Announcing more than $455,000 in grant awards!

ADA F. HARR FUND 

This fund provides home health or custodial care to people living in their homes who are affected by illness or disability in Lancaster County.

Accessing Independence 

Independent Living Services Benevolent Fund for In-Home Personal Care

$32,300

This program provides financial assistance to low income individuals to receive in home services rather than going to a nursing home. The approval process can take up to 12 weeks. 90% of clients cannot pay privately and rely on the wavier program for services. The grant will support 17 low income clients who cannot afford to pay privately while they await approval.

 

THE ANNE C. & W. FRANKLIN RESSLER FUND

This fund supports programs working with residents in Eastern Lancaster County, exclusively in the geographic regions of Conestoga Valley School District, Eastern Lancaster County School District, and Pequea Valley School District.

Central Pennsylvania Food Bank

Providing Nutritious Foods to Our Eastern Lancaster Neighbors Experiencing Hunger

$10,000

Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (CFPB) believes no one should be hungry. Unfortunately, 1 in 10 Lancastrians live with food insecurity. Support from the Anne C. & W. Franklin Ressler Fund will help underwrite the cost of sourcing and distributing 225,000 pounds of food, including 10,000 pounds of healthy, delicious produce, to 1,600 of our Lancaster County neighbors experiencing hunger in the geographic areas of the Conestoga Valley, Eastern Lancaster County, and Pequea Valley School Districts in Eastern Lancaster County.

CrossNet Ministries

CrossNet Ministries Food and Nutrition Program

$8,900

CrossNet seeks to provide access to food and promote education and healthy living to individuals of all ages in the Eastern Lancaster County community who lack access to food.
-Community Food Pantry (providing nutritious food options for an average of 580 individuals per month)
-Free Summer Lunch Program (7,570 lunches served to an average of 130 students)
-Buddy Bag Program (weekend meal solution for children grades K-6, which served up to 178 students weekly)
-CrossNet Meal Packs (weekend meals for an average of 70 children, and their families)

Union Community Care

Pequea Valley School-Based Health Center

$10,000

Union Community Care is launching a School-Based Health Center in Pequea Valley School District to increase access to high-quality care in areas with limited access to health services. The new health center at Pequea Valley Intermediate School (166 South New Holland Rd, Kinzers PA 17535) will specialize in preventive care, chronic disease management, acute care, wellness visits, and behavioral health care services for both students and community members. By partnering with the local school system to break down barriers to care, they aim to ensure the health and well-being of the whole community.

 

BETTER LANCASTER FUND (Early Childhood Development)

Supports programs that increase early childhood development for children from birth to age five.

Hands-on House, Children’s Museum of Lancaster

Infant and Toddler Exhibits

$15,300

In the past twelve months, we welcomed 3,354 children under the age of 2, but our exhibits are designed for children ages 2 and up. We are seeking funds to provide exhibit space specifically for infants and toddlers. Funds would be used for soft play exhibit components, padded floors and play mats, and materials for developing gross motor skills. We have 2 full-time and one part time certified teachers on staff to build programming and ensure age-appropriate learning experiences. Dedicated space for our youngest visitors will also help to ensure a safer environment for kiddos,

Lancaster Science Factory

Pre-K Partnership Program

$10,000

Over the course of the 2022-23 school year, they seek to bring pre-K students from partner agencies to the Science Factory four times for a series of hands-on science and engineering activities. As a way to reduce costs, maximize funding, and best utilize the resources of the Science Factory, they propose welcoming up to 40 students at a time, with round-trip busing provided. While 20 students are participating in the workshop, the other 20 will have time to explore the exhibit hall, then they will switch. This will reduce set-up/teardown time, and limit the number of buses needed.

 

FLORENCE STARR TAYLOR FUND FOR THE VISUAL ARTS, LANCASTER ARTS AND CULTURE FUND, & ELOISE AWARD FUND

This fund provides support to visual arts programs in Lancaster County, with a preference given for those that serve underrepresented or underserved groups in our community.

YWCA Lancaster

Black Artist Waystation

$13,7000

This grant will support the second annual Black Artist Waystation. YWCA Lancaster will choose emerging artivists (Artist + Activist) to support in their creation of new pieces connected to the Black Lives Matter Movement. Black Artist Waystation explores the link between Lancaster as a waystation on the Underground Railroad and the freedom seekers who rested here; to the struggle for freedom that continues today, including the Black Lives Matter movement and the many moments in between of excellence, beauty, and joy. For this program, a monetary honorarium will be provided to the artists and supplies will be paid for.

