FOUNDATION NEWS 2020

December 29, 2020

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Those words, from Helen Keller, underscore the benefit of charitable giving in a community. Greater Pike Community Foundation is pleased to highlight end-of-year giving from the Petersheim Fund and The Kontizas Fund.  Greater Pike Executive Director Jenni Hamill noted, “From these two donor-advised funds, eight nonprofit organizations received a total of $10,500. A donor-advised fund is a perfect way to make an end-of-year gift.”

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December 21, 2020

Marking fifty years as a resident and successful businessman, Greater Pike Community Foundation’s Board Chair James Pedranti has established a new fund: The Pedranti Family Charitable Fund. It is a long-term commitment of giving—not that he hasn’t been giving for a long time already. Back in 2010, Pedranti began floating the idea of a community foundation, which granted him two titles when Greater Pike was established in February 2012: Co-Founder and Board Chair.

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December 18, 2020

“From the time she was little,” said Regina Thoenig, “Amanda loved to draw, she loved painting, she loved photography—telling adults that when she grew up she wanted to be a ‘picture-taker’”. On December 20, 2019, Amanda was killed in a car accident at the age of 21 but Regina, Amanda’s mother, is turning her grief into a chance to help other young people realize their dreams.  In collaboration with Greater Pike Community Foundation, Regina established the Amanda Nicole Thoenig Memorial Scholarship Fund that will help graduating students in two area high schools pursue a career in the visual arts.

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November 9, 2020

A free and informative webinar for nonprofits, the second in 2020 co-sponsored by Greater Pike Community Foundation and Penn State Extension, will answer questions that have new levels of importance amid the COVID-19 crisis. The November 17th workshop, “Staying Engaged with your Donors and Volunteers” will focus on how to keep donors and volunteers engaged, and examine what kind of outreach is appreciated and appropriate, especially during a health crisis. The hour-long webinar begins at 8:30am. Peter Wulfhorst, Penn State Extension’s Economic and Community Development Extension Educator will lead the discussion.

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October 30, 2020

Nonprofit organizations have an opportunity to meet some of the most philanthropic funders in the area to learn about grant opportunities and the best ways to apply for them.  Co-sponsored by Greater Pike Community Foundation and Penn State Extension, “Meet the Funders” is a free hour-long webinar at 8:30am on November 10^th.

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October 8, 2020

The second round of grants from the Richard L. Snyder Fund at Greater Pike Community Foundation totals more than $47,000 and benefits nonprofit organizations that support maintaining and enhancing the public areas of the Borough of Milford; sponsorship of local arts, culture, festivals, and events; and medical research. This latest round follows grants of $22,000 issued in June to six area nonprofits—grants dedicated to helping address the COVID crisis in the greater Pike County area.

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October 2, 2020

Greater Pike Community Foundation awarded over $20,000 through five grants to area nonprofits in the final round of funding from the Greater Pike Covid Relief Fund.  This latest round concludes the Greater Pike COVID Relief Fund’s awards.  However, donations to help local nonprofits with emerging needs can be made to the Fund for Greater Pike, which serves the various and changing needs of the Greater Pike area, especially priority needs and emergencies within our community.

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September 15, 2020

Circumstances may have required Greater Pike Community Foundation to postpone its annual dinner until 2021, but certainly not the recognition due to its extraordinary honorees, Centa Quinn and Junior Dabashi.

While Greater Pike plans to hold its dinner and officially honor these two outstanding community leaders in 2021, there is no need to wait to recognize the importance of their service during these difficult times. Greater Pike Community Foundation is currently accepting donations in honor of Centa Quinn and Junior Dabashi and will notify them of all gifts made in their names. A donation to either one (or both) of these giving individuals can be made by check, payable to GPCF-FGP and mailed to Greater Pike Community Foundation, PO Box 992, Milford, PA 18337. Please indicate who the donation is honoring in the memo line so we can share accolades.

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August 21, 2020

The death of a loved one is an emotionally difficult time. Often important decisions must be made, including how to honor a loved one’s memory in a personally meaningful way. A new program through Greater Pike Community Foundation can help alleviate some of this burden by allowing families to choose how to direct contributions made in memoriam up to one year after a loved one’s passing.

