by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Aug 11, 2021 | CFFC News, Grants, News Releases
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) recently awarded seven charities a total of $41,400.
In 2020, the Strawberry Patch Fund was created through an estate gift. This Donor Designated Fund will support the following charities in perpetuity: Crime Victims’ Center of Fayette County; Domestic Violence Services of SWPA; Fayette Friends of Animals; Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers of Fayette, Inc.; Mount Macrina Manor; St. John the Evangelist Regional Catholic School; and Uniontown Public Library.
“Making a legacy gift to CFFC reflects a donor’s ongoing commitment to the charities and causes they care about the most. We are honored to carry out the wishes of donors in this way,” said Renee M. Couser, Executive Director of CFFC.
Left to right: Carol Ashton, Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers of Fayette, Inc.; Andrea Hibbs, Crime Victims’ Center of Fayette County; Lisa Hannum, Domestic Violence Services of SWPA; Christine Roskovensky, St. John the Evangelist Regional Catholic School; Lori Coffman, Fayette Friends of Animals; Linda Evans, Uniontown Public Library; not pictured Mount Macrina Manor.
Andrea Hibbs, Executive Director of Crime Victims’ Center of Fayette County, said, “We are overwhelmed by the generosity of this donor and grateful for this annual award. Crime Victims’ Center is using some of the funds to support our 24-hour crisis hotline service, and we also plan to provide additional outreach for our underserved/unserved areas of Fayette County with this funding.”
Lori Coffman, Board President of Fayette Friends of Animals, said, “Fayette Friends of Animals is eternally grateful for every donation we receive since our operational expenses are paid for in large part by donations from animal lovers within our community. Gifts like the annual grant from the Strawberry Patch Fund will be hugely beneficial with the upkeep of our aging building.”
Contact Renee Couser at 724-437-8600 x1 to learn more about how you can make a lasting impact through philanthropy.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jun 7, 2021 | Building a Stronger Fayette
If you know the names Hoover, Roxie, Mittens, and Cricket, then chances are you’ve recently looked into the animals available for adoption at Fayette Friends of Animals (FFOA). This no-kill shelter provides temporary shelter to stray, abandoned, or surrendered animals with a goal of finding permanent homes. Their community support was showcased during Fayette Gives 2020, a “day of giving” hosted by CFFC to support local charities. FFOA placed second on the leaderboard for number of donors.
Photos of animals available for adoption from the Fayette Friends of Animals website
“Fayette Gives supplemented a large portion of what we could not generate through normal fundraising events in 2020 due to covid-19,” said Dakota Bocan, FFOA Marketing and Programming Director. FFOA used this opportunity to raise money, share their mission, and engage with their passionate donors.
“Luckily, people turned to animals for comfort and companionship during the pandemic, so we were still able to find fur-ever homes for the dogs and cats in our care,” said Bocan as she explained that the need to care for animals is a consistent one. “We are forever grateful to our amazing community for still remaining so active even with the new health and safety procedures in place,” Bocan added.
Photo of Marge Dugan and Mollie Wilcosky with the Fayette Gives check
Alongside their pet adoption services, FFOA focuses on educating the public about spaying and neutering animals to ease the problem of pet overpopulation. They listed this in their Fayette Gives profile on the website, which is displayed when you click on a charity’s name before donation.
FFOA is already registered and listed on the website for Fayette Gives 2021, which will take place on November 16. Bocan said, “Fayette Friends of Animals is looking to get even more engagement this upcoming year, since our community base is continuously growing. We cannot wait to see what this year brings!”
#BuildingAStrongerFayette
#FayetteGives
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 14, 2021 | CFFC News, Grants, News Releases
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) awarded over $22,000 in Spring 2021 grants to nonprofits that address a variety of causes in Fayette County.
