Greetings Friends—

2024 marked a milestone year for the Community Giving Foundation as we celebrated our 25th anniversary. Reflecting on 25 years of philanthropy and impact brings to mind so many influential connections that have transformed our work. Our founders, who established our first charitable fund through the sale of the Berwick Hospital in 1999. Our visionary board members, who adopted the community foundation model to expand our philanthropy across the region in 2003. Our partnerships with five affiliate foundations and the dedicated local boards who remain passionate about creating a vibrant future for their communities. And the countless community members who have joined us in our mission to enhance our region through their own community giving legacies.

Thanks to the philanthropic spirit and vision of thousands of individuals, families, and organizations, our Foundation has grown from one charitable fund to over 365+ giving legacies. Even as we look back and celebrate milestones throughout our history, 2024 brought many moments of meaningful growth and impact.

  • Through a collective commitment to local philanthropy, the Foundation experienced a record year in donations to current and new funds—over $6.4 million to support a wide range of community needs.

  • Our Youth in Philanthropy program continues to experience record growth as we welcomed 18 school districts and 250+ high school students to this year’s kick-off in October. We were also honored to receive the 2024 Young Philanthropist Award from Wellspan Evangelical Community Hospital in recognition of the program’s impact on building strong student leaders and future community philanthropists.

  • Because of the continued generosity of our donors and commitment to creating meaningful impact across the region, we awarded over $2.7 million in grants and $455,420 in scholarships in 2024.

  • Through several new regional events, including our first annual scholarship luncheon, the Foundation focused on facilitating connections and conversations across our region. We were thrilled to host Elevate2, a collaboration with our neighboring community foundation, in October. This special conference brought together over 200 nonprofit staff, volunteers, and board members to enhance their skills, share experiences, and forge meaningful connections.

  • The Foundation welcomed Becky Stugart to our team in September. As our first Impact Coordinator, Becky’s role will grow our focus on understanding community needs to better steward and connect funding in the most impactful way for our region.

When you move from dreaming to doing, philanthropy becomes more than a good feeling. It transforms the lives of the people around you, and its ripple effects are felt in the community for decades. That’s why our visionary founders created the Community Giving Foundation, and it is the purpose behind all we do. We have learned so much in 25 years. Here’s to the next 25, and a lasting legacy of community giving across our region—For Good. For Ever.

Kara G. Seesholtz
President and CEO
Community Giving Foundation