by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Oct 22, 2024 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is awarding a $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant to WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital to support their Infant and Child Safety Program. The grant will be used to provide 358 convertible car seats and car seat training to new mothers at the hospital’s new Birthing Center, which will open in January 2025. This program will support expectant mothers, infants, and children in Fayette County.
Pictured from left to right: Bonnie Ryan, Karen Merryman, Beth Konick, Dawn Hunchuck-Piccolomini, Renee Couser, Carrie Willetts, Garnet Gordon, Meredith Aumer
This is CFFC’s second $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant, following last year’s grant for “ENCORE!”, Main Street Theatre Company’s Fayette County high school musical showcase. These grants are funded through CFFC’s Gala of Giving ~ Catalyst for Change event proceeds.
“The foundation launched the Gala of Giving in 2022 to raise money for bigger and bolder grants. We know there is a need for healthcare services in the county, and we’re happy to support maternal and child welfare through this grant award,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital partners with Head Start of Fayette County for the Infant and Child Safety Program. Their partnership addresses critical transportation needs for prenatal and pediatrician appointments. Transportation is cited as a significant barrier for low-income mothers seeking high-quality healthcare resources, often resulting in missed appointments and inadequate prenatal and pediatric care. Head Start provides transportation for expectant mothers and children up to age four in their program, and WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital will provide convertible car seats and car seat installation/training to patients who give birth at the hospital.
“By integrating transportation assistance with the provision of convertible car seats, the program addresses a key barrier to healthcare access for low-income families in Fayette County,” said Bonnie Ryan, BSN RN, Manager of Patient Experience/Patient Advocate at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital. The hospital anticipates a reduction in appointment cancellations and an increase in routine wellness visits, testing, and adherence to immunization schedules.
The Catalyst for Change Grant will fund the purchase of 358 convertible car seats that will accommodate a child’s growth, up to 100 pounds. The grant also supports car seat technician classes for staff, enabling eight (8) staff members to educate parents and caregivers on how to properly use car seats.
CFFC will continue raising money for grants that can affect change and growth in Fayette County by hosting the fourth annual Gala of Giving ~ Catalyst for Change on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Fairchance Construction Company is the Presenting Sponsor.
The formal event features a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner with a brief program and open bar, live auction, live music and dancing, and an after-party. CFFC is accepting sponsorships, ads, and auction items for the event. Individual tickets will be available in February. To learn more, visit cffayettepa.ejoinme.org/2025galaofgiving.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Oct 16, 2024 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) has hosted three annual Gala of Giving ~ Catalyst for Change events, awarded a $50,000 Catalyst for Change Grant from the proceeds, and will be awarding another $50,000 grant this fall. The momentum will continue to build with the next Gala of Giving on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Fairchance Construction Company is the Presenting Sponsor, once again generously supporting the Gala of Giving.
The formal event features a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner with a brief program and open bar, live auction, live music and dancing, and an after-party. Proceeds from the Gala of Giving will be invested in projects that can affect change and growth in Fayette County.
CFFC is accepting sponsorships, ads, and auction items for the event. Download the Sponsorship Packet. Individual tickets will be available at a later date. To learn more, visit https://cffayettepa.ejoinme.org/2025galaofgiving. Please direct questions to Trish Desvarro, Gala of Giving Event Manager, at desvarro@gmail.com or call the CFFC office at 724-437-8600.
“The Gala of Giving is the foundation’s effort to raise money for bigger and bolder grants that will spark change in Fayette County. We’ve had amazing support from the start, and we thank everyone who is getting on board for another successful event,” said Angela Braun, DC, CFFC Board Chair and Gala of Giving Chair.
The first Catalyst for Change Grant was awarded in fall of 2023 to Main Street Theatre Company, for their Fayette County high school musical showcase, called “ENCORE!”. CFFC’s $50,000 grant made it possible for them to launch this new program, collaborating with State Theatre Center for the Arts and Fayette County Cultural Trust. “Local theater transcends across organizations, schools, and counties. It is a community. It is a family. ENCORE! not only solidified the bonds these organizations share, but allowed the community to be a part of celebrating students in their accomplishments in the arts,” said Megan Clark, Treasurer of Main Street Theatre Company.
CFFC will announce a second grant soon, selected from this spring’s Catalyst for Change Grant requests.
Sponsorship Packet 2025
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Oct 15, 2024 | CFFC News
Over $50,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to charities throughout Fayette Gives on November 7, 2024 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. During this 12-hour fundraising marathon, the public is encouraged to donate to a selection of 96 participating charities. As an extra incentive, cash prizes will be awarded hourly during the “day of giving”.