Building a Stronger Fayette General Grantmaking awards support Arts and Culture, Education, Community and Economic Development, Health and Human Services, and other areas of interest. The following nonprofits received grant awards: Alternatives.Yes Pregnancy Support Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, Christian Layman Corps., East End United Community Center, German-Masontown Public Library, State Theatre Center for the Arts, Historic Church of St. Peter, Jacobs Creek Watershed Association, and Uniontown Public Library.
The Burchinal Family Endowment Fund supports nonprofits that provide health and medical care for Fayette County residents. Fayette Emergency Medical Service and Redstone Foundation, on behalf of McClellandtown Volunteer Fire Company, were awarded funding.
The Jack and Diane Hughes Family Fund supports projects/programs related to community gardens and/or science/environmental education. Albert Gallatin Human Services/Masontown Senior Center, City Mission- Living Stones, Inc., and Fayette County Community Action Agency, Inc. were awarded funding.
The Mary and John J. Depcrymski Memorial Fund supports nonprofits that provide transportation for Fayette County senior citizens. LaFayette Manor Inc. was awarded funding.
CFFC will also award $5,000 in Emergency Relief Fund grants to local health and human service organizations.
“As a community foundation, CFFC has a unique ability to address multiple categories of community need. We were happy to travel around the county to hand-deliver grant checks to nonprofits for this Spring 2021 grant cycle and hear about their projects and programs that impact Fayette County in a variety of ways,” said Renee Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jan 27, 2021 | Building a Stronger Fayette
East End United Community Center (EEUCC) is helping to build a stronger Fayette by supporting local youth. They have received multiple grants from the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) in the past, including a 2020 Emergency Relief Fund grant.
Keeley Forrestel and Nancy Reed with EEUCC’s Emergency Relief Fund check
EEUCC used the Emergency Relief Fund grant to purchase and distribute toiletries and household supplies to the community during the covid-19 pandemic. On a weekly basis, between 45 and 55 families picked up supply bags at EEUCC.
“We distributed to families we already serve, which helped us stay in touch with the kids, but the supply distribution is also open to the larger community. This was helpful in increasing awareness of other resources we have available, such as a diaper bank, clothing closet, free hot dinners for youth up to age 18, and subsidized childcare,” explained Keeley Forrestel, EEUCC Executive Director.
Like many organizations, EEUCC has adapted programming during the pandemic. Though the typical in-person afterschool programming isn’t currently offered, EEUCC has continued to provide afterschool enrichment opportunities in a virtual setting. They showed their ability to adapt for fundraising as well, placing in the top five for CFFC’s first Fayette Gives in 2020, both for amount fundraised and number of donors.
Keeley Forrestel and Renee Couser with EEUCC’s Fayette Gives check
The CFFC is happy to support organizations like EEUCC that are making a positive impact on Fayette County. We invite nonprofits to complete the Building a Stronger Fayette General Grantmaking application for 2021 funding, which is open now until March 1, 2021. To learn more about current grant opportunities, visit www.cffayettepa.org.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Aug 12, 2020 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Junior Achievement of Western PA is dedicated to educating K-12 students with programs of work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy/money management. Their experimental, hands-on programs provide students with tools such as leadership, teamwork, and decision-making skills. The CFFC awarded Junior Achievement of Western PA a Spring 2019 grant to support “Empowerment to the Youth of Fayette County.”
“It’s a collaborative effort with the school districts. Each school has different needs, so we help fill in the gaps of work readiness in the schools’ curriculum and provide artifacts that students can include in their portfolios,” explained Nicki Sliko, Education Program Manager.
Junior Achievement empowers students to make a connection between what they learn in school and how it can be applied in the real world, enhancing the relevance of their classroom learning and increasing their understanding of the value of staying in school.
Volunteer community mentors serve as career role models and provide real-world context to classroom topics through in-class instruction. In addition to teaching students important life skills such as saving money, balancing a checkbook, and how to find an keep a job, Junior Achievement also addresses important “soft” skills, such as communication and problem solving.
Once students understand the connection between education and local workplace opportunities, they can better envision how their developed skills can help strengthen the Fayette County workforce and community as a whole.