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August 17, 2020

Thousands more dollars in grants have been awarded to qualified nonprofit and government organizations from the Milford Covid Relief Fund, (MCRF) administered by Greater Pike Community Foundation. The grants will help offset the decline in donations, memberships, and fundraising resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. In the latest round, $7,000 dollars in grants were equally distributed to Pike County Historical Society, Pike County Library, Pike County Humane Society, Milford Shade Tree Commission, Milford Fire Department, Milford Garden Club, and the Delaware Valley Youth Sports League.

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July 31, 2020

Five scholarships, four families and two schools are the ingredients that went into helping young children and their families during a difficult time.  A total of five children are the most recent recipients of needed Pre-K scholarships with funding from Greater Pike Community Foundation.

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July 13, 2020

A new fund administered by Greater Pike Community Foundation for Safe Haven of Pike County, Inc., will help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault put down roots and begin a new life.

When, after 28 years, Safe Haven of Pike County, Inc., decided to permanently close its doors last fall, the domestic violence and sexual abuse prevention center (formerly known as Survivors Resources) wanted to leave more than a memory of its years of advocacy and victim support; it wanted to leave a legacy.

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July 10, 2020

A small group of concerned residents in a small town can do big things in the face of a global health pandemic.  In March, a group helping to organize the community’s response to COVID-19 reached out to Greater Pike Community Foundation to set up a pass-through fund to assist individuals, businesses, and nonprofits in and near Milford Borough that have been adversely affected by the pandemic.

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June 29, 2020

A deserving single mother got some needed help in paying for her son’s preschool tuition with funding from Greater Pike Community Foundation.  Three-year-old Justin Ross received a Pre-Kindergarten scholarship for full tuition at Green Trees Early Learning Center in Milford.  Jessica Ross, a registered nurse, said she was “grateful and appreciative,” adding, “I’ve been basically supporting our family and paying the mortgage by myself.  I was almost in tears when I saw the letter.  I thank Greater Pike Community Foundation and all the donors who helped make it possible.”

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June 29, 2020

Six graduating students from Delaware Valley High School each will receive $3,000 as the first recipients of the Kyle James Pascoe Memorial Scholarship Fund. The fund was created by Sharon Marks in honor of her son, a popular classmate who died in a tragic car accident in 2018 shortly after starting his junior year. This June, Kyle would have graduated with his classmates, so these awards are particularly poignant. 

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June 26, 2020

Another five area nonprofits are getting support in their efforts to alleviate hardships caused by the pandemic. Grants totaling $16,500 have been awarded by the Greater Pike Covid Relief Fund (GPCRF) to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church to help restock their food pantry, Habitat for Humanity to replenish its client fund, Milford United Methodist Church to continue its COVID outreach program, Tri-State Pregnancy Center for baby supplies, and The Cooperage Project, which received a grant for food assistance.

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May 24, 2020

Contributions continue to pour into the Greater Pike Covid Relief Fund (GPCRF) including a notable $25,000 donation from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.  Greater Pike Community Foundation Chair Jim Pedranti noted, “We were very pleased to receive this substantial donation from the Weinberg Foundation; it is sorely needed.”   Pedranti added, “It will help us support relief efforts both in the short and medium term as the Greater Pike region moves to overcome the harm inflicted by the pandemic.”

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May 5, 2020

Greater Pike Community Foundation is excited to announce the first recipient of the Ann Intili Morey Art Scholarship.  Abigail Reno, a senior at Delaware Valley High School, will receive $4000 towards her study of Theatre Production and Design at Temple University.

“She clearly is headed to a career involving her art talents,” said Ann Morey.  Morey, an artist in her own right, created the scholarship fund to help support a high school senior who plans to major in fine or applied art while attending a 2 or 4-year accredited college or university.  The applicants were required to submit an art portfolio to be judged by a small committee.  In announcing the award, Morey told Reno, “We were most impressed with your artwork, creativity, and choice of college.”

