Keystone Mission Receives Grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation The Robert H. Spitz Foundation provided a $6,000 grant to Keystone Mission’s Scranton Innovation Center for Homeless & Poverty for housing needs. The grant directly supports the housing program at the Mission, which aids adults experiencing homelessness to access affordable and permanent housing. Our Housing Life Coach bridges the gap between guests experiencing homelessness and outside agencies that have housing/shelter programs available. The Life Coach trains each guest on how to fill out public housing applications, conduct an apartment/house search, and/or set up the proper appointments and transportation.
JFSNEPA Receives Grant from Robert H. Spitz Foundation Jewish Family Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania was one of the recent recipients of a grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation for the 2020 grant cycle. The grant in the amount of $15,000 will assist with General Operating Support for the organization. Grants from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation are administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation. Pictured in photo from left to right:, Arthur E. Levandoski, JFS Marketing & Development; Sheila Nudelman Abdo, ACSW, LCSW, JFS Executive Director; Laura Ducceschi, MBA, MA, President / CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation and administrator of Robert H. Spitz Foundation; Cathy Fitzpatrick, Grants Administrator for Scranton Area Community Foundation; Frank Caputo, Scranton Area Community Foundation Grants and Communication Coordinator.
Robert H. Spitz Foundation Grant Supports Outreach Center for Community Resources In photo (left to right): Frank Caputo, Grants & Communications Coordinator, Scranton Area Community Foundation, Administrator of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation; Cathy Fitzpatrick, Grants & Scholarship Manager, Scranton Area Community Foundation; Eve Schell and Alicia Olivetti, Outreach Early Head Start Family Development Specialists, Jack Nogi, Trustee, Robert H. Spitz Foundation The Robert H. Spitz Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to support the programs and services that Outreach provides to the regional community. Outreach serves a broad population of those affected by poverty and other challenges: single parents, unemployed workers, educationally at-risk children, veterans, individuals with health, behavioral and cognitive issues, individuals in recovery, and others in transition. Outreach improves the lives of over 4,000 adults and children each year with award-winning workforce and family development programs that support individuals as they navigate through life’s challenges. The support from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation supports Outreach programs and services that are being provided at the Center on Seventh Avenue, virtually, and through home visiting child-serving programs. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation grant will provide the operational support necessary for Outreach to respond to the increased need being experienced in the community for workforce and family services and programs. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation 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. Before retirement, Mr. Spitz had been employed by the U.S. Department of Labor and was also the owner of several local Arby’s restaurants. Since 2015, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation has provided over $3.7 million in funding to the community. The Scranton Area Community Foundation serves as the administrator of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation.
Marywood University Receives the Robert H. Spitz Foundation 2021 Grant Marywood University received a 2021 Robert H. Spitz Foundation Grant. The $12,000 grant was awarded to the S.T.A.R.S. (Students Together Achieving Remarkable Success) program, an after-school mentoring program. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation has made a positive impact on Scranton’s Latinx population through its grant support of the University’s S.T.A.R.S. program.Pictured from left to right are: Frank Caputo, Grants and Communications Coordinator, Scranton Area Foundation; Cathy Fitzpatrick, Grants and Scholarship Manager, Scranton Area Foundation; Patricia Rosetti, Leadership Annual Giving Officer, Marywood University, and Jenny Gonzalez, S.T.A.R.S. Program Director, Marywood University. Marywood University is the recent recipient of a 2021 Robert H. Spitz Foundation Grant. The $12,000 grant was awarded to the S.T.A.R.S. (Students Together Achieving Remarkable Success) program, an after-school mentoring program. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation has made a positive impact on Scranton’s Latinx population through its grant support of the University’s S.T.A.R.S. program. Established in 2018, S.T.A.R.S. has provided weekly academic tutoring and mentoring to 20-25 middle and high school Latinx students. Marywood students serve as tutors and mentors to the youth. In addition to academic assistance, the students participate in career exploration activities and workshops related to secondary and post-secondary academic options. Monthly workshops, in English and Spanish, provide families with similar information about potential opportunities for their children. Additionally, Marywood University academic departments host students on campus 4-5 times a year, providing information and experiential activities that are focused on various majors. This includes small-group and individual mentorship for students using a career and college readiness curriculum, as well as individual tutoring sessions via zoom or in-person with a Marywood student. Student and family workshops are also provided.
Johnson College Receives Grant to Support Veterinary Animal Care Clinic Johnson College has been awarded a $7,500 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, managed by the Scranton Area Community Foundation. This grant will support the College’s Animal Care Clinic and pet owners in our community. Johnson College will purchase medical equipment that will help enhance the safety and comfort of patients receiving surgical care. The grant will give Johnson College Veterinary Nursing Program students valuable clinical experience preparing them to enter into the workforce or advance their careers. As many people struggle to feed their families every week, family pets, while loved dearly, are not always updated on vaccines and spay/neuter procedures until finances are available. This grant will help these families take proper care of and responsibility for their pets by providing up to 20 reduced-cost spay/neuter surgeries for qualifying low-income families. The grant will also provide low-cost rabies vaccines. Johnson College’s Veterinary Nursing Program prepares students to join an animal care team as entry-level technicians. Their tasks can include collecting samples, performing lab tests, taking radiographs, preparing the surgical suite, assisting in surgery, monitoring anesthesia, and providing general nursing care to patients. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredits the program. Students become Certified Veterinary Technicians upon passing the Veterinary Technician National Exam. “Through this grant, we are excited to give low-income pet-owning families peace of mind that their pet is cared for without incurring financial hardships,” said Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College. “Equipment purchased will help our Veterinary Nursing Program students with the hands-on training they need to pass their national exams and enter the workforce.” Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a caring environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance their careers. Johnson College degrees become essential careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912 and is the region’s premier technical college, offering 16 associate degree and 3 academic certificate programs. A low student-to-teacher ratio supports an emphasis on hands-on instruction. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, the College is an accredited, private, non-profit, co-educational institution with a strong tradition of working with regional businesses and industries to ensure a skilled and qualified workforce. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu. Pictured left to right: Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO, Johnson College, Karen Baker, Sr. Director of College Advancement, Johnson College, Cathy Fitzpatrick, Grants and Scholarships Manager, The Scranton Area Foundation, and Jack Nogi, Trustee, Robert H. Spitz Foundation.