 

THE JOHN. J. SNYDER FUND

This fund supports efforts around Lancaster and Cumberland County to assure the historical preservation and restoration of important landmarks. Grant funds may be used for the “unglamorous things” necessary to upholding the legacy of historical structures such as painting, roof repair and replacement, electrical repair and replacement, and other efforts of preservation.

Tenfold (Formerly Tabor/LHOP)

Restoration and Renovation of Tenfold’s Historic TLC building

$105,000

Tenfold is undertaking a major restoration and renovation of its TLC shelter located in the City of Lancaster. The 5-story, 52-unit building provides temporary shelter and supportive services for families and individuals experiencing homelessness. Built in 1910 as “Hotel Weber,” the building displays early 20th century commercial architecture and is the only hotel structure in downtown Lancaster built between 1890 and 1920 still serving its original purpose as temporary housing. A grant from the Community Foundation will be used to restore and preserve the building’s original historic façade.

 

KATHERINE K. GAETH FUND 

This fund provides funding for human service support that offers a direct benefit to clients, such as housing needs and home modifications, utilities, home care assistance, and food access.

Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity

Lancaster Lebanon Habitat Project Manager

$24,200

Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity is expanding its programs by building or renovating 30 affordable homes over the next 5 years—a 50% capacity increase. The most impactful way to serve more people is to hire an additional Construction Project Manager and provide them with the tools & resources they need to do the job. Clients directly benefit when we build more homes, and this program will increase that ability by 33%. The PM is a teacher and mentor for homebuyers & volunteers, who work together to affect change. They help develop a deep understanding of home maintenance and build valuable community relationships.

 

LANCASTER ENVIRONMENTAL FUND

This fund encourages environmental protection, conservation, and environmental education efforts through investigating, exploring, studying, and evaluating new, useful, and efficient methods, procedures, and technologies relating to resource conservation, waste management, and protection of the environment.

Lancaster Conservancy

River Hills Conservation Area Gateway & Access Development

$12,600

The Lancaster Conservancy will develop a concept plan for a parcel of its Fox Hollow Nature Preserve to improve public access to multiple popular public open spaces and passive recreation opportunities including the Fox Hollow Nature Preserve (FHNP) for hiking and nature study, State Gamelands #288 for wildlife viewing and hunting, a section of the regional Conestoga Trail that traces the path of the historic Pequea Trolley Line, and the Pequea Creek as the last take-out or portage before the dangerous Suzy’s Hole rapids.

Lancaster Farm Sanctuary 

Inspiring Sustainable Food Systems in Lancaster County

$20,000

Animal agriculture is a leading cause of the global climate crisis. In addition to being a leading cause of GHG emissions, animal agriculture negatively impacts biodiversity, soil erosion, water eutrophication, and ocean dead zones (Poore, 2019). Lancaster Farm Sanctuary is the only non-profit agency in Lancaster County that fully addresses the environmental degradation caused by animal agriculture and this grant will build an education program which would serve high schools, colleges and libraries around the county to build awareness around these issues.

 

PATRICK KENNEY, JR. MEMORIAL EDUCATION FUND & K.L. SHIRK MEMORIAL FUND

This fund supports programs that fight hate and bigotry while seeking social justice for the most vulnerable members of Lancaster County, through internships, scholarships, workshops, and education.

Bench Mark Program

Student Leadership Program (SLP)

$5,000

Bench Mark’s Student Leadership Program (SLP) is a training ground for our next generation of community leaders. It is a two-year program that creates a first-employment experience for a number Bench Mark students who otherwise would not find a job. SLP students are hired into part-time roles after completing one of Bench Mark’s various programs. They are trained as peer mentors to assist within the programs that they’ve already completed and work to increase their responsibilities, compensation and employment/life skills. Upon completion, they are excellent candidates for a variety of jobs.

Leadership Lancaster

New Americans Leadership Academy

$10,000

Leadership Lancaster wishes to partner with the IU-13 and CWS to start a culturally-sensitive Leadership Academy for members of our refugee and immigrant communities. This new program would connect members of local immigrant groups to mentors; teach them how to advocate for themselves and their neighbors; familiarize them with local rules, laws, and systems; understand what resources are available; and help them preserve their cultures while they also work to integrate into life in Lancaster. Leadership Lancaster hopes to then connect these community members with leadership opportunities.

 

SAM AND VERDA TAYLOR FUND FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

This fund supports performing arts programs in the Lancaster County community, with a preference given for those that serve underrepresented or underserved groups in our community.

