Women Who Care donor-for-a-day winners award grants to local organizations

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WWC donor for a day winners award grants to local organizations

PHOTO: Women Who Care member Lisa Salter, on right, presents Lois Nedzinski, St. Marys Heritage Preservation Group President, with a check for $250.

WWC donor for a day winners award grants to local organizations

Members of Women Who Care (WWC), a project of the Elk County Community Foundation, have the opportunity to qualify each year for the chance to award a special Donor-for-a-Day grant to a nonprofit organization of their choice.

Four lucky members were able to award $250 to a favorite organization during the WWC holiday membership drive. Lisa Salter provided funding to the St. Marys Heritage Preservation Group; Debby Bressler awarded her grant to the Johnsonburg Senior Center; Nancy Hoffman awarded a grant to the Senior Junction of Ridgway; and Andrea Allegretto awarded to the Helping Hand Food Pantry in Johnsonburg. Women Who Care has given $391,580 to area non-profits since 2010.

Women Who Care brings women from diverse backgrounds together to combine their philanthropic donations and strengthen the Elk County community through the power of collective giving. Close to 280 women make up the membership of Women Who Care. WWC is looking to grow its membership to make an even greater impact in the Elk County area. All area women are encouraged to join WWC. For a minimal donation, you can make a difference for our communities. Find out all about Women Who Care on our website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org.

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 working with philanthropic donors to help them meet their charitable goals. For more information, contact the Community Foundation at 814-834-2125.

Community Foundations offer scholarships for everyone: Adult Learners too

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Community Foundations offer scholarships for everyone: Adult Learners too

Applications for scholarships through both the Elk County and McKean County Community Foundations are now open for high school seniors as well as for non-traditional adult learners with a submission deadline of March 7, 2024. Through the 178 scholarship funds held at the two Community Foundations, over 300 scholarships are awarded each year to students of all ages who are furthering their education.

In addition to the numerous scholarships offered to high school seniors, adult learners have a variety of scholarship opportunities available to them. There are 25 scholarship funds in Elk County and 14 scholarship funds in McKean County earmarked for college students, graduate level and non-traditional students. These adult learners may be pursuing general 2–4-year degrees, trade or vocational degrees or certificates, environmental studies, EMT or paramedic training, criminal justice, nursing, forestry and agriculture, military service, and more. Students are urged to log on to the foundation websites to explore the options available to them.

All scholarships applications are completed online. If interested in applying, go to the website for your area at www.elk countyfoundation.org or www.mckeancountyfoundation.org. Click on the Scholarships tab, then Information for Students, to search for scholarships for your specific school or category. When you “Click Here to Apply” you will be led to a website to fill out your information, after which the site will inform you of all of the scholarships for which you are eligible. The scholarships opened on January 15th and will close on March 7. For more questions on the application process contact theCommunity Foundation at 814-834-2125.

The Elk County Community Foundation and the McKean County Community Foundation are non-profit organizations that are affiliates of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies.

WWC donor for a day winners awarded grants to local organizations

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PHOTO: Women Who Care member Debby Bressler presents Larry Pistner with a check for $250 to benefit the Johnsonburg Senior Center.

WWC donor for a day winners awarded grants to local organizations

Members of Women Who Care, a project of the Elk County Community Foundation, have the opportunity to qualify each year for the chance to award a special Donor-for-a-Day grant to a nonprofit organization of their choice.

Four lucky members were able to award $250 to a favorite organization during the WWC holiday membership drive each. Debby Bressler awarded her grant to the Johnsonburg Senior Center; Nancy Hoffman awarded a grant to the Senior Junction of Ridgway; Andrea Allegretto awarded to the Helping Hand Food Pantry in Johnsonburg; and Lisa Salter provided funding to the St. Marys Heritage Preservation Group. Women Who Care has given $391,580 to area non-profits since 2010.

Women Who Care brings women from diverse backgrounds together to combine their philanthropic donations and strengthen the Elk County community through the power of collective giving. Close to 280 women make up the membership of Women Who Care. WWC is looking to grow its membership to make an even greater impact in the Elk County area. All area women are encouraged to join WWC. For a minimal donation, you can make a difference for our communities. Find out all about Women Who Care on our website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org.

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 working with philanthropic donors to help them meet their charitable goals. For more information, contact the Community Foundation at 814-834-2125.

Elk County Community Foundation receives $4,000 EITC donation from Farmer’s National Bank

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PHOTO: Left to Right Amanda Lang, Farmers National Bank Branch Manager, ECCF Board Officers Tom Wagner, Jeff Marzella and Bob Ordiway.

ECCF RECEIVES EITC DONATION FROM FARMERS NATIONAL BANK

The Elk County Community Foundation was the grateful recipient of a $4,000 EITC donation from Farmers National Bank in support of grants that will be distributed to the Johnsonburg and Ridgway School districts.

Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program is a way for businesses to enrich educational opportunities for students and earn tax credits by donating to an Educational Improvement Organization.

The Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) is designated as an Educational Improvement Organization under the EITC program. The EITC program makes grants available to public schools to support innovative educational programs that do not fall within the typical academic program. ECCF is an approved administrator of these grants.

Any entity authorized to conduct business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and subject to certain taxes is eligible to apply to be involved with the EITC program. More information about applying can be found at https://dced.pa.gov/programs/educational-improvement-tax-credit-program-eitc.   

As an approved EITC partner, the Community Foundation receives donations from qualified businesses to provide innovative educational programming within the public schools K-12.  For more information about the Community Foundation or EITC opportunities contact the Foundation at 814-834-2125 or visit their website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org .

Judith Manno Stager Right to Life Fund sponsors essay contest

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PHOTO: Student essay winners of the Judith Manno Stager Right to Life essay contest are pictured after each was presented with a $100 gift to be used toward their education. Front: Judith Manno Stager, contest sponsor, Grace Neubert, Grace Ames, Hailey Flemming, Grace Messineo, ECCHS teacher. Back Row: Paula Fritz Eddy of the Elk County Community Foundation, Joseph Toncich, Robert Urmann, William MacDonald.

Judith Manno Stager Right to Life Fund sponsors essay contest at ECCHS

The Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) is the administrator of the Judy Manno Stager Right to Life Fund. This fund is a designated fund that supports entities that provide education, programs, or other awareness activities, of Right to Human Life in the Elk County Area. Donors that wish to direct their gift to a specific agency or purpose often choose to establish a designated fund. Almost any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization may be designated to receive support for its mission.

Recently, dozens of students took part in the 2023 Pro Woman, Pro Baby, Pro Love, Pro Life Writing Contest sponsored by The Judith Manno Stager Right to Life Fund in conjunction with the Advanced Placement English classes at Elk County Catholic High School. Students were asked to respond to one simple question: Why are you pro-life?

Entries were collected and distributed to a very special group of judges from Ohio. This group of young Catholics in their 20’s who fought hard for “Issue One”, a proposition to change amendments to the Ohio constitution regarding abortion rights, were disappointed after the November election. They found hope in the submissions of the students and found solace in their realization that there are soldiers for life waiting in the wings. The juniors and seniors entering the contest will soon leave our area to pursue higher education and their well-formed voices will save lives.

The Community Foundation is here to help donors make a lasting and meaningful impact on their community by establishing funds that meet their charitable wishes. The Elk County Community Foundation and the McKean County Community Foundation are affiliates of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies.