by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 15, 2026 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Tucked away in the beautiful scenery of the Laurel Highlands, Touchstone Center for Crafts offers arts programming that draws people from near and far. To help strengthen their capacity, with technology equipment and staff expansion, they have been awarded grants from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund at the Community Foundation of Fayette County.
Touchstone’s mission is to advance excellence in the arts and crafts by educating and encouraging individuals to develop technical skills, good design, and innovative expression. The nonprofit offers a variety of programs for people of all experience levels, with opportunities customized for youth, arts educators, veterans, and resident artists. Those who visit their campus for workshops can learn blacksmithing, ceramics, jewelry-making, and more.
Throughout daily operations, staff was facing challenges with their outdated phone system, describing it as cumbersome and inefficient. Implementing a new phone system, with grant funding, has had a positive effect.
“It is important for employees of our organization to be able to conduct business seamlessly, whether they are working remotely or in our offices. Support from a CFFC grant allowed us to move from an outdated phone system to a more responsive and flexible platform that works from our computers and phones,” said Lindsay Ketterer Gates, Executive Director.
Touchstone also received funding to support their staff expansion and the computer equipment needed for new team members. Lindsay explained the impact of hiring strong talent to enhance the organization’s mission: “We’ve strengthened our fundraising capacity, expanded our programming season, and increased off-season visibility.”
CFFC is happy to support Touchstone’s capacity to inspire, teach, and serve the community.
Photos courtesy of Touchstone Center for Crafts
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 22, 2025 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) has selected eleven (11) projects for spring grant awards. The Building a Stronger Fayette Fund, CFFC’s general grantmaking fund, awarded $25,000. Four field of interest funds, which support specific areas of focus, awarded $11,603.
“The foundation is able to support a variety of organizations and causes, thanks to generous donors. Each of the awarded nonprofits is serving the community in a meaningful way, and we look forward to sharing more details about these projects in the coming months,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
Participants and staff members at the Fayette County Community Action Agency’s Senior Center
Building a Stronger Fayette Fund: supporting projects/programming or nonprofit capacity building
These awards are made with combined funding from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund; Fayette County Charities Endowment; Franklin K. and Jean Smith Family Fund; GIVE Fayette County; Levi Komarinski Memorial Fund; Thompson Fund.
Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA – Legal Advocacy Equipment
Dress for Success Pittsburgh – Employment Readiness
Fayette County Community Action Agency – Senior Activity Center
Fayette Friends of Animals – Spay/Neuter/Vaccine Clinics
Mary House, Inc. – Confidence in Dentistry Care
The Salvation Army – Uniontown Corps – Feeding Program Enhancements
Touchstone Center for Crats – Staff Expansion Equipment
Renee Couser, Tammy Barnhart, and Tanya Vokes with the Dress for Success mobile unit
Photo courtesy of FFOA: Luke Szymanski, Keeley Forrestel, Amanda Mehalic, and Rebecca Wardle outside of the Fayette Friends of Animal shelter
Burchinal Family Endowment Fund: supports charities that provide health and medical care for Fayette County residents
Wesley Health Center, Inc. – Health Services
Marilyn Weaver and Renee Couser at Wesley Health Center
Community Beautification Fund: supports landscape improvements (including but not limited to planting of trees, shrubs, and flowers) for community beautification projects
Borough of Dunbar – Flowers for Dunbar & Honor Roll
Mary and John J. Depcrymski Memorial Fund: supports organizations that provide transportation for Fayette County senior citizens
Crosskeys Human Services, Inc. – Transportation for Elderly Meals
Photo courtesy of Crosskeys Human Services: Bernie, a volunteer for Crosskeys’ meal delivery program
Jack and Diane Hughes Family Fund: supports projects and programs in the areas of community gardens and/or science/environmental education
Crosskeys Human Services, Inc. – Park and Garden Area
To learn more about the Community Foundation of Fayette County’s grants, visit the Building a Stronger Fayette page.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jul 2, 2019 | Building a Stronger Fayette
The word “crafts” may bring to mind a childlike image of popsicle sticks, yarn, and glitter, but the “crafts” at Touchstone Center for Crafts refer to the skilled practices of making things by hand. The 150-acre woodsy campus has studios that house activities with ceramics, glasswork, painting and drawing, blacksmithing, and metals and jewelry. To support opportunities for local educators to attend workshops that teach them about the crafts and inspire new ideas for the classroom, the CFFC awarded Touchstone a grant for Fayette County Educators’ Retreat Scholarships.
Touchstone awarded ten scholarships with the CFFC grant. “We are hoping to build up this community of educators by helping them network, building their skills, and having them take it back to the community,” said Lindsay Gates, Executive Director.
The new Educators’ Retreat and teacher scholarship program provide opportunities for educators to receive ACT 48 Credits and tap into their creativity. “We designed the Educators’ Retreat around the feedback from educators who we have worked with in the past, often as chaperones during Teen Week. They continued to come back to Touchstone to help because they liked the networking with other teachers and the exposure to the different workshops,” explained Gates.
She noted, “The more resources we can provide, the better.” The workshops will encourage educators to get into a creative headspace that will then enrich their teaching, as well as connect them with resources and artists who can suggest or collaborate future activities.
Touchstone also has Teen Week, “date nights,” pop-up events, gallery exhibitions, artists residencies and internships, and symposiums, for artists from beginner level up to professional. Dean Simpson, Marketing Manager, noted that the instructors teach participants at a level where the participants take ownership of their work and have a takeaway creation. “We want to share that Touchstone is accessible and open to the public. That involves getting people here and also getting us out in the community,” said Stephanie Glover, Development Coordinator.
To learn more about Touchstone Center for Crafts and their mission “to advance excellence in the arts and crafts by educating and encouraging individuals to develop technical skills, good design, and innovative expression,” visit their website.