Scranton Area Community Foundation’s NEPA Gives Raises $1.23 Million The Scranton Area Community Foundation’s fifth annual NEPA Gives, which took place on June 6th and 7th, 2024, raised $1,229,151 for 241 local nonprofit organizations and charitable causes across Northeastern Pennsylvania in just 24 hours. The Scranton Area Community Foundation hosted the region’s largest giving event in partnership with The Luzerne Foundation, Wayne County Community Foundation, Greater Pike Community Foundation, Carbon County Community Foundation, the Community Foundation of Monroe County, Posture Interactive, and other community sponsors to raise awareness about the critical work nonprofit organizations carry out across the region and to help charitable organizations raise much-needed funds. Nearly 7,000 donors generously supported NEPA Gives, which was also generously supported by numerous sponsors, including the Moses Taylor Foundation, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Neighborly, Lamar Advertising, Schwartz Mack Foundation, Women in Philanthropy, the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative, the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Minooka Subaru, and many others.
Scranton Area Community Foundation to Host 5th Annual NEPA Gives The Scranton Area Community Foundation, in partnership with The Luzerne Foundation, Wayne County Community Foundation, Monroe County Community Foundation, Carbon County Community Foundation, Greater Pike Community Foundation, Posture Interactive, and other community sponsors, will host the fifth annual NEPA Gives event from Thursday, June 6, until Friday, June 7, 2024.Promoted as the largest philanthropy event in Northeastern Pennsylvania, NEPA Gives is a 24-hour online giving extravaganza that’s all about giving back to the community. NEPA Gives aims to raise awareness about the critical work nonprofit organizations carry out across the region and help charitable organizations raise much-needed funds. Over 250 nonprofit organizations from eight counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania will participate in NEPA Gives. Donations to participating nonprofit organizations are accepted at nepagives.org from 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 7. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in matching funds, incentives, and prizes have been secured, provided by various community partners, businesses, and sponsors that make donations to participating nonprofits during NEPA Gives stretch even further. “Because of support from our generous sponsors, it only costs a nonprofit organization a little bit over $2.00 to raise $100,” stated Laura Ducceschi, President and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation. “Unsurprisingly, over 250 local nonprofits participate in NEPA Gives every year.” Adding to the excitement, there will be in-person events to celebrate NEPA Gives across the region. A NEPA Gives kickoff event, hosted by the Scranton Area Community Foundation and the Luzerne Foundation in partnership with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and many participating local nonprofit organizations, will be held on Thursday, June 6, from 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. during the RailRiders baseball game at PNC Field. Be part of the action for a night of baseball, NEPA Gives excitement and family fun as the RailRiders take on the Norfolk Tides! The game begins at 6:35 PM. A limited number of specially priced tickets are available for purchase through the Scranton Area Community Foundation to join in the NEPA Gives celebration and an exclusive party at the Kost Tire & Auto Pavilion at PNC Field. Tickets cost $40.00 per ticket, including an all-you-can-eat buffet and special seating along the third base line. To purchase tickets for this event, visit nepagives.org/info/openingevents. On Friday, June 7, from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the Scranton Area Community Foundation will be hosting a NEPA Gives Block Party and closing celebration on the 100 Block of Wyoming Avenue in downtown Scranton. This free-admission event features live entertainment, food trucks, games, and fun for all ages. Engage with some of the participating nonprofit organizations, learn about their important work, and how you can help support them during NEPA Gives. Food is available for purchase from vendors, including Butcher Bob’s BBQ, The Hilton Scranton, Jitty Joe’s Ice Cream and Candy Trucks, and more. Additionally, there will be NEPA Gives kickoff events in Hawley and Stroudsburg. The Wayne County Community Foundation and The Greater Pike Community Foundation, in partnership with Settlers Hospitality, will be hosting a NEPA Gives opening celebration at Grants Woods @ Settlers Inn in Hawley (4 Main Avenue, Hawley) on Thursday, June 6, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. This event is open to the public and includes live music, refreshments, kid-friendly activities, and opportunities to interact with representatives from local nonprofits participating in NEPA Gives. The Monroe County Community Foundation is hosting a NEPA Gives kickoff event at The Willowtree Inn and Restaurant in Stroudsburg (601 Ann Street, Stroudsburg) on Thursday, June 6, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. In addition to opportunities to interact with local nonprofit organizations participating in NEPA Gives, this event will include light refreshments, signature food, a cash bar and drink specials, and giveaways. More information about these events can be found at nepagives.org/info/liveevents. NEPA Gives is hosted by the Scranton Area