Community Foundation’s Ridgway Charitable Fund awards $24,127 in grants

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From left: Jack Cleaver & Mark Yankovich, Footlighters; Leslie Gore & Pat Brennen, Trinity United Methodist Church;Norb Pontzer, Advisory Committee; Amy Goode, Community Education Center; Mike Handley, Ridgway Borough;Joe Bullers, Advisory Committee; Mel Corell, House to Home; Cortney Pahel & John Schlimm, Dickinson Center;Linda White & Derek Goode, Advisory Committee, and Tiffany Boschert, Elk County Community Foundation Executive Director. Missing from photo: Mary Jane Oknefski, Advisory Committee, and Family House representative.

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Community Foundation’s Ridgway Borough Charitable Fund awards $24,127 in grants

The Ridgway Borough Charitable Fund, under the management of the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF), recently awarded $24,127 in grants to seven non-profit organizations.

The Ridgway Borough Charitable Fund, an endowed fund, was established from a gift received from the estate of Sara-Jane Stackpole. The purpose of the fund is to provide support to organizations that contribute to the quality of life of the residents of the Borough of Ridgway. An advisory committee made up of Ridgway community leaders and residents is appointed by the Board of Directors of ECCF to review grant applications and distribute grants each year.

The following organizations received grants during the 2025 granting cycle: Community Education Center for transportation costs from Ridgway to St. Marys and back for students; Dickinson Center, Inc. for expansion of Elk County Prison’s library with children’s books; Family House for nightly lodging expenses of eligible guests traveling from Ridgway Borough to Pittsburgh for medical care; Ridgway Borough for construction of canoe/kayak ramp at Ridgway Mills municipal campground; House to Home for Gift of Sleep program; Footlighters of Elk County for establishment of a website; and Trinity United Methodist Church for Second Harvest Food Bank project.

Donations to help grow the Ridgway Charitable Fund can be sent in care of the Elk County Community Foundation at PO Box 934, St. Marys, PA, 15857. For more information, visit the Foundation’s website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org or contact ECCF at 814-834-2125. The Elk County Community Foundation is an affiliate of our parent company, the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies.

Community Foundation awards grants from the Elk County Cruisers Car Club Fund

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Photos: Representatives from the Elk County Cruisers Car Club presented checks to the Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys and the St. Marys Area Municipal Airport Authority from their donor advised fund which is administered by the Elk County Community Foundation. These donations were made possible from funds raised at the Cruisers’ 15th Annual Car Show that was held at the American Spirit Aviation Festival in August.

 Top Photo: Andy Hoy, Treasurer; Tiffany Boschert, ECCF Executive Director; Joe Walker, President; Joe Jacob, Boys & Girls Club CEO; and Bob Gesin, Cruiser.

Bottom Photo: Tim Ruffner and Seth Hall, Airport Authority Members; Joe Walker, President; Andy Hoy, Treasurer; Tiffany Boschert, ECCF Executive Director; and Bob Gesin, Cruiser.

Community Foundation awards grants from the Elk County Cruisers Car Club Fund

The Elk County Cruisers Club is made up of a group of friends that host local car events and activities in the area. In May of 2025, the Club created a donor advised fund at the Elk County Community Foundation with the goal of supporting their communities for years to come.

Recently, the Cruisers were pleased to award grants from this fund to the Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys and the St. Marys Area Municipal Airport Authority. The Club is actively working to increase their available granting dollars to continue to support community organizations. If you would like to support the Elk County Cruisers Car Club Fund, donations can be made online at www.elkcountyfoundation.org by clicking on the Donate Now button, or checks can be mailed to the Foundation, PO Box 934, St. Marys, PA 15857. Please put the fund name in the memo line.

The Elk County Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides administrative and investment management services that make it easy for donors to accomplish their charitable wishes with their tax-deductible donations. Through our donors we provide grants that improve the quality of life in our communities.

Johnsonburg Area Endowment Fund awards grants to local organizations

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The Johnsonburg Area Endowment Fund, administered by the Elk County Community Foundation, awarded grants to six local organizations for their 2025 granting cycle. Shown in photo from left: Stephanie Distler, Johnsonburg Community Trust; Karen Haberberger, Johnsonburg Area School District; Scott Cherry, Johnsonburg Little League; Rachel Kilhoffer, Johnsonburg Borough; Janice Carnovale, Johnsonburg Area Endowment Fund (JAEF) Committee Member; Tiffany Boschert, ECCF Executive Director; Vicki Condino, JAEF Committee Member; and Al Maletto, Johnsonburg Fire Department. Missing are Harriet Stahli and Gloria Molella with Helping Hands Food Pantry.

