NEPA Gives Raises Over $1.2 Million in 24 Hours for 227 Nonprofits On Thursday, June 1, into Friday, June 2, 2023—in just 24 hours—227 local nonprofit organizations across eight counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania worked together to collectively raise a total of $1,211,399 for the fourth annual NEPA Gives. This year, a record-breaking number of donors contributed to the total amount raised, with 6,211 donors taking part in NEPA Gives.Promoted as the largest philanthropy event in Northeastern Pennsylvania, NEPA Gives was hosted by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, in partnership with The Luzerne Foundation, Wayne County Community Foundation, Greater Pike Community Foundation, Carbon County Community Foundation, Posture Interactive, and other community sponsors to raise awareness about the critical work nonprofit organizations carry out across the region and to help charitable organizations raise much-needed funds.Adding to the excitement, to celebrate NEPA Gives, the Scranton Area Community Foundation also hosted a free, all-ages in-person event on Friday evening, June 2, at the Hilton Scranton Conference Center to coincide with First Friday Scranton. The ‘Give Gathering’ celebration included live entertainment including music by Black Tie Stereo, giveaways, real-time and live-streamed updates on NEPA Gives with Chris Strub, known nationally as ‘The Giving Day Guy’, and opportunities for the general public to meet many of the participating nonprofits. A NEPA Gives kickoff event was also hosted by the Luzerne Foundation, Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Scranton Area Community Foundation on Thursday evening, June 1, at Rodano’s in Wilkes Barre. There was also a NEPA Gives event at the Settlers Inn in Hawley, sponsored by the Settlers Cares Foundation in partnership with Wayne County Community Foundation and Pike County Community Foundation.Additionally, to celebrate the giving day, Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti made an official proclamation declaring June 1-2, 2023 as NEPA Gives Day.“NEPA Gives is all about supporting the charities that are doing important work right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Laura Ducceschi, President and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation. “We had a record-breaking year with over 6,200 generous donors supporting NEPA Gives this year providing support for hundreds of local charitable organizations,” she added.Over 6,211 donors generously supported NEPA Gives. NEPA Gives was also generously supported by numerous sponsors including Coterra, Hawk Family Foundation, Moses Taylor Foundation, Fidelity Bank, Neighborly, Lamar Advertising, Schwartz Mack Foundation, Women in Philanthropy, the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative, the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, and many others.“People that want to move here, come here, or stay here in Northeastern Pennsylvania want to know that this is a community that cares and the entire network of social service activity speaks to that and the generosity of this community,” said Bob Durkin, President and CEO of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. “It really all comes together beautifully in NEPA Gives.” Hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes and matching incentives were awarded to participating nonprofits for notable achievements, all sponsored by generous businesses, foundations, and donors across the region. This was the fourth year for NEPA Gives. To date, NEPA Gives has raised over $4.1 million for hundreds of local nonprofit organizations in Northeastern Pennsylvania since it began in 2020. NEPA Gives 2024 is planned for Friday, June 7, 2024.To learn more about #NEPAGives, visit nepagives.org or contact Brittany Pagnotti, Communications Manager of the Scranton Area Community Foundation at 570-347-6203.
Settlers Hospitality Launches Nonprofit In times of crisis, Settlers Hospitality employees and affiliates won’t have to look far for support. The company recently launched Settlers Cares Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit to provide short-term, emergency support to those experiencing hardship. The Foundation will provide a tax-free grant to eligible workers in need due to an unexpected life event such as natural disaster, illness or death. “Our mission is to lift people up and hopefully make a challenging time a little bit easier by helping to relieve the financial burden that often accompanies a crisis,” says Janna Genzlinger, Settlers Cares Foundation Executive Director. “We formed the foundation to provide practical support not only for Settlers Hospitality employees but also workers from our affiliated business partners.” The fund was designed to address immediate need in emergency situations such as flood, tornado, illness, injury or death as well as fire or domestic abuse. Workers may apply via the nonprofit’s website, www.SettlersCares.org, which will launch soon. As a nonprofit, Settlers Cares Foundation relies primarily on individual donations. Several fundraisers are planned throughout the year to directly benefit the Foundation including the Chili and Wing Cookoff at The Waterfront at Silver Birches on March 5. Also planned are a Tent Sale in June at The Settlers Inn, a Gala in November and a concert in December. In addition, a $1 charitable donation is added to each Settlers Hospitality hotel guest’s reservation to support Settlers Cares. Settlers Hospitality is one of the area’s leading employers with deep roots in the region. “Our commitment to our workforce has always been absolute. Establishing the Settlers Cares Foundation is another way we can be responsible stewards of our community. It’s simply neighbor looking out for neighbor,” explains Justin Genzlinger, Settlers Hospitality CEO/Owner.