Community Foundation in partnership with The Luzerne Foundation, Wayne County Community Foundation, Monroe County Community Foundation, Carbon County Community Foundation, Greater Pike Community Foundation, Posture Interactive, and other community sponsors. Support for NEPA Gives is provided by the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Schwartz Mack Foundation, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, Minooka Subaru, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation, the Robert and Rose Cavanaugh Fund to Feed the Hungry Poor, Houghton Chemical Corporation, the Honesdale National Bank, Neighborly, Wayne Bank, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Center City Print, PDQ, Cardinal LG, Benco Dental, NET Credit Union, and more. Media partners include Cumulus Media, Audacy, WNEP-TV, WBRE/WYOU TV, FOX56, WVIA, Lamar Advertising, Times-Shamrock Communications, and Pocono Television Network. “NEPA Gives is all about supporting the charities that are doing important work right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” Ducceschi said. “We have teamed up with various community partners and businesses eager to provide support for NEPA Gives, and we are thrilled to announce that we have secured hundreds of thousands of dollars in incentives, bonuses, and matching funds available to participating nonprofits, which helps make charitable donations go further during NEPA Gives. This year, we are looking forward to gathering in person in downtown Scranton and during the RailRiders baseball game at PNC Field to celebrate the momentum of NEPA Gives and highlight the generosity of our region and the good work of the many nonprofits taking part in NEPA Gives.” Community members wishing to contribute during NEPA Gives can visit nepagives.org anytime between 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, and 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 7, 2024, to make a secure donation to any of the 250+ participating nonprofit organizations. Participating nonprofit organizations include the Women’s Resource Center, Indraloka Animal Sanctuary, Saint Joseph’s Center, NeighborWorks Northeastern PA, CHOP Out Hunger, Boys and Girls Clubs of NEPA, Lacawac Sanctuary Environmental Education Center, and hundreds more. This is the fifth year for NEPA Gives, which has raised over $4 million for hundreds of local nonprofit organizations in Northeastern Pennsylvania in the past four years. These events also coincide with the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s 70th anniversary of creating charitable connections in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Scranton Area Community Foundation Awards $2,000 Grant to Leadership Lackawanna Leadership Lackawanna, an affiliate organization to The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, and a local nonprofit organization dedicated to community leadership and professional development, announces the support from the Scranton Area Community Foundation for its Welcome Scranton! program. In correlation with the Foundation’s Spring Grants cycle, Leadership Lackawanna received a $2,000 Community Needs Grant. The grant funds will be directly used in the support and delivery of Welcome Scranton!, a 2 ½ day program designed to give participants a quick, but thorough, understanding of Scranton and Lackawanna County, along with a revitalized sense of putting leadership into action. enrollment is open to everyone, from newcomers to area natives, from entry-level employees to executives. “Participating in Welcome Scranton gave me an insider look at so many unique places in and around Scranton. I learned more in 2 and a half days than in the 7 years I’ve lived here, and I connected with some wonderful people along the way! We’re so grateful that thanks to this grant, we’ll be able to continue to offer this one-of-a-kind program.” The benefits of the program encompass exploring our area’s hidden gems, enhancing your network of personal and professional connections, hearing inspirational stories from our business community, and gaining exposure to local leaders, issues and service and leadership opportunities. Applications are now being accepted for Welcome Scranton! which begins May 23rd. Interested parties should apply online at www.LeadershipLackawanna.com by May 2.
UNC’s Mid Valley Senior Community Center Starts Ballroom Classes United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) Mid Valley Senior Community Center starts its newest free activity, Ballroom Dance Classes with Vince Brust on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at 9:00 am. Any interested older adults 60+ can register by calling 570-489-4415, no experience or partner necessary. The classes are offered in partnership with Arts in Education, Lackawanna County Area on Aging, the Pennsylvania Department on Aging, and the Scranton Area Community Foundation. About Vince Brust, Dance Instructor/Choreographer Vince Brust, a graduate from University of Louvain, Belgium, has taught more than 76,000 Dance lessons since 1975. He has in North and South America, Africa, Australia, and Europe. Vince appeared on Oprah Winfrey Show and was a Rotary International Exchange Dance Professional to Brazil. He conducts residencies in Swing, Latin or Ballroom Dancing for 3rd through 12th grades, and Senior citizens. He draws connections between the history and movements of the dance(s) with his students’ own courses: (e.g. Spanish language studies and Salsa; or Swing dance and WWII era). The benefits of such a residency manifold greater self-confidence, self-esteem, and greater “connectedness” with fellow students.
