Marywood University Receives Support from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation Marywood University received a 2023 Robert H. Spitz Foundation Grant for $8,000, which further strengthens the foundation’s longstanding, generous support of the STARS (Students Together Achieving Remarkable Success) program. To date, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation has been a significant source of funding, awarding $68,000 to STARS since its inception in 2018. Marywood’s S.T.A.R.S. program offers Latino/a/x youth in grades 7–12 the opportunity to explore their long-term career goals through one-on-one academic assistance and exposure to diversified post-secondary educational paths, trades, and careers. Marywood students serve as tutors and mentors to the youth participants. In addition, monthly workshops, held in English and Spanish, provide parents with similar information about potential opportunities for their children and families. Additionally, Marywood University, as well as other local institutions’ academic departments host students on campus 4-5 times a year, providing information and experiential activities that are focused on various majors and careers. This includes small-group and individual mentorship for students using a college and career readiness curriculum, as well as individual tutoring/mentoring sessions via zoom or in-person with a Marywood student. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation is a registered non-profit organization that supports initiatives and programs serving the residents of Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Robert H. Spitz was born in Scranton and was a 1955 graduate of Scranton Central High School and the University of Miami, Florida. Prior to retirement, Spitz had been employed by the U.S. Department of Labor and was also the owner of several local Arby’s restaurants. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation was established from his estate in 2015. To date, the Foundation has provided more than $4.6 million in funding to the community. The Scranton Area Community Foundation serves as the administrator of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation. For additional information about Marywood University’s S.T.A.R.S. program, please visit marywood.edu/community/youth-programs/stars/, or call (570) 961-4559. For additional information about The Robert H. Spitz Foundation, please visit https://safdn.org/foundation/robert-spitz-foundation or call (570) 347-6203.
Keystone College Receives Grant to Benefit Veterans Keystone College has received funding from a local charitable foundation to improve the lives of the men and women who have served their country through military service. Keystone has received a $5,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation to help implement the Keystone College Veterans Success Program. The program will provide targeted information and guidance on emerging educational opportunities and customize services for veterans, including financial aid, scholarships, and vocational training programs. The goal of the initiative is to empower veterans with the knowledge, resources, and educational training they need to enhance their careers and improve their lives. Administered by the Scranton Area Foundation, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation primarily awards grants to registered nonprofit organizations that support initiatives and programs serving the residents of Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania. “We are very grateful to the Robert H. Spitz Foundation and the Scranton Area Foundation for helping Keystone in this important initiative to assist our nation’s military veterans,” said Keystone College President John F. Pullo, Sr. “Keystone has a long and proud history of serving those who have given so much to defend and support our nation’s freedom. This focused initiative continues that tradition.” For the second consecutive year, Keystone has been listed as a school which is “Best for Vets” by Military Times Magazine, a national publication which serves veterans and active military members. Keystone’s selection was compiled through the magazine’s extensive research, including data from the federal Department of Education and Department of Veterans Affairs, to determine those schools which best serve veterans through educational opportunities, financial assistance, and services. In previous years, Keystone has also been listed as a top school for veterans by other national military and veterans publications. Founded in 1868, with a commitment to providing an education to Civil War veterans and their families, Keystone is home to the Elmer Hawk ’48 Veterans Center, which serves as the headquarters for the Keystone Armed Services Club. The Veterans Center offers a comfortable and convenient meeting place for this special group of Keystone students who have given so much to their country. Students can meet with each other, complete their school assignments, or simply relax, read, visit with friends and family members, or watch television while waiting for their next class. Recognized as one of the best educational values in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Keystone offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree options in liberal arts and science-based programs in business, communications, education, natural science, environmental science, and social sciences. Located on a beautiful 276-acre campus 15 minutes from Scranton, Pa. and two hours from New York City and Philadelphia, Keystone is known for small class sizes and individual attention focused on student success through internships, research, and community involvement.
The Wright Center Receives Grant from Robert H. Spitz Foundation The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement (PCE) was recently awarded an $8,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation to help patients and community members alleviate financial pressures, which can help improve the overall health and well-being of regional communities. The grant will support a food donation program and transportation assistance to and from doctor appointments. Requests for help have increased sharply over the past few years. In 2021, The Wright Center for Community Health received 201 requests for help with food from community members in Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wayne counties. In 2022, those appeals rose to 743. Through May 2023, the organization has received 426 requests for food. The Wright Center received 2,156 requests for transportation help in 2022. Through May 2023, 1,351 community members have asked PCE for assistance. “Food and transportation insecurities make it hard for the patients to address their medical needs,” said Holly Przasnyski, director, The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement. “This grant provides us with the ability to address transportation and food needs for our patients, which allows them the ability to address their medical needs.” The Robert H. Spitz Foundation awards grants to registered nonprofit organizations that support initiatives and programs serving Lackawanna County and Northeast Pennsylvania. Among the foundation’s five priority areas are programs that break the cycle of poverty, veterans’ affairs and veteran-oriented programs, animal welfare, Jewish culture and cemeteries, and environmental projects. To date, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation has provided over $3.7 million in funding to the community. For more information about PCE, call 570-343-2383, Ext. 1444 or visit TheWrightCenter.org/ patient-and-community-engagement.
Hospice of the Sacred Heart Receives Grant Hospice of the Sacred Heart recently received a grant for $3,000 from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation. The grant will cover a portion of operating expenses due to the loss of volunteer hours and other COVID-19-related expenses. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation primarily awards grants to registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that support initiatives and programs serving the residents of Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania. “We are grateful for this gift from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, which will help cover unanticipated expenses related to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic,” said Diane Baldi, CEO, Hospice of the Sacred Heart. The mission of Hospice of the Sacred Heart is to provide comfort, care, hope and choice to patients and their families, while guiding them through their end of life journey.