3rd Annual NEPA Gives Raises Over $1.1 Million On Friday, June 3, 2022—in just 24 hours—225+ local nonprofit organizations worked together across seven counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania to collectively raise a total of $1,119,661 for the third annual NEPA Gives. Promoted as the single largest day of philanthropy in Northeastern Pennsylvania, NEPA Gives was hosted by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, in partnership with The Luzerne Foundation, Greater Pike Community Foundation, Wayne County Community Foundation, Carbon County Community Foundation, Posture Interactive, and other community sponsors to raise awareness about the critical work nonprofit organizations carry out across the region and to help charitable organizations raise much-needed funds. Adding to the excitement, to celebrate NEPA Gives, the Scranton Area Community Foundation also hosted a free, in-person NEPA Gives ‘Give Gathering’ on Friday evening that was held outside of the Hilton Scranton Conference Center to coincide with First Friday Scranton. The Give Gathering included live entertainment by the local cover band Light Weight, giveaways, real-time and live-streamed updates on NEPA Gives, and opportunities for supporters to meet dozens of the participating nonprofits. Over 5,149 donors generously supported NEPA Gives. NEPA Gives was also generously supported by numerous sponsors including Coterra, Hawk Family Foundation, Moses Taylor Foundation, The RailRiders, Neighborly, DiscoverNEPA, Cumulus Media, Shamrock Communications, Schwartz Mack Foundation, Fidelity Bank, Women in Philanthropy, the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative, the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, and many others. 212 nonprofit organizations from across seven counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania received donations in the 24-hour fundraising event including The Diocese of Scranton, Equines for Freedom, Everhart Museum Museum of Natural History, Science, and Art, Countryside Conservancy, and NeighborWorks. To celebrate this historical day, both Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti and Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown made official proclamations declaring June 3, 2022, as NEPA Gives Day. Adding to the momentum, hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes and matching incentives were awarded to participating nonprofits for notable achievements, all sponsored by generous businesses, foundations, and donors across the region.4 “We look forward to NEPA Gives because it really puts the fun in fundraising, not only for us but for our donors who show up in force and get excited watching the results all day,” said Sandra Snyder, Director of Foundation Relations and Special Events at The Diocese of Scranton. “Our donors love seeing the Diocese win bonus prizes during NEPA Gives and feeling like they are part of something larger than themselves,” she added. “We are especially grateful to the Scranton Area Community Foundation and all the foundations and sponsors who make the bonuses available during NEPA Gives. They really help us motivate our donors and have a huge impact on our programming capacity.” “This year, we were grateful we had the opportunity to gather outside in Downtown Scranton to celebrate NEPA Gives and highlight the good work of the many participating nonprofits taking part in NEPA Gives,” said Laura Ducceschi, President and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation. “The energy of the event was incredible as hundreds of supporters stopped by throughout the evening to enjoy the live entertainment and support their favorite charities.” To learn more about #NEPAGives, visit nepagives.org or contact Brittany Pagnotti, Communications Manager of the Scranton Area Community Foundation at 570-347-6203.
Camp Freedom Awareness Walk Please join us at Camp Freedom on Sunday, April 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. for an Awareness Walk. Camp Freedom is a nonprofit organization that provides healing through outdoor activities and adventures for veterans, first responders, and Gold Star Families. These activities remove individuals from clinical settings and into the healing environment of the outdoors. Proceeds from the Awareness Walk will go to aiding in the development and installation of trail marking and safe access to the 26 miles of trails. One trip to the camp could be what it takes to save someone’s life! This event will educate the general public on what Camp Freedom is doing for their community as well as give a preview of the new trail and sign markers that are being installed on the preserve by the Camp Freedom Project Team from Leadership Lackawanna Core Class. The Awareness Walk will feature light refreshments, entertainment from Froggy 101 and basket raffles. We hope to see you there!! Pre-registration is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Awareness Walk is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The First 100 people at the event will receive a free t-shirt. Children 12 and under register for free. Event will take place at 284 Number 7 Road Carbondale, PA US 18407.