Scranton Area Community Foundation President and CEO Appointed to ECAC The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia announced this week the appointment of Laura Ducceschi, President and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation, as one of four new members to its Economic and Community Advisory Council (ECAC).The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s Economic and Community Advisory Council (ECAC) informs the Bank’s senior leadership of emerging trends, issues, and market conditions that impact monetary policy within the Third Federal Reserve District and across the country. The Council is comprised of members from both the private and public sectors throughout PA, NJ, and DE, and fosters greater integration to encourage economic growth.Ducceschi was asked to serve on the Council because of her deep understanding of issues impacting economic mobility, including community revitalization, workforce development, transportation, and housing, and her commitment to bringing together diverse groups and forging cross-sector partnerships to address regional challenges. Noted as of particular value to the Council is Ducceschi’s focus on developing responsive programs and using resources in innovative ways to advance inclusive growth across Northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as the knowledge she will bring on emerging trends in philanthropic giving and on a community foundation’s role in being a community catalyst. She will serve a three-year term. Ducceschi has been president and chief executive officer of the Scranton Area Community Foundation since 2012. She manages over 320 charitable funds and four foundations with more than $90 million in total assets. Ducceschi has also spearheaded many initiatives, including NEPA Moves with the Philadelphia Fed, NEPA Thrives, Women in Philanthropy, and NEPA Gives, a 24-hour regional giving day in northeastern Pennsylvania.There are 14 members of the Economic and Community Advisory Council. In addition to Ducceschi, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has also appointed Ken Kaiser, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Temple University; Jesse McCree, chief executive officer of SCPa Works; and Leslie Smallwood-Lewis, chief operating officer and cofounder of Mosaic Development Partners.A press release from The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia indicates that they help formulate and implement monetary policy; supervise state member banks, bank holding companies, and savings and loan holding companies; and provide financial services to depository institutions and the federal government. It is one of the 12 regional Reserve Banks that, together with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., make up the Federal Reserve System. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia serves eastern and central Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware.For additional information on the ECAC, visit https://www.philadelphiafed.org/our-people/advisory-councils/ecac.
Scranton Area Community Foundation Announces 2024 Scholarship Cycle The Scranton Area Community Foundation now invites students to apply online for eligible scholarship opportunities. This year, over 85 scholarships and $800,000 are available to graduating high school and current college students for various studies, interests, and more. Included in these scholarships is the prestigious James F. Swift Scholarship, which provides $5,000 per year (renewable for a total of 4 years) to assist with continuing education expenses. The James F. Swift Scholarship opportunity is open to local high school seniors graduating from a Lackawanna County high school. Twenty students are selected annually for this competitive scholarship. All scholarship applications must be received through the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s online scholarship portal. 2024 scholarship applications are due Friday, March 1, 2024. Scholarship decisions will be announced in June. The Scranton Area Community Foundation is steward to over 85 scholarship funds, with over $14 million currently invested in scholarships at the Foundation. The Scranton Area Community Foundation distributed over $840,000 in scholarships in 2023. For more information, visit safdn.org/scholarship-application, or contact Cathy Fitzpatrick, Scranton Area Community Foundation Director of Grants and Scholarships, at 570-347-6203 x301, or grants@safdn.org.
Outreach- Center for Community Resources Receives Community Needs Grant Outreach – Center for Community Resources received a grant for $12,000 from the Scranton Area Community Foundation in June of this year for Outreach Evidence-based Early Childhood Education as part of the 2023 Spring Community Needs Grant Cycle. Outreach offers evidence-based home visiting programs for parents and their children. The early childhood education programs focus on child development and school readiness for families with children prenatal to age 3. Services focus on positive parent-child interactions, school readiness, and overall family well-being. Outreach Family Development Specialists visit the homes of the parents and their children weekly. The Outreach home visitors and parents plan ways to help the child learn using parent-child interactions, daily routines, and household materials. Outreach child-serving programs aim to improve school readiness through high-quality activities that enhance cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Outreach parenting programs allow parents to gain the skills to implement positive parenting techniques that result in improved behavioral outcomes for their children and connect them to a social network of other parents. Outreach is very grateful to the Scranton Area Community Foundation for its continued support of the family-serving programs we provide for the regional community. This funding has helped Outreach advance its mission to assist families in achieving stability and economic self-sufficiency. The Scranton Area Community Foundation has been serving the Northeastern Pennsylvania region for over 65 years as a steward, a grant-maker, a charitable resource, and a catalyst for change and growth. The Scranton Area Community Foundation was established as a community trust in 1954 by the Scranton Family, whose initial gift was the seed that has grown into a permanent vehicle for donors to accomplish their philanthropic goals while helping to support positive change within our community. Today the Scranton Area Community Foundation holds and manages a variety of funds from individuals, organizations, and corporations. Through these gifts, the Foundation responds to community needs and has provided grants to support regional nonprofits.