Imani Edu-Tainers African Dance Company

Olutoju Asa “Culture Keepers”

$16,300

Their mission and ongoing community efforts, underpinned by the performing arts, primarily focus on restoring and preserving the diverse, rich, and abundant history and cultures of West Africa. The funds would be used to expand knowledge and repertoire of traditional West African dances and drum rhythms. This can include funding new drums for our new students/company members, costuming and props for the dancers’ performances, master instructors coming from West Africa to teach dancers face-to-face, and additional resources.

Music for Everyone

Access to Music for Immigrant and Refugee Youth

$12,300

Access to Music for Immigrant and Refugee Youth will provide piano lessons to immigrant and refugee youth in Lancaster County. A continuation of 2021, MFE will continue to partner with the West End Mennonite Fellowship to provide free piano lessons for any child who wants them. Funds will be used to provide piano lessons, portable keyboards for the students to take home and practice and accompanying lesson books. Funds will also be used to provide safe transportation for students. The program includes two free, open to the public recitals in December 2022 and Spring 2023.

Six grants of $25,000 each

Advoz Mediation and Restorative Practices

Growing the Diversity of Representation Inside and Outside of Advoz

“Since 2020 we identified how unrepresentative our organization was of the 65% non-white youth in our juvenile restorative justice programs. We noticed that our board was also significantly underrepresenting the people we served. We believe that since we serve such a diverse range of constituents, it is important for us to undertake a significant review of our operations and make necessary changes so that those groups who are influenced by the way we work, have a say in what we do. We wish to bring in external facilitators of color to Advoz to assess our methods and processes and give feedback.”

Epilepsy Foundation Eastern Pennsylvania (EFEPA)

Epilepsy Care Equality Efforts

“The Epilepsy Foundation Eastern PA recognizes the importance and value of having accessible and inclusive messaging, materials, programs, and support for all. Epilepsy can affect any age, race, gender, and ethnicity. As such, it is of critical importance that our services resonate with all constituents. We are committed to integrating the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our mission. Our leadership pledges to embrace standards of fair treatment, access, and opportunity, as well as address barriers that prevent full participation, in our workplace and in our services.”

Hope Within Ministries 

Minimizing Misunderstanding in Medical, Dental and Counseling Services

“Hope Within Ministries is the umbrella organization for Hope Within Community Health, Counseling and Dental programs. We offer free primary medical care, some specialty care, dental care & counseling to the inhabitants of Lancaster, Lebanon and Dauphin Counties who are uninsured. Many patients are immigrants, asylees or refugees that hail from a variety of countries and they speak a myriad of languages. These circumstances make it difficult to accurately collect medical history etc. Through this grant, we hope to obtain translation services for our documents & for in-person visits.”

MidPenn Legal Services

Balancing the Scales: Sustainable Approach for Health and Wellness Within Communities of Color

“Undertaking Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion work, must be done in a strategic and thoughtful way at all levels within our organization, so we can improve outcomes for our clients, communities, and staff. Our approach to achieving diversity, equity and inclusion is rooted in the principle of access to justice and equality. If awarded, funding will be used to 1) Engage a DEI consultant; 2) Train Lancaster staff on historical and structural racism, DEI, Implicit Bias, Racial Justice, cultural sensitivity & understanding; and 3) Develop a Diversity and Equity Strategy for MidPenn Lancaster County.”

Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center

PIRC Equity and Inclusion: Implementation for Long Term Impact

“The goal of the project is to build on work completed during PIRC’s Roadmaps to Success Project funded by the LCCF. We will utilize knowledge and insights gained through the 2021 Equity & Inclusion Program to create an implementation plan alongside PIRC’s Strategic Plan Goal of “advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion organization-wide”. The goal of this work is to meaningfully embed equity practices across our CBO, so that the way we organize ourselves and our practices reflect who we want to be as an organization, and what we seek for the communities we serve.”

PRiMA Arts Inc

Expanding our Community-Centric Equity & Inclusivity

“Prima Theatre is and has always been committed to reflecting the diversity of the Lancaster Community on its stage and its programming. To do so, continued organizational training is necessary to make significant steps forward in creating an equitable creative environment that welcomes diversity with open arms. Through the 2022 Equity & Inclusion Program, Prima will expand and build upon our desired equity outcome: “To gain more racial and disability equity to create a space that is welcoming for all,” which was derived from staff & cohort participation in the 2021 Equity & Inclusion program.”