Johnsonburg Area Endowment Fund awards grants to local organizations

The Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) was pleased to award a total of $17,744 in grant money from the Johnsonburg Area Endowment Fund. These dollars will go toward several different projects that will serve and aid the community. This endowed fund awards grant dollars to eligible organizations, schools, and religious groups that benefit the residents of the Johnsonburg Area School District. The Johnsonburg Area Endowment Fund was created in 2020 with a check from the sale of the Johnsonburg Community TV Company, with the intention of helping the residents of the Johnsonburg Area School District.

From this year’s distribution, grants were awarded to Helping Hands Food Pantry to assist in adding protein and carbohydrate rich foods to the monthly distribution, Johnsonburg Borough for community input for their strategic plan, Johnsonburg Community Trust for new lighting in the arcade area of the Brick Block building, Johnsonburg Fire Department to purchase a nozzle and foam jet distribution attachment, Johnsonburg Area School District for a kiln for the Junior/Senior High School, and Johnsonburg Little League for installation of a drain pipe and to cover and seed a new area.

ECCF oversees multiple granting cycles throughout the year. For more information about grant opportunities or an interest in establishing a fund, visit our website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org. Our office can also be contacted at 814-834-2125. The Elk County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies, is a non-profit grant-making organization dedicated to improving the lives of people in our geographic area by partnering with philanthropic donors to help them meet their charitable goals.our local youth take part in local educational programs. Anyone wishing to help the School Aged Child Community Fund grow can mail a donation to the Community Foundation or donate online at www.elkcountyfoundation.org.

The Elk County Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides administrative and investment management services that make it easy for donors to accomplish their charitable wishes with their tax-deductible donations. Through our donors we provide grants that improve the quality of life in our communities.

ECCF’s School Aged Child Fund awards inaugural grant

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Photo: The School Age Child Community Fund administered by the Elk County Community Foundation awarded its first grant to the Community Education Center. Tiffany Boschert, ECCF Executive Director presented the grant to Courtney Rieger, STEM Education Assistant at the CEC, and Beth Malburg, CEC staff member.

Photo: The School Age Child Community Fund administered by the Elk County Community Foundation awarded its first grant to the Community Education Center. Tiffany Boschert, ECCF Executive Director presented the grant to Courtney Rieger, STEM Education Assistant at the CEC, and Beth Malburg, CEC staff member.

ECCF’s School Aged Child Fund awards inaugural grant

In 2024, a group of participants from the Leadership Elk County program at the Community Education Center established a donor advised fund at the Elk County Community Foundation as their group project. The purpose of the fund is to help with tuition assistance for before-and-after school programs and summer programs for the youth of Elk and Cameron Counties. This new fund is in its beginning stages and was pleased to award its first grant to the Community Education Center to assist with their summer camp programs.

Start-up money to establish the fund was generously donated by local businesses and individuals in support of the fund’s vision to help our local youth take part in local educational programs. Anyone wishing to help the School Aged Child Community Fund grow can mail a donation to the Community Foundation or donate online at www.elkcountyfoundation.org.

The Elk County Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides administrative and investment management services that make it easy for donors to accomplish their charitable wishes with their tax-deductible donations. Through our donors we provide grants that improve the quality of life in our communities.

Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund awards grant following tournament

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Photo: The Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund was established at the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) in 2023. Following their annual Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Golf Tournament, many members of Fr. Eric’s family gathered to award their 2025 grant in the amount of $500 to the Elk County Catholic Cheerleaders.

Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund awards grant following golf tournament.

St. Marys, PA: A golf tournament to benefit the Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund, a donor advised fund administered by the Elk County Community Foundation, was recently held at Bavarian Hills. Following the tournament, the family of Fr. Eric awarded a $500 grant to the Elk County Catholic High School Cheerleaders.

The purpose of the fund, which was established by Fr. Eric’s family after his passing, is to keep his name alive by supporting youth programs that foster education, mentorship, and personal development.

Groups and individuals are welcome to help grow the fund which is held at the Elk County Community Foundation. Donations can be made online at www.elkcountyfoundation.org or checks can be mailed to the Elk County Community Foundation, PO Box 934, St. Marys, PA 15857. Please note Fr. Eric Vogt Memorial Fund in the memo.

The Elk County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies, is a non-profit grant making organization dedicated to improving the lives of people in our geographic area by partnering with philanthropic donors to help them meet their charitable goals. For more information contact the Foundation at 814-834-2125.