in 2003, the EQT Foundation is a dedicated resource for financial, in-kind, and volunteer support for communities touched by EQT’s business. They prioritize the following categories for their funding: community enrichment; education and workforce; environment.
“We value meaningful engagement with the communities where EQT operates. Fayette County is one of those important communities, so the EQT Foundation is happy to support the CFFC’s Building a Stronger Fayette Endowment,” said Ellen Rossi, President of the EQT Foundation.
The Building a Stronger Fayette Endowment will help Fayette County in a variety of ways for years to come. “This endowment was created to support our nonprofit community in perpetuity, and will award grants each year. The promise of lasting impact, and the CFFC’s ability to support a variety of causes, makes this a unique opportunity to continue ‘building a stronger Fayette’,” said Renee Couser, Executive Director of CFFC.
The entire community can help ‘build a stronger Fayette’ by making a donation to the Building a Stronger Fayette Endowment. Checks can be made payable to CFFC and mailed to 5 South Mt. Vernon Avenue, Uniontown, PA 15401. Please write BASF on the memo line. Online donations can also be made at www.cffayettepa.org. If you have any questions on how CFFC can assist you with your charitable giving, please call 724-437-8000 x1.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Feb 19, 2021 | Building a Stronger Fayette
The CFFC’s Burchinal Family Endowment Fund focuses on health and medical care. Throughout the covid-19 pandemic, our need for front line workers who provide those services has been strongly reaffirmed.
Fayette Emergency Medical Services (Fayette EMS) is one of the local organizations who has put themselves at risk, worked extra hours, and continued to respond to calls day in and day out. They were awarded a $6,000 grant from the Burchinal Family Endowment Fund in 2020 to support general operations.
“While this has been an exceptionally challenging year for Fayette EMS, we are extremely proud of the continuous level of care we have been able to provide to the residents of Fayette County during the covid-19 pandemic,” stated Beth Burd, Director of Finance & HR Coordinator.
The grant application provides the option to request funding for a project/program or for operating support. Requests to support operations were popular in 2020, especially since the pandemic affected organizations’ typical programming, decreased revenue as a result of cancelled fundraisers, and added costs for personal protective equipment and sanitization.
“We are grateful to have been awarded the 2020 Burchinal grant to help us with the costs of PPE and other supplies needed to keep our staff safe and healthy so we can better serve our community, as well as the generous mask donations through the CFFC Mask Initiative,” added Burd. The CFFC has provided a total of 12,000 masks to Fayette EMS, and Mask Initiative requests are still being accepted on a rolling basis at www.cffayettepa.org.
Thank you to all first response and healthcare organizations who continue to serve the Fayette County community. We invite you to visit www.cffayettepa.org to review eligibility and apply for the 2021 Burchinal Family Endowment Fund.