This is the fifth year that the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is hosting Fayette Gives. The event supports Fayette County charities and highlights the power of philanthropy. Prizes are a new feature for Fayette Gives 2024, taking the place of the previous years’ bonus pool.
“Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on November 7th, one or more prizes will be awarded hourly. Each prize has its own criteria, so there is a variety of opportunities for charities to win prize money throughout the day,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
Prizes are listed at www.fayettegives.org. Some prizes will be awarded to charities that raise the most money or have the most donors within a specific hour, and other prizes will be awarded to a randomly selected charity that receives a donation within a specific hour. Prize winners will be listed on the Fayette Gives website each hour, and some prizes will have three winners – one in each size category of small, medium, and large.
“We’re grateful to the sponsors who make these extra dollars possible for the charities!” said Couser.
Community Sponsors: Charity Fund; Swimmer Family. Generosity Sponsors: COE Distributing; Nemacolin; Specialty Conduit and Manufacturing. Humanity Sponsors: Columbia Gas/NiSource Charitable Foundation; First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Greene County; Montgomery Medical; Uniontown Walmart Supercenter; Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, Highlands Wealth Management; WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital.
More information can be found at www.fayettegives.org. Check donations are being accepted now with a Check Contribution Form, and online donations will be available on November 7 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Oct 7, 2024 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Photo courtesy of DVSSP from their Board Training
Around each corner was a touch of purple and a smiling face during a site visit to Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA (DVSSP). Their signature purple color raises awareness of domestic violence, and their team provides safe housing, counseling, legal advocacy, and other critical services to those who are abused or being threatened with abuse. To support their impact in the community, the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) has awarded DVSSP two capacity building grants from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund.
In 2023, the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund grant provided a half-day training for board members and a six-session training for the soon-to-be CEO. At the time of the grant, DVSSP was preparing for a transition of CEOs and was looking to provide additional education that would “position the organization for future growth and maturity”.
Megan Hegedus started her role as CEO in 2024, and her training was developed specifically for new or emerging Executive Directors and CEOs, addressing the various elements of being a nonprofit CEO. She explained that Nonprofit Sidekick, the facilitator of the trainings, also helped board members identify their strengths and how to use them to best support DVSSP’s work.
DVSSP staff members
In 2024, DVSSP was awarded a capacity building grant to update the office computers at their Fayette County Safe House. “It becomes problematic when we are trying to enter reporting information or complete time-sensitive tasks, and our outdated computers are running so slow that staff struggle to access the programs they need,” said Hegedus.
“The stronger our local nonprofits are, the stronger our entire community will be. CFFC is happy to provide funding for tools and resources that will help,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
Aside from competitive grant awards, DVSSP receives annual grants from CFFC’s Strawberry Patch Fund, a fund that was created through an estate gift to support designated charities in perpetuity. This endowment has granted over $21,000 to DVSSP through yearly distributions.
DVSSP is headquartered in Brownsville and serves Fayette, Greene, and Washington Counties. To raise money for their services to Fayette County, they have participated in Fayette Gives for the past fours years and have raised over $10,000.
CFFC is happy to support local nonprofits like DVSSP through various philanthropic efforts, thanks to the many people who join in charitable giving.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Sep 12, 2024 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) has been selected to participate in the Appalachian Regional Commission‘s (ARC) READY Community Foundations, which provides a no-cost, six-week training program to enhance our programming, operations, fundraising, and financial impact in Fayette County, PA. CFFC is one of thirty (30) community foundations chosen for the program, and one of five (5) serving Appalachian Pennsylvania.
Two CFFC staff members will participate in six weeks of virtual, cohort-based training courses to strengthen CFFC’s financial and endowment management, community-rooted fundraising, grantmaking, mission and strategy development, and more.
“ARC remains committed to providing our Appalachian communities with the resources they need to build toward a prosperous future, including training to strengthen community foundation capacity,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “Through the training provided by READY Community Foundations, Appalachia’s philanthropic organizations will be better able to respond to community needs and foster economic development in the areas they serve.”
“This program aligns perfectly with our new Strategic Plan, addressing items related to staff training, capacity building, and growing our foundation’s impact. We look forward to better serving and supporting Fayette County, PA through the takeaways that this opportunity will provide!” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
Following completion of the training, CFFC will apply for up to $25,000 (no match required) for an internal capacity-building project that will bolster our philanthropic impact in Fayette County, PA.
Supported with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, READY Community Foundations is the fourth and final track under ARC’s capacity-building initiative, READY Appalachia. Since July 2022, READY Appalachia has provided training and access to funding to 41 Local Development Districts (LDDs), 75 nonprofits, and 90 local government entities to help them better serve their communities.
