Category: Uncategorized

Allentown, Pa., September 24, 2021—The Lehigh Valley Community Foundation (LVCF) recently honored Bernard J. Story, who served as President and CEO from 2012 to 2021, with the prestigious Vision in Philanthropy Award during the Fall Board of Associates meeting.

Erika Riddle Petrozelli, LVCF President and CEO was joined by Sandra L. Bodnyk, Chair of the LVCF Board of Governors, and Award Sponsor David Osborn, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley to present the Vision in Philanthropy Award to Story.

While presenting the award, Riddle Petrozelli noted, “Bernie Story’s distinguished tenure as President and CEO of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation from 2012 to 2021 has been marked by his wisdom, insight, and leadership, during key times of growth, transition, and community need. Bernie, for all you’ve done in service to the Community Foundation to improve the lives of those in the Lehigh Valley, on behalf of the Staff and Board of Governors, I present to you—the Vision in Philanthropy Award.”

Story began his tenure as President and CEO with the Community Foundation in 2012. Under his leadership, the Foundation’s total assets grew by nearly 90 percent, from $33 million to over $60 million. In addition, the number of charitable funds held at the Foundation grew by over 60 percent, from 160 funds to over 260 funds. Most notable, the annual grants made by the Foundation grew from just over $1 million to nearly $7 million, making the Community Foundation one of the largest funders of nonprofit organizations in the Lehigh Valley.

See the Video of the Award Presentation and Bernie’s remarks.

Earlier, Cindy Lambert, Chair of the Executive Committee of the Board of Associates, welcomed the group of over 100 people to the program. Erika Riddle Petrozelli, LVCF President & CEO, provided an update on LVCF activities and announced a new fund at the foundation.

“It is clear that cultivating the next generation of leaders is near and dear to Bernie’s heart,” Erika said. “For that reason, we are very happy to announce that LVCF established the Bernard J. Story Fund for Professional Development to honor Bernie and his passion for improvement. Bernie believes that a professional and successful organization supports growth opportunities for its staff. The Board has approved a $10,000 transfer into the Bernard J. Story Fund for Professional Development to honor Bernie’s vision and his impact on our Foundation.”

The program “Stories of Philanthropy” was a celebration of growth, philanthropy, and a bright future for the foundation and our region. It highlighted the focus, relationships, and vision of Bernie Story. LVCF invited five speakers to share their stories of how they have worked or partnered with LVCF.

The speakers included Charlie Marcon, former LVCF Board member and current fundholder; Judy Harris & Dolores Laputka of Norris McLaughlin, trusted advisors to LVCF and many philanthropists in the Lehigh Valley; Anne Reid, current Vice Chair of the LVCF Board and current fundholder; Shelley Brown of Easton’s State Theatre, current nonprofit leader and former LVCF Board member; and Trisha Higgins, current LVCF Vice President & CFO.

Click here to see the photos from the event on LVCF’s Flickr page.

Before the presentation of the Vision in Philanthropy Award, there was an appearance from “Kernac the Magnificent” Ellen Kern who roasted Bernie with a routine inspired the Johnny Carson character the Amazing Carnac.

See the video of Ellen Kern as Kernac the Magnificent

At the conclusion of the “Kernac’ routine, Ellen presented Bernie with a proclamation from Pennsylvania Senator Pat Browne congratulating him for his successful tenure as President and CEO of the Community Foundation.

Allentown, Pa., September 1, 2021—The Lehigh Valley Community Foundation and eight partner organizations are participating in the Philadelphia Federal Reserves’ Reinventing Our Communities (ROC) 2021 Cohort Program to strengthen the local economy by helping Allentown address structural racism and barriers to opportunity in the small business sector.

The ROC Cohort Program is a ten-month in-depth racial equity capacity building program for cross-sector community cohorts. The Allentown cohort will engage in equity training, community and economic development webinars, technical assistance, and a community of practice, leading to the development of an equity plan for addressing the challenge through the development of local solutions.

