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Perry County Community Foundation
Give Where You Live!
Help us increase the funds flowing to Perry County by making a tax-deductible donation to the Perry County Community Fund and you’ll improve your community for good, forever.
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History
The Perry County Community Foundation (PCCF), established in 1987, is a regional foundation of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities. PCCF makes discretionary grants to nonprofit organizations that serve residents of Perry County. PCCF also serves as a vehicle for individuals, companies, foundations, and charitable organizations to establish funds that will support the civic, social, educational, and cultural well-being of individuals living in Perry County. PCCF ensures that all gifts, ranging from a few dollars to a few thousand dollars, will work to improve the quality of life for Perry County residents, today and in the future.
Funds
The Perry County Community Foundation currently manages 65 funds with assets totaling $7,983,788 (12/31/24).
Advisory Committee
Lauren Tressler, Chair
Genna Brownback
Jessica Burkholder
Celia Elmes
Matthew Herren
Mark Keller
Rick Knepp
Linda Kutz
Margaret (Peggy) Raub
Dennis Shambaugh
Gwendolyn Soult
Leigh Ann Urban
Derek Whitesel
Robert E. Caplan, Chair of the Board of Directors, and Romeo Azondekon, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, serve as ex officios on all committees.
Directors Emeriti
Lenus Haines
Susan Collins* (posthumous)
Mary Landis* (posthumous)
L. Jeffrey Mattern*
Hon. William Moore
In appreciation to Joan Holman for her vision and leadership in the founding of the Perry County Community Foundation.
*Deceased
By the Numbers
Community Needs
Grants
Perry County Community Foundation (PCCF), a regional foundation of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC), conducts an annual competitive grantmaking program for nonprofit organizations serving Perry County. PCCF seeks to fund programs and services that have the potential for the greatest impact on the quality of life and positive outcomes for individuals and families living in Perry County. Through its grantmaking, PCCF invests in innovative, collaborative approaches and solutions to community problems and supports projects that demonstrate achievable outcomes, the potential for replication as a model program, and plans for sustainability beyond the grant term.
Please click here for more information on How to Apply.
2024 Advisory Committee Directed Grants Total: $29,171
| Recipient |
| Girls on the Run Mid State PA | $721 |
| Grant funds will be used to support after-school programs and summer camp for 175 girls in Perry County. Girls will build confidence, learn life skills and complete a 5K. Funds will also provide gear and supplies so all girls can join, no matter their family’s income. |
| Harrisburg Symphony Association | $3,500 |
| Grant funds will help cover the costs of a free outdoor concert in Millerstown. The event, which brings live symphony music to Perry County, is part of a larger summer series that serves communities across Central PA. |
| Rebuilding Together Greater Harrisburg | $2,000 |
| Grant funds will be used to make critical home repairs for low-income and disabled residents in Perry County, including roof replacement, hot water heater installation and safety modifications. Volunteers and local contractors will help complete the work. |
| Junior Achievement of South Central PA | $3,500 |
| Grant funds will be used to provide materials and supplies for free Junior Achievement programs in Perry County schools. These programs teach students about money, jobs and science through hands-on learning and real-world activities. |
| Ronald McDonald House Charities | $1,750 |
| Grant funds will be used to provide free overnight stays for Perry County families with a critically ill child at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, helping them stay close and focused on their child’s care. |
| Perry County Council of the Arts | $2,450 |
| Grant funds will support an open studio program at Landis House, offering art supplies, workshops and outdoor painting experiences to inspire creativity and connect the Perry County community through the arts. |
| Rye Township Community Association | $2,500 |
| Grant funds will be used to replace the aging pavilion roof at Rye Community Park, helping preserve the township’s only public park. The project will ensure continued use by local families, renters and nature school programs. |
| Perry County Literacy Council | $3,500 |
| Grant funds will be used to create an interactive “Basics Trail” in New Bloomfield’s Community Park, featuring educational signs, art and a little Free Library. The trail will help young children learn through play and support early childhood development. |
| Friends of Clarks Ferry Tavern | $500 |
| Grant funds will be used to support exhibit planning, website and newsletter updates and insurance costs for the historic Clarks Ferry Tavern in Duncannon. These efforts help preserve local history and welcome visitors, students and trail users year-round. |
| Newport Assembly of God Church | $3,500 |
| Grant funds will be used to install a donated walk-in freezer and upgrade the electrical service at the downtown pantry. This work will support food distribution to over 3,000 people monthly in Perry and Juniata Counties and beyond. |
| Watts-Buffalo Community Center | $1,750 |
| Grant funds will be used to install new flooring in the meeting room and kitchen, improving safety and cleanliness in the center’s most-used areas. The center hosts public meetings, family events and fundraisers year-round. |
| Join Hands Ministry | $3,500 |
| Grant funds will support underserved youth in Perry County through extracurricular cost assistance, hands-on STEM workshops and college and career readiness programs. The goal is to give students the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond. |
2025 Grants Awarded*: $29,171
*Includes grants directed by donors and grants directed by Advisory Committee.
Scholarships
2024 Scholarships Total: $114,222.45 | 20 students
Scholarships Offered:
- Justin A. Boose Memorial Scholarship
- Cody Foundation
- Baird and Mary Jane Collins Scholarship Fund
- Carrie and George Lyter Scholarship Fund
- Frank M. Magee Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund
- Lee C. Morrissey Student Public Service Award
- Megan Moyer Seiber Memorial Scholarship Fund
- Pauline M. Whitekettle Scholarship Fund for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
- Sheibley-Beasom
PCCF Insider - Regional Newsletter
We are excited to bring you this supplemental document to our quarterly newsletter, The Insider, twice a year to share more about the work the Perry County Community Foundation is doing and the positive impact it is having in Perry County.
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