In 2021, The Robert and Rose Cavanaugh Fund to Feed the Hungry Poor granted $14,680 to programs in Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wayne Counties. The Fund, which was established in November 2018 at the Scranton Area Community Foundation through a planned gift from the late Robert and Rose Cavanaugh, supports entities and programs such as pantries, meal services, and food kitchens that are dedicated to serving the hungry poor.

The 2021 grant recipients and the purposes for the grants are:

● Catherine McAuley Center – “Food Pantry For Women and Families in Need”

● CEO Weinberg Regional Food Bank – “Food Delivery and/or Food Supplies”

● Here For A Reason – “Food Packaging and Distribution”

● Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Food Pantry – “Food for Food Pantry”

● Meals on Wheels of Greater Pittston – “Food Preparation and Delivery”

● Meals on Wheels of NEPA, Inc. – “Food preparation and delivery”

● NativityMiguel School of Scranton – “Hunger Relief for Families of NativityMiguel School”

● NEPA Youth Shelter – “NEPA Youth Shelter Grocery Fund”

● The Greenhouse Project – “Plants, Food, and Skills for Sustenance”

● ThinkBIG Pediatric Cancer Fund – “ThinkBIG Holiday Gift Card Program”

● United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA – “Angel’s Attic Food Pantry”

● Wayne County Community Foundation – “Wayne County Emergency Food Relief Fund”

Recipients were selected through a rigorous application process. Applicants were invited to submit grant requests for up to $5,000 using the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s online grant portal.

Ryanne Jennings from the Wayne County Community Foundation explained how the grant supported their efforts to provide fresh food to their local emergency pantries, “Wayne County Emergency Food Relief Fund purchased $3747 in local produce, eggs and dairy for the in Wayne County. Our pantries have very limited storage for items that require refrigeration, so the Emergency Food Relief Fund helps to provide the funds needed to purchase directly from the farmers directly before the pantries distribute their food to our community members in need of support.”

For more information about grant opportunities at the Scranton Area Community Foundation, please contact Cathy Fitzpatrick, Scranton Area Community Foundation Grants and Scholarship Manager, at 570-347-6203, extension 301, or grants@safdn.org.