State College, PA – August 9, 2023 – On August 2, local nonprofits that received Giving Circle grants in 2022 shared updates on their respective projects at Centre Foundation’s Giving Circle Impact Celebration. Held at the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub, this event invited Giving Circle members to hear updates from the three organizations they selected to receive a combined $23,000 in grants last year: Centre Volunteers in Medicine, the State College Food Bank, and Out of the Cold: Centre County.
Centre Volunteers in Medicine received a $4,000 grant for its Breast Health program. This program provides free early-detection screenings for breast cancer, which cover mammograms, ultrasounds, and other related tests. To qualify, individuals need to meet income guidelines, live or work in Centre County, and have no insurance or be underinsured. Last year, Centre Volunteers in Medicine provided 72 mammograms, five ultrasounds, and five biopsies through this program.
The State College Food Bank received a $6,000 grant for its No-Cost Produce Markets. These markets are hosted by the Food Bank, which provides free, local produce to Centre County residents. Because of this grant, the State College Food Bank added an extra market and purchased more produce from local farmers to distribute. During the markets in June and July of 2023, the Food Bank distributed 13,397 pounds of food, served 1,033 households and 2,740 individuals, and had 555 first-time visitors.
Out of the Cold received a $13,000 grant for its Permanent Shelter program. This project includes renovating its day shelter on 318 South Atherton Street into a permanent 24/7 shelter. The renovations consisted of building firewalls and sprinklers, expanding the number of bathrooms and showers, and creating wellness rooms for guests. So far this year, Out of the Cold has supported 147 individuals and they have three transitional apartments for guests who are transitioning into their own homes.
The Giving Circle is an opportunity for individuals to pool their contributions and decide which transformative community projects they want to fund. Members review proposals from local nonprofits and decide which three will proceed as finalists. The finalists present live pitches at the Giving Circle reception, and while all finalists receive grants, only one will receive the top award of $10,000.
“We are grateful to our Giving Circle members for making an incredible difference for these three nonprofits last year,” said Molly Kunkel, President and CEO at Centre Foundation. “Each one of these projects is important to the community and makes a huge difference in many people’s lives.”
Giving Circle grant applications are open for nonprofits until August 24. For more information, visit Centre-Foundation.org or reach out to Community Impact Director, Rachael Hartman at rachael@centre-foundation.org or 814-237-6229.
For more information on how to join the Giving Circle, visit Centre-Foundation.org or reach out to Development and Stewardship Director, Kerry Tolton at kerry@centre-foundation.org or 814-237-6229.
If you missed this event watch the recap video below!