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April 29, 2020

Greater Pike Covid Relief Fund (GPCRF) is now accepting grant applications from qualified nonprofit and government organizations seeking support for their efforts in helping those harmed by the COVID epidemic in the greater Pike region. Eligible types of requests include food pantries, emergency relief programs, and other community resources such as health and social services.  To apply, please visit the grant application page of our website. Nonprofit representatives may contact Maryanne Monte (mamonte1@hotmail.com) for more information. Grant applications will be considered on a rolling basis, so it is recommended that applicants not delay.
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April 27, 2020

Greater Pike Community Foundation is offering Pre-K scholarships again this year, thanks to a $15,000 donation from Highmark Life Insurance Company, made possible through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. 2020 Pre-K scholarships will provide full or partial tuition for local children attending summer or school-year programs at the Center for Developmental Disabilities (CDD), Green Trees Early Learning Center, or The Ann Street School.
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April 24, 2020

Providing food for those in need has become an arduous and frustrating task—and today, often an impossible one. The Covid-19 pandemic has placed an unforeseen hardship on food pantries all over the country. That is why Greater Pike Community Foundation is pleased to be granting four of Pike County’s food pantries $2,000 each to help them help those suffering from the effect of the crisis.
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April 15, 2020

Greater Pike Community Foundation is pleased to acknowledge a $5,000 donation from Honesdale National Bank that will help to provide educational enhancements for students in science, technology, engineering and math (the STEM Program) in the Delaware Valley School District. The donation was made through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC).
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April 15, 2020

The Milford COVID Relief Fund (MCRF), a pass-through fund at the Greater Pike Community Foundation, has announced its first grant.

A donation of $4,000 has been made to the Community Outreach program at the Milford United Methodist Church to provide support to individuals who live or work(ed) in Milford Borough and are in need of assistance.
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April 13, 2020

Greater Pike Community Foundation today announced the earlier-than-usual availability of grants from the Richard L. Snyder Fund. The 2020 grant cycle has been dedicated to helping address the COVID-19 crisis in the greater Pike County area.
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April 6, 2020

The Barbara J. Buchanan Fund of Greater Pike Community Foundation is pleased to announce a total of $2500 in awards to help support four nonprofit organizations: Delaware Dancers, Kindred Spirits, Pike County Historical Society and TriVersity Center for Gender and Sexual Identity.
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March 31, 2020

The Milford Covid Relief Fund (MCRF) has been created to aid nonprofit service providers and organizations struggling with the health and economic effects of the coronavirus.

MCRF will provide support to nonprofits that are trying to meet the new and urgent needs that have affected Milford’s residents, business owners, and those who work in Milford.
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March 16, 2020

Greater Pike Community Foundation will postpone its 22nd Annual Community Workshop, which was scheduled for April 14th at the Pike County Training Facility.  The Community Workshop is an opportunity for local charities to network and spread the word about their work.
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March 12, 2020

Living in a rural area has its appeal: the natural beauty of the woods, the pristine lakes and rivers, and the wildlife are just a few of the highlights. It is what drew Bill Lovejoy and his wife to their retirement home in Shohola. But last Christmas, Lovejoy had what one might describe as a rude awakening. He was hit with the truth that where he lives, there is no local emergency medical service, local ambulance or local police.
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March 3, 2020

Ann Morey knows the value of a kind gesture—the kind that is impossible to forget.  It happened to her when she was in college at Penn State studying art.

“In 1958 as a freshman, I didn’t have enough funds to make it.  Then astonishingly, a school counselor said to me, ‘an anonymous donor is giving you $500 a year.’…”
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February 25, 2020

Greater Pike Community Foundation will once again host the 22nd Annual Community Workshop for nonprofit organizations.  It will be held on Tuesday, April 14th, 2020, at 8:30 am at the Pike County Training Facility, 135 Pike County Blvd., Lords Valley, PA 18428.
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February 25, 2020

Students studying science, technology, engineering and math in the Delaware Valley School District (DVSD) will continue to learn with educational program enhancements thanks to a partnership among Greater Pike Community Foundation, Dime and Wayne Banks, and the state of Pennsylvania.
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February 13, 2020

The Dime Bank donated $5,000 to Greater Pike County Community Foundation through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.
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February 5, 2020

Greater Pike Community Foundation announces that the total in grant awards from the Barbara J. Buchanan Fund is increasing for 2020 and that the period to apply for one of the Buchanan Fund “mini-grants” is now open.
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