The Allentown cohort is a group of cross-sector community leaders who participate in workshops and peer learning that allow them to gain skills and create a tailored racial equity plan to address local challenges.  The Community Foundation’s Megan Briggs, Director or Community Investments serves as the cohort lead.  “What is unique about our group is it’s cross-sector involvement,” she noted. “Our group includes not only sector professionals, but also the voices of small business owners who understand the need and can help us move forward with a plan that can make a real difference in the community.”

Lehigh Valley Community Foundation is partnering with the City of Allentown, Community Action Development Corp. of Allentown, Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, The Rising Tide Fund, Martindale Center for the Study of Private Enterprise at Lehigh University and two Allentown small businesses – Visit Vans and Straight A Uniforms.

Allentown is one of four areas in Pennsylvania participating in the program. The others include Chester County, Lancaster, and York. Nationally, nine community cohorts from the Philadelphia, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Richmond, and San Francisco Federal Reserve Districts are participating in the 2021 ROC Cohort Program.

The Federal Reserve will provide equity training for the Allentown cohort to help them understand the unique systematic barriers faced by small businesses owned by people of color, so the group can envision long-term solutions. The group will receive economic development training on best practices, followed by providing technical assistance specially tailored for Allentown and surrounding region. Afterwards, Federal Reserve experts will assist the group as they devise a plan to help small, person-of-color-owned businesses overcome the barriers, including many that have been intensified by the Covid-19 Pandemic.

“Our work centers on supporting those who have been historically overlooked, underfunded, and economically impacted by the pandemic and systemic racism so that all residents can benefit from an inclusive, equitable plan for recovery,” Briggs explained.

Cohort member Shalanda Riddick owns Visit Vans LLC, a company that provides transportation to people who want to visit loved ones incarcerated in state prisons. She is eager to help other business owners who are experiencing similar challenges. “As an entrepreneur, as a small business owner and as a Black woman, I appreciate having a seat at the table,” Riddick said. “It’s a little early to know exactly where we are headed, but I know I’ll have a lot to offer.”

Megan Colon is the owner of Straight A Uniforms and an entrepreneur consultant specializing in helping people of color in business. She is pleased to be included in the Allentown cohort, a city which has a population where two-thirds identify as people of color, but only own roughly ten percent of the businesses.  “I could tell from the start that this isn’t something that’s just being done for show,” said Colon, “This is going to have a real impact in our community. I’m excited to see where we can take this.”

Each plan will be formulated to the needs of the businesses in that region, with the goals of securing support for Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)–owned businesses, such as access to loans; centering the best interests of BIPOC- owned businesses; cultivating relationships with key decision makers; increasing social capital; and increasing representation in key decision-making roles.

For more information, see the Allentown Cohort Profile (subject to change) and Allentown Data Set. General information on the program can be found on Philadelphia Federal Reserve website

Position Available: Assistant Director of Accounting

About the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation

The Lehigh Valley Community Foundation promotes philanthropy in order to improve the quality of life in our region, encourages collaboration among area philanthropists, and serves as a source of information and expertise regarding charitable giving.

Position Summary

The primary responsibility of this position is to assist the Vice President & CFO in managing and processing the core financial transactions of the Foundation (gifts, grants, and charitable funds) through use of the Foundation’s information management system.  Other responsibilities of this position include coordination with the Donor Services team regarding gifts and charitable funds; coordination with the Community Investments team regarding grants transactions; reporting to the Board of Governors and others as needed; and assistance with the human resources functions.

