Tag Archives: Robert H. Spitz Foundation

YMCA earns Spitz grant for child care

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Shown from left at the presentation are: Cathy Fitzpatrick, Director of Grants & Scholarships, Scranton Area Community Foundation; Rich Surridge, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA; Meghan Carnevale, Mission Advancement & Marketing Director, Greater Scranton YMCA; Laura Ducceschi, President & CEO, Scranton Area Community Foundation

In November, 2024, the Greater Scranton YMCA was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation. Grant funding will support financial assistance for families with children enrolled in early childhood education programs.

The availability of quality, safe child care programs is crucial to our economy and the workforce. Early Childhood Education Programs at the Greater Scranton YMCA, and the availability of financial assistance, allow families from across our region to send their children to an early learning program while they work. As the need for child care programs in our community has grown, so too has the need for financial assistance.

“We are so grateful to the Robert H. Spitz Foundation for their generosity,” said Rich Surridge, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA. “Here at the Y, we turn no one away for an inability to pay. Thanks in part to this grant award, more families in need will be provided with the resources needed to send their child(ren) to our early childhood education programs, providing them with the opportunity to work and their children with the tools and

resources needed to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.”

The Greater Scranton YMCA’s Early Childhood Education Department offers programs for children of all ages through daycare, preschool, school age care and summer day camp. For more information about Early Childhood Education Programs and the availability of financial assistance, contact Tressa Capoccia, Senior Education Director, at tcapoccia@gsymca.org.

$8,000 grant awarded to Lacawac Sanctuary Environmental Edu. Center

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Shown after receiving a $8,000 grant for Lacawac Sanctuary Environmental Education Center from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation are, from left: Natalie Wasilchak, Assistant Director of Environmental Education; Alex Bros, Pocono Lakes Ecological Observatory Network (PLEON) Technician, and Nicole Seul, Assistant Director of School Programs.

Lacawac Sanctuary Environmental Education Center was recently awarded a $8,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation’s 2023 grant cycle, administered by The Scranton Area Community Foundation, for its Environmental Stewardship Institute (ESI) in Lackawanna County.

The Environmental Stewardship Institute (ESI) program helps young people make choices that foster health and well-being for themselves, their communities, and the environment. The program focuses on creating the next generation of land stewards, emphasizes conservation, and allows participants to explore possible career opportunities in the field. Participants work on a variety of conservation projects such as planting trees, trail maintenance and construction, etc.

Craig Lukatch, President of Lacawac Sanctuary stated that “The primary goal of Environmental Stewardship Institute is to create the next generation of land stewards, emphasize conservation, and allow participants to explore possible career opportunities in the field.”

Lacawac Sanctuary is a nonprofit association founded in 1966 for the purpose of protecting a gift of the original Connell Park lands by Arthur and Isabel Watres and facilitating environmental education and research. Located on Lake Wallenpaupack, the Lacawac Sanctuary Foundation plays an important role in the preservation of Lake Lacawac which is one of the southernmost glacial lakes in the hemisphere and has been preserved in pristine condition free from development and encroachment.  For more information visit www.lacawac.org.

Scranton Area Community Foundation is on a mission to enhance the quality of life for all people in Northeastern Pennsylvania through the development of organized philanthropy. As a public 501c3 community foundation, the Scranton Area Community Foundation serves as a steward, a grantmaker, a charitable resource, and a catalyst for change. 

The Scranton Area Community Foundation leads various initiatives including Women in Philanthropy, the Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence, NEPA Moves, and the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative. The Foundation is committed to serving nonprofit organizations and works to build the capacity of the nonprofit organizations through its Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence. More information about the Scranton Area Community Foundation can be found at www.safdn.org.

Greater Scranton YMCA awards Spitz Foundation grant

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The Greater Scranton YMCA was awarded a $20,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation which will support the expansion of the Y’s Early Learning Center.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the need for child care services in our community has grown substantially. Enrollment in the Greater Scranton YMCA’s early childhood education programs has grown significantly, with the YMCA’s waitlist for services capped at 150 children.

The Greater Scranton YMCA is limited in space and at maximum capacity. In order to open an additional 30 child care spots each year, the Greater Scranton YMCA will renovate its second floor, which was previously being used for storage and the location of H-VAC. Through renovating the space, the Greater Scranton YMCA will create three new classrooms, each licensed to serve up to 10 children. The classrooms will specifically serve children ages zero to two, as the need for infant care is great.

“We are so grateful to the Robert H. Spitz Foundation for their generosity,” said Trish Fisher, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA. “The need for child care services in our community is great and this project will allow us to serve more children and families in need. Parents will be able to return to work knowing their child(ren) are in a safe and nurturing environment while in our care.”

Construction is estimated to be complete and students enrolled in the new classrooms in the third quarter. .For more information about the Greater Scranton YMCA’s Early Childhood Education Programs, contact Tressa Parker, Education Director, at tparker@gsymca.org or visit the Y online at http://www.greaterscrantonymca.org.