Centre Foundation has awarded about $41,000 to local organizations from its Field of Interest Funds, supporting communities and projects throughout Centre County.
The funds are awarded annually through a competitive process to support various causes or geographic areas in the county, as established by the original donors. Centre Foundation awards the grants from 13 different funds.
This year’s awards will fund programs in education, health and social services, animal welfare, at-risk youth and the performing arts.
“We received 117 applications from 52 organizations across Centre County,” said Centre Foundation Executive Director Molly Kunkel. “The decisions were tough, but our staff and our board members ultimately decided these were the right projects to fund at this time.”
The grants awarded include:
– Central PA Community Action’s Food Pantry will receive $ 1,512 from the Philipsburg Area Fund to strengthen and expand nutrition services to those in need in Philipsburg.
– The Community Help Centre will receive $9,231 from the Counseling Service Fund, which supports organizations that provide behavioral and mental health counseling services in Centre County. The grant will allow the Community Help Centre to provide immediate counseling services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
– Park Forest Preschool’s fruit and vegetable nutrition program will receive $1,053 from the Centre County Medical Society Fund, which promotes healthy lifestyles for children.
– Discovery Space’s Music Makers program will receive $6,291 from the Patricia Farrell Music Fund, which supports various music programs — especially those focused on children –- and is named after a former chair of Centre Foundation, an active community volunteer, Penn State professor and a musician.
– The YMCA of Centre County will receive $3,631 from the J. Alvin and Vera E. Knepper Hawbaker Memorial Endowment Fund to support enhancements to an outdoor pond at its Penns Valley facility. Located in Spring Mills, this new venue will provide educational and recreational programming for children and families. The YMCA also will receive $1,579 from the Ruth E. Rishel Charitable Fund for the project.
– Centre County Youth Services Bureau will receive $380 from the Ruth E. Rishel Charitable Fund to use towards connecting with youth in the Centre Associates Mobile Home Park. This program goes into communities to help keep these youth safe, help with homework, provide mentorship, and distribute healthy snacks.
– The Seeing Eye will receive $11,785 from the Carolyn A. Petrus Memorial Seeing Eye Dog Fund to provide instruction for Centre County residents partnered with Seeing Eye dogs in upcoming classes.
– Central Intermediate Unit #10 will receive a grant of $1,100 from the Centre Children’s Fund, supporting services to at-risk children, to implement art-based programming for juvenile offenders ages 12-21. It also will receive $500 from the Ben Franklin Fund for the programs. These programs will provide a creative and therapeutic outlet to address emotional and behavioral challenges, develop new talents, and communicate their thoughts and ideas through artistic exploration.
– Centre County Youth Services Bureau will receive $492 from the Centre Children’s Fund to provide healthy food and snacks to youth who visit its centers across the county.
– Schlow Centre Region Library will receive $683 from the Ben Franklin Fund, which supports community projects in Centre, Clearfield, Huntingdon and Mifflin counties, carrying out Franklin’s commitment to giving back to Pennsylvania’s communities. The grant will help the library expand the offerings of their downloadable audiobook collection through the addition of 59 new popular children and adult titles.
– Huntingdon County Library will receive $683 from the Ben Franklin Fund for the first-ever ‘Maker Faire’ in Huntingdon. The event will be a celebration of the Maker Movement and will be a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness.
– Easter Seals will receive $996 from the Louis E. and Patricia H. Silvi Fund, which was established to support at-risk children, especially in the areas of early childhood education programs that improve the health, care, and education of young children. The grant will buy supplies and to fund Easter Seals’ Therapeutic Recreation Programs, which include horseback riding and an all abilities social group.
– Centre County PAWS’ Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) will receive $326 from the Mattil Family Fund, which supports organizations dedicated to animal welfare. SNAP provides low cost spay/neuter vouchers Centre County pet owners in need.
– Pets Come First will also receive $326 to support its cat spay/neuter program from the Mattil Family Fund. The program helps to eliminate the number of neglected and abused animals in our community
– Centre County Animal Response Team will receive $250 from the Mattil Family Fund to purchase animal care supplies for emergency response preparation.
