Stager creates Right to Life Fund at ECCF

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New Judith Manno Stager
Right to Life Fund

A new fund was recently created at the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) by Judith Manno Stager. A founding member of ECCF, Judith recently established the Judith Manno Stager Right to Life Fund. This fund will award grants to support programs, events, education, and initiatives that promote the rights of the unborn.

The fund states: ‘Regardless of the circumstances surrounding conception, every human being is endowed with a dignity that must be unconditionally respected and safeguarded. With deep compassion for the vulnerable unborn who cannot fend for themselves, the Fund will award grants to nonprofits who advocate in defense of Life from Conception.’

Graduating from Villa Maria College, Judith worked in probation and parole before marrying and returning to Ridgway. After adopting two of their six children, she facilitated adoptions for more than 30 babies and arranged foster care, transportation and U.S. surgeries for dozens of international children. Judith has 20 grandchildren.

Judith established and managed her coal and trucking corporation for 40 years, chaired many state and area non-profit boards, headed a church addition, organized the building of a playground, and launched a successful court case to save another local play area.

The Elk County Community Foundation accepts contributions to support the Judith Manno Stager Right to Life Fund.

The Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies is the parent company of the Elk County Community Foundation and the McKean County Community Foundation. The Community Foundation provides the administrative and investment management services that make it easy for donors to accomplish their charitable wishes. Funds established by charitable donors support our communities through the awarding of grants and scholarships. For more information, please contact the Community Foundation at 814-834-2125.

New Online Scholarship Application Program available for students starting January 15

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There will be something new in ’22 for students who apply for scholarships at the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF). ECCF is excited to announce that a new Foundant Technologies online application process will be launched on January 15 for the 2022 scholarship award cycle. This online process will streamline the process for students, school counselors, and the Foundation staff. A new online portal will give students access to applying for scholarships this year at the Elk County Community Foundation. The 2022 scholarship applications will be available on January 15.

Students will create an account on the online portal where they will take an eligibility quiz that will automatically match them to all the scholarships that are available to them based on the criteria they enter.  Each student will then fill out their applications online. Students can easily upload letters of reference and transcripts to their applications. Applications can be saved and worked on at a later date, and students can track the status of each application. The new program will keep applicants on track with their scholarship reporting requirements with automated email reminders and online reporting forms.

Students are encouraged to explore the wide variety of scholarships available by going to the Foundation’s website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org. Under “Information for Students” they can view detailed information on scholarships for both graduating seniors and non-traditional students. When they are ready to apply, they can click on any of the “Click here to apply” buttons to be directed to the Foundant application portal.

In 2021 the Elk County Community Foundation awarded $249,000 in scholarships to 173 high school seniors and non-traditional students. This new online program will enable the Foundation to continue to offer a streamlined, well-organized and efficient scholarship process as the program continues to grow. For more information, contact the Foundation at 814-834-2125.

ECCF 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.

Grant funding available for non-profits through January 15

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PHOTO: In 2021, the Elk County Community Recycling Center received a $5,000 grant from the Elk County Development Fund for the purchase of a vertical baler.  

Thousands of dollars in grants are available to 501c3 organizations during open grant cycles at the Elk County Community Foundation.

The Foundation is accepting applications through January 15 for the current grant cycle from organizations who wish to apply for funding from the Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Family Fund or the Elk County Development Fund. Each of these funds welcome applications that directly benefit the residents of Elk County.

The Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Family Fund is an open grant that supports worthy projects that provide services for the residents of our communities. Their goal is to support causes and projects that improve the quality of life in our local area.

The Elk County Development Fund supports community development initiatives that will enhance the economic and community wellbeing of Elk County. Projects should include activities that are innovative and have a plan to sustain themselves.

For instructions on how to apply for a grant go to the Foundation website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org. Please call our office at 834-2125 with any questions. ECCF is a non-profit organization that strives to strengthen our region through development, stewardship and grant making as it works with donors to achieve their philanthropic goals.

Grants available for Pre-K programs until January 15

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Grants for Pre-K programs available at ECCF

The Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) is accepting grant applications through January 15 from non-profit organizations and schools that provide educational services for the Pre-K community. The grants are available from the Elk County Society for Special Services Fund.

This fund is designated for any nonprofit agency that provides services for the purposes of providing Pre-K education. The purpose of the grant should be to improve programs that are already established or to develop new programs. This fund will not cover direct operating expenses of an agency, rather it hopes to enhance an organization’s programs.

During recent grant cycles, grants have been awarded to Cen Clear for their Behavioral Interventions and Support Program, to the Ridgway YMCA for IPads for their pre-school program, and to St. Leo School for furniture and program supplies.

For instructions on how to apply for a grant go to the Foundation website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org. Contact our office at 834-2125 with any questions. The Elk County Community Foundation 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.

ECCF grants awarded to Good Samaritan Food Bank

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Two funds administered by the Elk County Community Foundation, the Ridgway Borough Charitable Fund and the Harrison & Muriel Dauer Stackpole Fund, each awarded a grant of $5,000 to the Good Samaritan Food Bank (GSFB). Since 1988, GSFB has served Ridgway area families who struggle to provide food for themselves and their families, assisting on average 25-35 families per month.

Pictured L to R: Members of the K of C Gary Leithner, Sam Markert(Food Bank coordinator), John Paul MacDonald(Food Bank Treasurer) Steve Ross, Jeff Marzella, Tom Jesberger(ECCF Board President)

The Good Samaritan Food Bank located at 331 Main Street Ridgway was the main grant requester for the project to improve the food bank access to the K of C building. The K of C provides free rental for the food bank as one of the many services they provide for Ridgway residents. The Good Samaritan Food Bank has been serving Ridgway Residents in need of food assistance since 1988. On average per month the Food Bank assists 35 households, 30 individuals, 26 children and 30 elderly persons. The funding was used to add drainage to the entrance of the building, install new concrete steps and apron, regrade the parking area, and install new paving. The total project was over $16,000 so the additional funds were provided by the Frank Servidea council, GSFB, and a generous donation from the Ridgway VFW Post 5887.

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 who contribute to the quality of life of the residents of the Borough of Ridgway.

The Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Family Fund supports causes and projects that enhance the lives of the people of Elk County. The fund was established by the family of Harrison and Muriel to carry on their legacy of personal involvement and commitment to our local communities.

The Elk County Community Foundation is known for giving scholarships and grants to non-profits in Elk County and surrounding communities. The heart of the foundation’s business is helping people, families, groups, and businesses to be philanthropic or charitable. ECCF provides the administrative and investment management services that make it easy for donors to accomplish their charitable wishes with their tax deductible donations while improving the quality of life in our communities.

The Elk County Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that manages over 186 endowed funds. For more information, call ECCF at 814- 834-2125 or visit their website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org.