NEPA Gives Raises Over $1.24 Million in 24 Hours The Scranton Area Community Foundation is proud to announce that on Friday, June 4, 2021—in just 24 hours—218 local nonprofit organizations worked together to collectively raise a total of $1,246,121 for NEPA Gives, surpassing its $1 million dollar goal. NEPA Gives was hosted by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, in partnership with The Luzerne Foundation, Greater Pike Community Foundation, Wayne County Community Foundation, Carbon County Community Foundation, The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Nonprofit & Community Assistance Center (NCAC), and other community sponsors to raise awareness about the critical work nonprofit organizations carry out across the region and to help charitable organizations raise much-needed funds, especially during these challenging times. “In this second year of NEPA Gives, we are overwhelmed by the incredible generosity of the people of the Northeastern Pennsylvania region,” stated Laura Ducceschi, President and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation. “We believe that especially now, during these challenging post-pandemic recovery times, it was important to provide an opportunity for nonprofits to raise much-needed funds to support their efforts, and we are grateful that the generous people in Northeastern Pennsylvania responded so well.” NEPA Gives, which accepted donations online at nepagives.org on Friday, made history as the single largest day of philanthropy in Northeastern Pennsylvania for the second year in a row. A handful of checks and offline donations are still coming in, so the total will likely increase in the coming days ahead. Over 5,766 donors generously supported NEPA Gives. NEPA Gives was also generously supported by numerous sponsors including Moses Taylor Foundation, DiscoverNEPA, Cumulus Media, Shamrock Communications, Hawk Family Foundation, Schwartz Mack Foundation, Women in Philanthropy, the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative, the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, and many others. Adding to the momentum, over $450,000 in prizes and matching incentives were awarded to participating nonprofits for notable achievements, all sponsored by generous businesses, foundations, and donors across the region. 218 nonprofit organizations from across eight counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania participated in the 24-hour fundraising event including The Diocese of Scranton, Equines For Freedom, NeighborWorks Northeastern PA, Women’s Resource Center, Countryside Conservancy, St. Joseph’s Center, Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science, and Art, and United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania. To celebrate the historical and monumental giving day, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti made an official proclamation declaring June 4, 2021, as NEPA Gives Day. During the day on Friday, a small handful of host sponsors and community guests gathered at the Hilton Scranton Hotel & Conference Center to broadcast a live-streamed event with updates and excitement which aired on nepagives.org throughout the day. The Scranton Area Community Foundation partnered with Scranton-based team Posture Interactive to host the live broadcast. This was the second year for NEPA Gives. Last year, NEPA Gives raised over half a million dollars for 167 nonprofit organizations. To learn more about #NEPAGives, visit nepagives.org or contact Brittany Pagnotti, Communications Manager of the Scranton Area Community Foundation at 570-347-6203.
The Hidden Hometown Hub First established in 1973, the Human Resources Center began as a passion project intended to lend a helping hand to a severely underrepresented group of the community. Founded by a collective of local professionals and parents, HRC was established to provide services and support to individuals with disabilities in a time where there were very few options. At HRC’s inception, community acceptance of individuals with disabilities was sparse. But as understanding and knowledge of the disability community grew, so did the Human Resources Center. What started as a small-scale passion project bloomed into the multi-county nonprofit corporation that we know as HRC today. However, despite public awareness of the disability community increasing, familiarity with HRC’s rapidly growing programs and services did not. The community came to understand HRC as the helping hand to individuals with disabilities — but the “what” and “how” became shrouded in nuance. We hope you will allow us to re-introduce ourselves to the community in which we have been a part of for over 45 years. The Human Resources Center provides support services to individuals with disabilities throughout much of NEPA including Wayne, Pike, Carbon, Monroe, Lackawanna, and Susquehanna counties. Our consumers are individuals who have been diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability and seek progressive services options that address individualized goals and interests. Service plans are centered on the individual receiving said services, meaning no two plans are identical, and aim to encourage self-advocacy and independence. So, how do we do this? All of HRC’s services can be categorized into one of three available programs: Community Participation Support (CPS), Residential, or Employment. CPS is home to two of our more popular programs, the first of which being our Vocational Training Facilities, and the second is a more life skills-based service option called the Day Program. Residential Services are broken up into three groups: Home and Community-Based services, a host family-style service called Lifesharing, and group living services in our Community Homes. And lastly HRC’s Employment services offer Supported Employment in the community, School to Employment transitional services, and HRC Manufacturing, which takes place in our VTC facilities. At the Human Resources Center, our consumers learn lifelong skills that filter to nearly every aspect of life. Skills such as socialization, hygiene, money management, career coaching, cooking, cleaning, working with others, and so much more. In doing so, we employ over 400+ local professionals to provide the dedicated care and support needed to help our consumers succeed. What began simply as people helping people, blossomed into friends supporting friends, and now over 45 years later, the Human Resources Center is truly a family at its core.