Responsibilities

• Utilize and maintain the various modules of the information management system (FIMS) to identify, capture, evaluate, retrieve, share, process and distribute grant, gift and financial information.  Research and implement data quality best practices and ways to implement and maximize use of FIMS.
• Lead staff for the gifts module and related processing functions in FIMS.  This includes data entry, depositing and recording gifts, maintaining gift records for donors and preparing gift acknowledgement letters.
• Lead staff for the accounts payable and grants modules and related processing functions in FIMS.  This includes vendor and grantee data entry and maintenance, check processing, preparing grant letters and coordinating contracted services and preparation of the annual Form 1099s.
• Manage operating procedures manuals.  Document and update accounting and operational processes as necessary to meet audit and fund administration requirements and to ensure compliance with regulatory or industry standards.  Make recommendations for new or improved procedures and controls.
• Assist with human resource functions including recording payroll, tracking employee time-off, benefits administrative functions and reporting.
• Assist the Community Investments department with tasks related to Foundation grant cycles and programs.  These tasks include grantee due diligence tasks and processing grant payments and letters.
• Undertake special projects as assigned or initiated by the CFO or CEO.

Desired Qualifications

• Four-year degree in accounting or finance or relevant experience in non-profit or fund accounting.
• Advanced computer skills and experience with database software, Microsoft Teams and Office 365 preferred.
• Strong creative, strategic, analytical and organizational skills with attention to accuracy, detail and follow through.
• Ability to manage multiple projects at a time. 
• Customer service orientation with excellent writing and oral communication skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and work independently toward the Foundation’s goals.
• Ability to work collaboratively, establish and maintain effective working relationships and honor confidentiality of donor and Foundation information.

Hours, Benefits & Wages

• Full-time position with flexibility.  Annual salary of $50,000.
• Some remote work permitted with a minimum amount of regular in-office hours on a weekly basis starting in September 2021.
• Three weeks paid vacation, 8 paid holidays and 8 personal days annually.
• Fully paid medical, vision and dental coverage with no waiting period.
• Life insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• 401k plan with employer contribution.
• Employer paid parking.
• FLSA & Employment Status
• Full-time exempt employee

How to Apply

If interested in applying for this position, please submit an e-mail detailing your interest in the position along with your resume to Trisha Higgins, Vice-President & CFO, at accounting@lvcfoundation.org.

The Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.

All applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, ancestry, physical/mental disability, medical condition, military/veteran status, genetic information, marital status, ethnicity, alienage or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Equal access to programs, services, and employment is available to all qualified persons. Those applicants requiring accommodation to complete the application and/or interview process should contact Trisha Higgins at accounting@lvcfoundation.org.

Allentown, Pa., June 21, 2021—The George T. Walker Charitable Fund at Lehigh Valley Community Foundation (LVCF) recently issued more than $396,000 in grants to support organizations that were important to the late George T. Walker of Monroe County in Pennsylvania. A donor designated fund at the Community Foundation, the George T. Walker Charitable Fund provides annual grants to organizations designated through the estate of George T. Walker in perpetuity. Grants from the Fund for 2021 included the following:

• American Red Cross – Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter
  General Operating – BioMedical Services – $41,480
• Deborah Hospital Foundation
  Capital Campaign – Deborah100: The Campaign – $50,00
• Effort United Methodist Church
  Outside and Inside Facilities Projects – $40,000
• Guiding Eyes for the Blind
  General Operating – $75,000
• Mount Pocono United Methodist Church
  Competitive Salaries /Technology Upgrade $40,000
• Salvation Army East Stroudsburg Corps
  Emergency Shelter/Housing Programs serving Monroe County, Pa. – $75,000
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
  Named Space at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – $75,000

The late George T. Walker of Monroe County in Pennsylvania discussed his charitable goals with his professional advisors in 2005, creating the parameters for a charitable fund at the Foundation which was funded by bequest upon his passing.  The George T. Walker Charitable Fund was established with his bequest in 2011.  “Mr. Walker specified that the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation has complete discretion, each year, regarding the amounts to be granted to each of these charitable organizations as well as the specific programs to be funded by grants from the Fund,” said Carrie Krug Nedick, LVCF Director of Donor Services. “We are pleased to make these grants to the organizations Mr. Walker held dear as the Foundation fulfills his charitable legacy.”