Scranton Area Community Foundation Celebrates a Record Year of Grantmaking On the evening of Thursday, December 7, the Scranton Area Community Foundation hosted its 2023 Annual Community Celebration at the Hilton Scranton and Conference Center, celebrating a record year of grantmaking and recognizing the impact of notable charitable funds and community partners making a difference. Over 200 attendees gathered to celebrate the impact and accomplishment made possible by the Foundation’s generous partners, donors, funds, and more. At the event, Scranton Area Community Foundation President and CEO Laura Ducceschi, along with members of the Scranton Area Community Foundation Board of Governors, thanked the donors and friends whose contributions enabled the Foundation to distribute nearly $8 million in grants and scholarships from charitable funds and an additional $2 million from foundations under management, the highest since the Foundation’s inception in 1954. The Foundation also acknowledged and celebrated community partners and funds who have led the way in making a significant impact in 2023. Featured Funds included the Fendrock Family Fund, the Susan Burke Foundation for Colon Cancer, and the Sondra G. and Morey M. Myers Charitable Gift Fund. Featured Community Partners were Scott R. Thorpe, Accountant/Partner, Ostrowski Beckley, and Thorpe PC; Chris Bohinski and WBRE-TV. The event also paid tribute to Attorney Jack Nogi, who was a dedicated trustee of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation. Attorney Nogi was instrumental in working with the Scranton Area Community Foundation to distribute over $2 million in grants from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation since 2016. The Scranton Area Community Foundation is on a mission to enhance the quality of life for all people in Northeastern Pennsylvania through the development of organized philanthropy. With nearly $95 million in assets under management and more than 330 charitable funds, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has served as a steward, grantmaker, charitable resource, and catalyst for change since 1954. The Foundation leads various initiatives, including Women in Philanthropy, the Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence, NEPA Moves, and the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative. Additionally, the Foundation hosts and facilitates NEPA Gives and the NEPA Learning Conference. The Scranton Area Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt organization confirmed in compliance with National Standards of U.S. Community Foundations. More information about the Scranton Area Community Foundation can be found at www.safdn.org.
Skills in Scranton Receives Grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation Skills in Scranton Business Education Partnership, the workforce development affiliate of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation. This grant will support facilitation of career awareness programs, facilitate collaboration between educational partners and the business community to empower students and job seekers to deepen their knowledge of diverse career pathways. Business leaders across northeastern Pennsylvania have recognized that workforce development is critical to our economic future, and the long-term success of our youth. Skills in Scranton has established the framework for an industry-led, sector-based approach for addressing skills shortages, developing talent pipelines, and creating meaningful career pathways for a range of workers in these leading industry sectors “This funding is instrumental in advancing our mission of fostering career awareness and developing a talent pipeline in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Emily Pettinato, workforce development specialist, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. “This grant will allow us to strengthen our efforts in connecting with students and job seekers to ensure they have the tools and knowledge to make informed career decisions.” “Workforce development and career readiness are among the region’s most pressing needs, affecting regional employers and job seekers alike,” said Laura Ducceschi, President & CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation. “With its robust connection between education, training, and employment, the Business Education Partnership’s community-based approach is an important component in ensuring every individual has access to family-sustaining jobs, creating a thriving community. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation and the Scranton Area Community Foundation are proud to support this very important endeavor.”
Scranton Area Community Foundation Awards Grant to Northeast Regional Cancer Institute The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute recently received a $10,000 grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation. Funds will support the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Community Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program. The Navigation Program is a cancer screening initiative focused on education, barrier reduction and facilitation of screenings for breast, cervical, colon and lung cancer while connecting or reconnecting all participants to a medical home to ensure ongoing preventative care. This initiative is dependent on a customized software program, an upgrade of which is required to more efficiently manage program work. “NRCI is extremely appreciative of this funding support from the Scranton Area Community Foundation. These upgrades will allow for program growth, increase the number of people screened for cancer, and help save lives through early detection, “said Laura Toole, Executive Vice President at the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute. This funding was awarded as part of the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s Spring Community Needs Grant Cycle.
