by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Mar 12, 2024 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Pictured: Mark A. Smith, CEO; Annette Buffer, Board President; SueAnne Antonucci, Board Member
When Mon Valley Academy for the Arts (MVAA) learned that capacity building grants were available in spring 2023, it struck a chord. The organization had purchased the former American Legion in Brownsville to open a new location, called the Peter J. Daley Cultural Center, in addition to their space in Charleroi. The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) awarded a capacity building grant, from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund, to support their purchases of office supplies and equipment.
As you enter the building, your eyes scan from late Brownsville band director Sammy Bill’s hand-written music and photos displayed on the wall, to the mural of black and white photos of entertainers who performed at the Twin Coaches in Rostraver. Their upstairs space has a renovated practice area and rooms for music lessons. Among the musical instruments, chairs, and music stands, MVAA’s appreciation of history and their passion for gathering the community around music is palpable.
The nonprofit aims to inform, entertain, and engage the community -and region- in lifelong learning and cultural experiences for all ages. MVAA offers musical instruction, art exhibits, a free summer concert series, various ensembles for musicians and singers, and more. With the expanded space available for instruction and performances, they anticipate 150-200 Fayette County students to participate in art and music programming each year.
CFFC’s capacity building grant helped MVAA set up the Peter J. Daley Cultural Center with office equipment essentials, including a phone, laptop, printer, dry-erase board, shelving unit, notepads, pencils, and binders.
“The CFFC grant award this year had a major impact on the record keeping and daily activities of the Mon Valley Academy for the Arts. Without the capacity grant and the office equipment purchased, MVAA’s track to self-sustainability would be a much longer and a more difficult objective,” said Mark A. Smith, CEO of MVAA. In April, they will celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Peter J. Daley Cultural Center.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Feb 6, 2024 | Building a Stronger Fayette
“Our mission is to best serve our community. To do that, we need to pay attention to detail, refine what we’re currently doing, and plan for the future. This grant helped us do those things,” said Steve Strange, Executive Director at East End United Community Center (EEUCC). The nonprofit hosted a Board Retreat in 2023 with funding from the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC).
Steve Strange, EEUCC Executive Director, at the CFFC spring 2023 grant presentation
EEUCC’s mission is to advance the growth and well-being of our community by providing individuals with educational, social, cultural, and economic opportunities. The center has recently seen an increase in their daycare program and out-of-school time programming. With the addition of multiple new board members in recent years and planning for a building expansion, Strange explained that the Board Retreat was an opportunity to “become more intentional in refining long-term planning”.
The funds were awarded through CFFC’s capacity building grant cycle of the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund. “This CFFC grant allowed us to work with Nonprofit SideKick to strengthen our board,” said Strange, referencing a consulting company that works with nonprofits.
CFFC is happy to support the work of nonprofits like EEUCC. Through philanthropy, the foundation is able to aid their efforts in building a stronger Fayette.
Group photo submitted by East End United Community Center.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Aug 22, 2023 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Uniontown Area School District was awarded a fall 2022 grant from the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC)’s Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund to purchase cookware and cooking equipment for Family & Consumer Sciences. “Cooking projects allow for so much learning – independence in daily living skills, tolerance of new foods/textures/smells, math concepts, science skills, and literacy competency – all of this can be encompassed in one lesson,” said Kim Zebro, Family & Consumer Sciences teacher.
Zebro teaches at Lafayette Middle School, Ben Franklin Middle School, AJ McMullen Middle School, and Uniontown High School. Purchasing new equipment has helped provide a more consistent set-up for classes at each of the four schools. Missing or old supplies were upgraded with new items that are cleaner and safer. The grant was awarded from the Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund, held at CFFC, and enabled the purchase of measuring cups, pots and pans, utensils, mixing bowls, cutting boards, spatulas, baking sheets, knife sets, and more.
“Throughout cooking, the students are learning to multitask, delegate tasks, communicate with each other, follow directions, and prepare foods,” explained Zebro. Since all of the purchased items are reusable, they will be tools for learning for multiple school years.
“The foundation is able to support local education in a variety of ways. We award scholarships for students’ post-secondary education, but we also award grants to schools and programs that enhance learning opportunities for students, from elementary school and up. There are many ways to make an impact with charitable giving,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
To learn more about how you can support local education through charitable giving, contact CFFC at 724-437-8600 x1.
All photos are submitted by Uniontown Area School District.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jul 11, 2023 | Building a Stronger Fayette
John Lewis preaching for the first time, Rosa Parks singing a tune about “good trouble”, Martin Luther King, Jr. sharing inspiring words… these are all scenes that local students witnessed during a performance from the Pittsburgh CLO. Since 2014, the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) has provided grants to bring the Pittsburgh CLO’s “Gallery of Heroes” series to Fayette County students, through a Donor Advised Fund. The series of educational and entertaining mini-musicals highlight significant historical figures.
In February, students gathered for “Hero: The Boy from Troy”, which told the story about John Lewis and how his heroes in the Civil Rights movement inspired him to protest injustice and get into “good trouble”. In attendance were fourth and fifth graders from Albert Gallatin, Brownsville, Laurel Highlands, and Uniontown School Districts and students from St. John the Evangelist Regional Catholic School, grades four through eight. They saw historical figures come to life on stage and participated in a short Q&A session with the cast after the performance.
There are many ways to build a stronger Fayette, and CFFC is happy to provide personalized donors services to help each donor with their charitable giving goals. “Charitable giving enables the community foundation to support special educational experiences like this. We’re happy to provide funding for programs that our donors are passionate about,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Apr 18, 2023 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Mountain Watershed Association (MWA) purchased materials for a newly developed Equipment Resource Library with funding from the Jack and Diane Hughes Family Fund, held at the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC). “With the generous support of this grant, MWA is able to provide supplies and equipment for outdoor education and recreation within the Youghiogheny River watershed,” said Hannah Spencer, Program Development Manager.
MWA purchased items to create eight themed “activity backpacks” that contain a story book, guided activities, writing supplies, and other educational supplies based on four themes: winter ecology, trees, bugs, and nature fun. Each theme has a backpack with activities focused on ages 3 to 6, as well as a backpack with activities for ages 6 and up.
They also purchased detailed trail maps of the Laurel Highlands, field guides, binoculars for both adults and youth, and educational curriculum books for various environmental education topics. These materials and the activity backpacks are available to loan out, free of charge, as part of MWA’s Equipment Resource Library. They welcome local residents, visitors to the Laurel Highlands, and educators in the area to utilize these resources as part of their efforts for ecology education and outreach.
“We hosted one community workshop and participated in two well-attended community events with the resource library materials purchased through this grant,” explained Spencer, while sharing plans to continue promoting the Equipment Resource Library as a valuable asset to environmental education.
MWA’s mission is to protect, preserve, and restore the Youghiogheny River watershed and its broader communities through conservation, recreation, education, and advocacy. CFFC is happy to support their mission through philanthropy.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Mar 28, 2023 | Building a Stronger Fayette
The Community Foundation of Fayette County’s Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund awarded a grant to Hatfield Elementary School for a book vending machine. CFFC was happy to join students, faculty, and PTO members at the ribbon cutting on March 10, 2023. Students used tokens to select the first books from the vending machine.
“Students will have the opportunity to earn vending tokens based on the PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program. Now, all Hatfield students will have the opportunity to grow their own personal libraries, foster a love of reading, and improve test scores.” – Heidi Mears, Principal
The Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund awards grants for the puchase of reusable items to enhance classrooms, both for Laurel Highlands School District and Uniontown Area School District.