About George T. Walker

George T. Walker lived a humble life in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. He was very generous, and he was especially careful to support organizations doing so much for their communities without asking for reimbursement or charging fees. He wished to continue this legacy of “helping those who help others” after his lifetime. He sought guidance from his financial advisor and estate planning attorney on how to incorporate his charitable wishes into his estate plans. The legacy gifts resulting from his considerable estate had the potential for significant impact. His professional advisors recommended a charitable fund at Lehigh Valley Community Foundation as a way to give to organizations in perpetuity. Grants from the Fund are made to Mt. Pocono United Methodist Church, Effort United Methodist Church, the Salvation Army of East Stroudsburg, the American Red Cross of East Stroudsburg, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Deborah Heart and Lung Center, and Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

Allentown, Pa., May 26, 2021—The Edward and Inez Donley Fund at the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation (LVCF) recently distributed $90,000 to sixteen area nonprofit organizations.  Grants from the fund support organizations that promote self-sufficiency and achievement for marginalized children, individuals, and families by increasing education and literacy support.

Nearly all of the grants were awarded as general operating grants. Organizations receiving grants from the Edward and Inez Donley Fund include:

• Allentown School District (ASD) Foundation
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley
• Minsi Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America
• Boys & Girls Club of Allentown
• Communities in Schools of the Lehigh Valley
• Community Bike Works
• Girls Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
• Housing Association & Development Corporation
• Lehigh Valley Children’s Centers, Inc.
• Northeast Community Center
• Pinebrook Family Answers
• Da Vinci Science Center
• The Literacy Center
• The Neighborhood Center
• United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
• Valley Youth House Committee, Inc.

The Edward and Inez Donley Fund was established in 2018 with a $2 million dollar endowment from the Donley Foundation, a private grant-making foundation that was founded in 1987 through the generosity of Edward and Inez Donley and has a long history of providing grants to organizations who share their mission throughout the Allentown-Bethlehem area of the Lehigh Valley.

The fund at the Community Foundation largely supports previous Donley Foundation grantees in general operating awards. This approach applies to the FY2021 year only in order to ensure that the foundation transitioned support for these previously funded organizations responsibly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.  “As we look ahead to the future of grantmaking from the Edward & Inez Donley Fund we are adopting a foundation-wide strategy of community investment in youth and families as a main focus area of our foundation-directed grantmaking,” noted Megan Briggs, LVCF Director of Community Investments.  “Through our community leadership activities, we continue to build relationships with organizations that exhibit strong leadership, effective programming, and forward-thinking strategies.”

“At the Community Foundation, we offer the perfect solution for philanthropists, including other Foundations, who are looking for an effective vehicle to support community nonprofit organizations in any number of ways,” said Erika Riddle Petrozelli, Chief Executive Officer at LVCF. “As an alternative to a nonoperating private foundation, charitable funds are a flexible way for philanthropists to manage their charitable giving, creating an enduring, multigenerational family legacy with maximum impact. We are pleased that the Donley Foundation chose us to direct their charitable giving to help improve the lives of people in the Lehigh Valley.”

About the Donleys

Edward Donley was president and CEO at Air Products from 1966-1978, CEO from 1973-1986 and chairman from 1978-1986. He retired in 1986 but continued to serve on Air Products’ Executive Committee until 1992 following his term as chairman and CEO. With his wife, Edward Donley maintained a strong philanthropic presence in the Lehigh Valley. The Association of Fundraising Professionals, Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter, presented the couple with its distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award for Philanthropy in October 2011. See the full biography.  Learn more about the Donley Foundation at: https://www.donleyfoundation.org/.

Lehigh Valley Community Foundation is seeking a part-time Program Associate, arts & culture. The position reports to the Director of Community Investments and is responsible for managing the grant cycle of arts & culture funding, building and maintaining strategic relationships with the Lehigh Valley arts & culture nonprofit sector, and contributing to LVCF’s arts & culture community investments strategies.

