ECCF grant helps Bennett’s Valley Community Center with industrial kitchen
Photo: The Elk County Community Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to the Bennett’s Valley Community Center for kitchen revitalization. Front row: Tom Wagner (ECCF Board President), Jeff Marzella (ECCF Vice-President), Rita Bonfardine, Denise Cuneo (ECCF Board Member and local to Bennett’s Valley), Jessica Barbazzeni, Heather Collins. Back row: Debi Mitchell, Danielle Assalone, Jimmy Allegretto, John Bricen, Chairman, Rick Krulia Sr., Tiffany Boschert (ECCF Executive Director). Missing from photo: Vice Chairman Jeremy Rippey
ECCF grant helps BV Community Center with industrial kitchen
St. Marys: The Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) is pleased to announce the awarding of a $10,000 grant to the Bennett’s Valley Community Center (BVCC) to provide new industrial kitchen supplies at the center. BVCC received the grant from the Elk County Development Fund, an unrestricted fund which is administered by the Community Foundation.
When Bennett’s Valley School closed, Jay Township collaborated to have the school returned to the community with plans to utilize the school building to uplift their community. The decision to open the Bennett’s Valley Community Center in their old school was born. Unfortunately, a few months after the opening of the Community Center devastation hit with flooding of the basement, causing major damage to the entire electrical and heating system. Funding for repairs was now very much needed, in addition to supplying the vacant kitchen, gym, and janitorial supplies to allow for the BVCC to continue to operate.
ECCF was pleased to assist with the addition of the industrial kitchen, to aide the Bennett’s Valley Community Center with this important source of revenue to help establish financial stability. This will allow numerous entities to utilize the kitchen and cafeteria area for events, bringing in rental income.
The Elk County Development Fund is an unrestricted fund that allows the Foundation the flexibility to address the community’s changing needs through strategic grant making each year. Rather than designating how the money must be spent, the Foundation determines the most effective ways to meet the most compelling opportunities and most pressing needs in our communities as they arise, such as support for the Bennett’s Vally Community Center.
The Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies is the parent company of the Elk County Community Foundation and the McKean County Community Foundation. 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.
