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 “It becomes problematic when we are trying to enter reporting information or complete time-sensitive tasks, and our outdated computers are running so slow that staff struggle to access the programs they need,” said Hegedus.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 | Building a Stronger Fayette
“Over the years, I’ve learned that students learn best when they are having fun and completely involved and engaged in their learning,” said Michelle Mowry, Kindergarten Teacher. Mowry teaches at Bullskin Elementary, part of Connellsville Area School District. In 2023, the school was awarded a grant from the Idea Fund, held at the Community Foundation of Fayette County, to enhance Mowry’s classroom.
The grant provided funds for felt story boards, puppets, and building blocks for hands-on learning experiences. Mowry quoted students saying “This is the best ever!” and “It’s real life Minecraft!” (in reference to the materials to build structures).
Donor advised funds, like the Idea Fund, provide flexibility and ongoing involvement for the donor to support charitable causes. As part of the foundation’s fall grant cycle, the Idea Fund accepts applications from all school districts in Fayette County to help teachers achieve a level of creativity in the classroom that allows students of all learning styles to thrive. Particular attention is paid to applicants who demonstrate that the funds will be used to address the needs of students in the classroom who may not be top grade earners, can show the sustainability of the program, and are willing to go beyond traditional teaching styles to reach students.
If you would like to learn more about how you can support causes close to your heart, contact the Community Foundation of Fayette County at 724-437-8600.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Aug 7, 2024 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Microscopes are a staple of science class, and students at Lafayette Middle School got an upgrade with funding from a grant in fall of 2023. The Patricia and Robert Metz Educational Fund, held at the Community Foundation of Fayette County, awarded a grant to Uniontown Area School District for a new set of digital microscopes for Robert Schiffbauer’s middle school science classroom.
“In recent years, I have had to skip portions of lessons due to the fact that I did not have the necessary classroom tools. Rather than simply looking at images on the projection screen, students will now be able to explore and discover on their own and within small groups,” said Schiffbauer.
Seven digital microscopes were purchased to replace outdated and damaged microscopes in the school’s inventory.
The Patricia and Robert Metz Educational Fund is a donor advised fund that has awarded funding to enhance STEM education for local students. “After 40 years as a science educator, I wanted to give back to the community that launched my career. Helping to enhance teaching and learning through an annual grant to a Uniontown Area STEM teacher seems like a good start,” said Dr. Patricia A. Metz. “This year’s awardee taught me that microscopes have come a long way since I was a high school student!”
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jun 11, 2024 | Building a Stronger Fayette
The Burchinal Family Endowment Fund, held at the Community Foundation of Fayette County, has awarded over $25,000 to Fayette Emergency Medical Services (EMS) since 2019 for PPE gloves, portable radios, EMT training classes, and general operating support. With their most recent grant from the fund, Fayette EMS purchased Nitronox units – machines that are used to administer pain medications.
Matthew Knight, Fayette EMS Assistant Chief, at CFFC’s spring 2023 grants presentation
“Fayette EMS is beyond grateful for the grants awarded to us by CFFC. It is because of these extra funds that we are able to continue purchasing new and improved equipment to help us serve the residents of our community,” said Beth Burd, Fayette EMS Director of Finance & HR Coordinator.
Without a Nitronox unit, only Paramedics are able to give pain medications and they are sometimes called to a scene and are “out of service” to their current crew. Nitronox units enable Advanced EMTs to also give these medications. With Fayette EMS responding to over 20,000 calls per year, any opportunity to improve their care to residents is impactful.
“By receiving these units and allowing our Advanced EMTs to be able to give pain medications that currently only Paramedics can give, it will better allow us to keep our ambulances moving and staffed throughout the county,” explained Burd.
The Burchinal Family Endowment Fund supports charities that provide health and medical care for Fayette County residents. The Community Foundation of Fayette County is happy to steward this charitable fund, along with many others, in the efforts of building a stronger Fayette through philanthropy.
Watch this short video to learn more: https://youtu.be/F3l4RaRlGMc
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jun 5, 2024 | Building a Stronger Fayette
At Ben Franklin Elementary/Middle School: George Belch, Building Construction Instructor; Fayette CTI students who constructed Buddy Benches; Bernadette Ptak; Nate White, Instructional Supervisor
Think back to the excitement of the playground during grade school recess… the bright sunshine as you exit the school building, the smell of freshly cut grass, the feeling of mulch under your feet as you navigate through the jungle gym, and the energy of your classmates around you. Children may have some days when they feel isolated from all of that action though, and a local couple has worked with the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) to help.
The John and Bernadette Ptak Family Fund, held at CFFC, is a donor advised fund that was created by its namesake. The fund provided a grant for Buddy Benches at Ben Franklin Elementary/Middle School, Lafayette Elementary/Middle School, Marclay Elementary School, and Wharton Elementary School. One bench was installed at each of those four schools in the Uniontown Area School District.
Buddy Benches are used on school playgrounds as a way for students to signal to others that they are feeling lonely and need a friend to play with or someone to talk to. When a child sits on the Buddy Bench, other classmates are encouraged to invite that child to play with them.
The Ptaks knew they wanted to utilize their charitable giving to install Buddy Benches at local schools, and CFFC was ready to make that happen. Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director, reached out to Fayette County Career & Technical Institute (CTI) to ask if they could construct the benches. George Belch, Building Construction Instructor, said it was a go.
Fayette CTI students – six in particular – constructed the four benches. The John and Bernadette Ptak Family Fund grant provided funding for materials to construct the Buddy Benches.
When seeing a Buddy Bench for the first time, Mrs. Ptak gratefully said to the Fayette CTI students, “Thank you so much. You did a wonderful job.” The bench installations at the school playgrounds will serve as a tool for kindness for years to come.
Featured on KDKA-TV’s “Community Compass” segment: https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/video/four-buddy-benches-created-for-four-uniontown-area-school-district-playgrounds-community-compass/
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Apr 4, 2024 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Pictured: Stephanie Crable, Aging Director, and Sr. James Ann Germuska, Executive Director
Crosskeys Human Services delivers meals to around 200 elderly community members, helping seniors to live as independently as possible in their own homes. Their service area of Brownsville and Republic is very rural and widespread, traversing rough roads and unpaved driveways. “Two of our vehicles had to have major work done due to the rocky roads that are traveled in the delivery of the meals,” said Sr. James Ann Germuska, Executive Director.
The Mary and John J. Depcrymski Memorial Fund, held at the Community Foundation of Fayette County, awarded funding to help with transportation costs. Crosskeys has three vans that are used for homebound meal deliveries, and Sr. James Ann explained that vehicle maintenance is presenting major expenses, in addition to gas costs.
Crosskeys also serves seniors by providing “grab n go” meals at their Brownsville and Republic senior centers (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), and frozen meals to homebound seniors (Tuesday and Thursday).
Beyond their work with the aging community, Crosskeys runs a live-in rehabilitation program and a site-based program for adults with mental and/or psychiatric disorders, and a new youth program offers support in community-based sessions. They also have a supportive housing program, which is “designed to assist behavioral health consumers locate and/or maintain affordable, quality housing in the community of their choice.”
The nonprofit will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025, and they are continuing to develop new ideas for how to help the community and expand the reach of their programs. Through charitable giving, the Community Foundation of Fayette County is happy to support their impactful work in building a stronger Fayette. The Rendu Fund, held at the foundation, provides annual distributions to the organization – nearly $10,000 total since the fund’s creation in 2019.
“It is very uplifting to see how many foundations, like this one, who are willing to partner with nonprofits in providing service,” said Sr. James Ann.