Position Title: Program Associate, Arts & Culture

Position Summary

The primary responsibility of this position is to manage the grant cycle of arts & culture funding, build and maintain strategic relationships with the Lehigh Valley arts & culture nonprofit sector, and contribute to LVCF’s arts & culture community investments strategies. The position will specifically be responsible for serving as the key point of contact, administering grant funding, and ensuring full compliance with the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts’ PA Partners in the Arts program for Lehigh, Northampton, Monroe, and Carbon counties.

Minimum Requirements

• Serve as a representative of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, maintaining and supporting relationships and communication with community members, partners, and volunteers.
• Review and comprehend policies and grant guidelines to ensure overall compliance is met with the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts contract.
• Manage arts & culture grantmaking cycles and actively provide technical assistance to applicants and grantees served by and involved with Pennsylvania Council of the Arts partnerships, and LVCF arts & culture grant opportunities.
• Serve as the key staff liaison with an arts & culture grants committee.
• Track grant results, coordinate periodic file reviews, develop written reports and make recommendations to enhance the quality and effectiveness of Community Investments’ arts & culture strategies.
• Maintain and update contact lists of arts & culture community partners, arts & culture grantees, arts & culture calendar items, and arts & culture grant timelines. 
• Attend all Pennsylvania Council of the Arts required meetings and events.
• Visit regional nonprofit and partner organizations located in Northampton, Lehigh, Monroe, and Carbon counties.
• Organize and arrange arts-related events, workshops, and grant announcements.
• Manage the organization and maintenance of arts & culture community investments documents.
• Undertake special projects as assigned or initiated.

Desired Qualifications:

• Self-driven, ability to work independently and contribute to a team
• Life-long learner with growth mindset
• Project management skills
• Excellent with technology
• Great organizational skills
• Creative mindset
• Passion and curiosity for arts & culture
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to complete job tasks on time
• Knowledge of the Lehigh Valley arts & culture nonprofit sector is desired, but not required

Hours, Benefits & Wages

• The position is planned to begin in June 2021. It will require 20 hours per week.
• Compensation is $25.00 per hour.
• Working hours are flexible but some hours must be between 9 am – 5 pm Monday – Friday.
• Working from a remote location is possible, but the position will be required to have regular in-office hours on a weekly basis starting in August 2021.
• This position is grant funded.  The position is currently funded through August 2023.
• Paid time off is offered.
• The position is eligible to enroll in a 401k
• FLSA & Employment Status
• Part-time non-exempt employee, grant-funded position.

About The Foundation:

About the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation: The Lehigh Valley Community Foundation promotes philanthropy in order to improve the quality of life in our region, encourage collaboration among area philanthropists, and to serve as a source of information and expertise regarding charitable giving.

About the Community Investments Department: Community Investments maintains and expands the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation’s grantmaking functions. The principal responsibility of the Department is to create grantmaking strategy, administer and enhance the current grantmaking cycles. Community Investments works in conjunction with volunteer advisory committees to ensure the proper oversite and implementation of the Foundation’s high-impact grantmaking programs.

How to Apply

If interested in applying for this position, please submit an e-mail detailing your interest in the position and a resume to Megan Briggs, Director of Community Investments, at arts@lvcfoundation.org. If you would like to learn more about the position prior to submitting a resume, please feel free to contact Megan Briggs by e-mail.

The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.

All applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, ancestry, physical/mental disability, medical condition, military/veteran status, genetic information, marital status, ethnicity, alienage or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Equal access to programs, services, and employment is available to all qualified persons. Those applicants requiring accommodation to complete the application and/or interview process should contact Megan Briggs at  at arts@lvcfoundation.org.

Allentown, Pa., May 13, 2021—Lehigh Valley Community Foundation recently issued $195,000 in grants to four area nonprofits providing services for homeless veterans. The Lehigh Valley Homeless Veteran Fund grants support projects that address transitional and supportive housing needs of homeless veterans in the Lehigh Valley; veteran-centric case management:/counseling in relation to housing, employment, finance, and life-skills; or other veteran-oriented programs.