Robert H. Spitz Foundation Announces 2021 Grants The Robert H. Spitz Foundation, administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, announces its 2021 grants, awarding a total of $717,500 to 45 nonprofit organizations in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Foundation distributed a total of $717,500 in grants to the following nonprofit organizations: Adopt A Boxer Rescue, Allied Services Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern PA, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Bread Basket of Northeast Pennsylvania, Catherine McAuley Center, Dress for Success Lackawanna, Fraternite Notre Dame, GAIT TRC, Griffin Pond Animal Shelter, Indraloka Animal Sanctuary, Jewish Community Center of Scranton, Jewish Family Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Johnson College, Junior Achievement of Northeastern PA, Lackawanna Historical Society, Luzerne County Animal Response Team, Marywood University, NativityMiguel School of Scranton, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania, NEPA Pet Fund and Rescue, North Shore Animal League, Outreach – Center for Community Resources, PAWsitively for the Animals, Quigley’s Shelter Pet’s, Inc., Saint Joseph’s Center, Scranton Animal Shelter Association Incorporation, Scranton Area Community Foundation, Scranton Lackawanna Human Development Agency, Inc., SPCA of Luzerne County, St. Cats and Dogs of Scranton, Temple Israel of Scranton, The Arc of Northeastern PA, The Humane Society of Wyoming County, Inc., The Salvation Army, The University of Scranton, Treatment Court Advocacy Center of Lackawanna County, United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA, Valhalla Veterans Services, Valley Youth House, VNA Hospice and Home Health, Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania, Inc., Wilkes University, and Women’s Resource Center. A complete listing of the 2021 grants awarded by the Robert H. Spitz Foundation can be found on the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s website, safdn.org. “We are extremely grateful that the generosity of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation has allowed for the support of so many worthy charitable organizations in the region,” stated Laura Ducceschi, Scranton Area Community Foundation’s President and CEO. “The impact of Mr. Spitz’s legacy is transformative, and on behalf of the Foundation trustees, we are proud to help carry out the Foundation’s mission.” In addition to these 2021 grants, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation also provided $100,000 to COVID-19 relief support earlier this year.
Scranton Area Community Foundation to Launch Special Grants Program The Scranton Area Community Foundation is launching a special funding opportunity to provide critical, emergency grants to address needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Scranton Area Community has received a $100,000 gift from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation to support those in the community experiencing hardship, and 501c3 charitable organizations in the Lackawanna County area can apply for grants up to $10,000. The Scranton Area Community Foundation, administrator of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, will accept applications for this grant cycle through the online grant management portal until Monday, February 1, 2021, accessible through the Foundation’s website, safdn.org. “We are extremely grateful for this generous gift from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation during this time when there are so many continued needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Laura Ducceschi, Scranton Area Community Foundation’s President and CEO. This special grants program is in addition to the regular Robert H. Spitz Foundation grants cycle which will begin in Spring 2021. For more information on the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, please contact Brittany Pagnotti, Communications Manager of the Scranton Area Community Foundation at 570-347-6203. More information about the Scranton Area Community Foundation can be found at www.safdn.org.
The Wright Center for Community Health Receives Grant From Robert H. Spitz Foundation The Wright Center for Community Health has received an $8,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation to enable its Community Health Workers to assist patients who are coping with a variety of hardships that can impact their healthcare. Grant funding will be used to help individuals overcome economic barriers, such as lack of nutritious food or transportation to medical appointments, so patients can focus on addressing health issues. The Wright Center’s Community Health Workers will also connect patients with a variety of community resources, such as GED programs and job training. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports initiatives and programs serving the residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania, is administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation. Robert H. Spitz was born in Scranton and was a 1955 graduate of Scranton Central High School and the University of Miami. Before retirement, Mr. Spitz had been employed by the U.S. Department of Labor and owned several local restaurants. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation was established from his estate in 2015. The Wright Center was one of 42 nonprofit organizations in Northeast Pennsylvania selected to receive grants during the Spitz Foundation’s 2020 funding cycle, which collectively distributed $771,000. Pictured, from left, are care team members from The Wright Center for Community Health: Sydney Rentsch, Community Health Worker; Keri Macknosky, Certified Community Health Worker; Kari Machelli, R.N., Director of Case and Care Management Services; Kayla Kincel, Community Health Worker; and Whitney Cooper, Community Health Worker.