Nonprofit organizations receiving grants in 2021 include:

Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities Supportive Services for Veteran Families

Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL)
SALUTE (Support with Assistance, Learning, Unity, Transition and Employment)

New Bethany Ministries
Homeless Veterans Housing Assistance

Victory House of Lehigh Valley
Veteran Service-Intensive Transitional Housing Program

Lehigh County government established the Lehigh Valley Homeless Veteran Fund at the Community Foundation in 2019 to provide grants to charitable organizations for programs supporting homeless veterans in the Lehigh Valley. The county established a committee of five people with experience in veterans’ services or housing programs, finance and administration to allocate the money in grants to charitable organizations for services for homeless veterans in the Valley. In 2020, the Fund distributed $30,000 in grants to Catholic Charities, Safe Harbor of Easton, and Victory House for programs supporting homeless veterans.

This 2021 round of Lehigh Valley Homeless Veterans Fund grants were made possible thanks to state grant funding secured by Senate Appropriations Chairman Pat Browne (16th District) in 2020, which was the largest state commitment specifically targeted towards assisting homeless veterans in the Lehigh Valley.  “Tragically, many of our country’s brave men and women find themselves without stable housing or are living on the street,” Senator Browne said. “These resources from the Lehigh Valley Homeless Veteran Fund will help to ensure that pathways to sustainable housing, job placement and mental health services are available to our area’s homeless veterans’. I want to thank all of the community and agency partners throughout the Lehigh Valley working to help those who have courageously served our nation.”

“It’s been a struggle over the past several years to find funding to overcome the federal cuts,” noted Thomas Applebach, Director of the Lehigh County Office of Veterans Affairs and Chair of the committee that oversees the grants.“This money is helping our partner agencies sustain their programs to house our homeless vets and help to fund new and innovative programs,” he continued. “We thank Senator Pat Browne and the state of Pennsylvania for enabling us to provide these significant grants to support homeless veterans in our area.”

For more information or to make a gift to the fund, visit the Lehigh Valley Homeless Veterans Fund page on the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation website.

-end-

Media Contacts:

Michael Wilson
Director of Communications, Lehigh Valley Community Foundation
484-695-3277 wilson@lvcfoudation.org

Thomas L. Applebach, MPA
Director, Office of Veterans Affairs, County of Lehigh
610-782-3295 ThomasApplebach@lehighcounty.org

Matt Szuchyt
Deputy Director of Policy & Communications
Office of Senator Pat Browne
610-821-8468 mszuchyt@pasen.gov

Allentown, Pa., May 7, 2021—Lehigh Valley Community Foundation recently issued $30,000 grants from the Substance Use Disorder Fund to organizations providing substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services. The grants will support programs at two organizations that were also funded in 2020:

• Recovery Revolution, Inc. – ‘On the Road’ to Revolution project provides transportation with a CRS to treatment
• Humanitarian Social Innovations (as fiscal sponsor) – Bridge Beyond Addiction project provides rent assistance for those entering sober living centers

The grants were made possible through an area-of-interest fund established by Barry Kessler who along with the Community Foundation in 2020 embarked on an effort to better understand the opioid epidemic in the Lehigh Valley.  The Foundation engaged county governments and nonprofits addressing the issue, with the goal of identifying funding gaps where private philanthropy can make an impact. 

In February 2020, Lehigh Valley Community Foundation invited fourteen organizations to apply for multi-year grants to address specific areas in the substance use disorder field. The Foundation sought to support areas that are not typically funded by federal or commonwealth sources but that are in need of financial support. Grants were issued to three nonprofit organizations that were providing substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and/or recovery services. Two of those organizations were funded a second time as part of the initiative.

“The Community Foundation’s work with Barry Kessler has been a great example of the melding of donor interests and Foundation work,” explained LVCF’s Erika Riddle Petrozelli.  “We have received feedback from Mr. Kessler that he greatly appreciates the connection to the Community Foundation and value we provide.”

“Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, continued use despite harmful consequences, and long-lasting changes in the brain,” noted Barry Kessler. “I believe it is a road to human suffering on a scale only an addict can know. It could destroy the very fabric of our society and I want to help in a targeted way to address the problem. LVCF has helped me find a way to focus on this critical health issue.”

For more information on the Substance Use Disorder Fund, click here.

Allentown, Pa., March 30, 2021—The Upper Bucks Community Fund of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation issued $27,500 in grants to area nonprofit organizations. The Fund consists primarily of two area-of-interest funds. The Richard E. Gasser Fund and Erwin J. and Gertrude K. Neusch Fund are for organizations and programs primarily serving the Palisades, Pennridge and Quakertown School Districts in the Upper Bucks area.

These grants were made at the recommendation of the advisory committee for the Upper Bucks Community Fund, a geographic affiliate of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. “The Upper Bucks Community Fund Advisory Group carefully considered each application in accordance to the fund’s priorities,” said Megan Briggs, director of community investments at the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. “After a very thorough discussion about all the excellent applications, the Advisory Group worked together to recommend the final grant awards. Each member contributed their own depth of knowledge about the Upper Bucks region to award projects and programs that will increase the quality of life for Upper Bucks residents.”

The following organizations received grants for programs from the fund in spring of 2021:

• YMCA of Bucks County
  Upper Bucks Student Success Program
• Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
  DEI training on LGBTQ cultural awareness & equity for youth-serving agencies in Upper Bucks County
• Bucks County Opportunity Council
  Supporting Upper Bucks County, low-income clients working toward Economic Self-Sufficiency
• The “Drop” at the Quakertown Community Center
  The “Drop” at the Quakertown Community Center
• Quakertown Band
  Provide a safe and sanitary rehearsal environment for the Quakertown Band
• Heritage Conservancy
  Educating the Next Generation of Conservationists in Palisades School District
• National Inventors Hall of Fame, Inc.
  Camp Invention STEM, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Programs in Upper Bucks County
• Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
  FreeWill
• Palisades Community Foundation
  Palisades Community Foundation
• Quakertown Alive!
  2021 Arts Alive! Fine Arts Festival
• Quakertown Historical Society
  Burgess Foulke House/The Museum/Liberty Hall Labeling of Items on Display
• Riegelsville Public Library
  Art for Kids in the Summer

Learn more about the Upper Bucks Community Fund on the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation website.

About the Upper Buck Community Fund of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation

The Upper Bucks Community Fund of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, a geographic affiliate of Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, consists primarily of two area-of-interest funds. The Richard E. Gasser Fund and Erwin J. and Gertrude K. Neusch Fund are for organizations and programs primarily serving the Palisades, Pennridge and Quakertown School Districts in the Upper Bucks area. Recently added to Upper Bucks umbrella, The Bucks County Free Library Endowment Fund is an agency fund that benefits the seven-branch county library system with locations in Bensalem, Doylestown, Langhorne, Levittown, Perkasie, Quakertown, and Yardley-Makefield.

Allentown, Pa., March 24, 2021—Lehigh Valley Community Foundation recently issued grants that support professional development initiatives for nonprofit leaders in the Lehigh Valley. The grants were sent to the organization’s key leaders to be used at their discretion. They are the ones who know what activities best fit their organization’s needs. 

Organizations receiving the $2,000 grants for 2020-21 are:  

• Foundation of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of the Lehigh Valley, Inc. 
• Dress for Success Allentown 
• SELF LV 
• The Ortiz Ark Foundation 
• Unidos Foundation  
• Change Now Inc  
• Casa Oasis 

“We recognize the importance and impact that these professional development funds for nonprofit leaders are in helping ensure the continued growth and effectiveness of their organizations,” said Megan Briggs, director of community investments at the Community Foundation. “Too often professional development is the first thing to be put on hold as organizations shift funding to meet other priorities.” 

Learn more about community investment at the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation by visiting www.lvcfoundation.org.