Centre Foundation’s Giving Circle Marks 19 Years of Impact, Welcomes New Members

State College, PA, August 19, 2025 – Imagine a giving club where your dollars are pooled with friends and neighbors, you vote on which local nonprofits to support, and you get to see the results unfold a year later. That’s the spirit of Centre Foundation’s Giving Circle, a fun, collaborative way to give that has fueled nearly $240,000 in community grants since 2006.

This year’s annual Impact Celebration, held at University Wine Company, showcased the results of $25,000 in grants awarded in 2024 to three nonprofits, The Makery of Central Pennsylvania, Interfaith Human Services (IHS), and Centre Care Volunteers. Each nonprofit shared how Giving Circle funds are transforming lives.

Building Futures at The Makery Market

The Makery of Central Pennsylvania used its grant to launch the Market Apprentice Program, which provides job training, financial literacy, and mentorship to young women aging out of foster care. The Makery Market, a mission-driven boutique focused on artisan goods made in Central Pennsylvania, serves as both the storefront and training ground for the apprentices.

The need is urgent: 30% of foster youth become homeless within three months of leaving care, 50% are unemployed by age 24, and 7 out of 10 young women become pregnant before age 21.

With Giving Circle support, The Makery hired four apprentices in its second quarter and proved the model works, paving the way to secure larger workforce development grants.

“When I aged out of foster care, I didn’t know where I was headed,” said Maria, one of the apprentices. “Working at The Makery has given me my first paycheck, mentors who care, and the confidence to believe I can build a better future.”

Keeping Families on the Road with IHS

Interfaith Human Services (IHS) directed its grant to the Emergency Vehicle Repair Program, which helps working families keep their cars on the road and their jobs intact. Last year alone, the program supported 61 households—70% of them single mothers.

“A working car isn’t a luxury in Centre County, it’s survival,” said BJ Weaver, Senior Case Manager “, When a family keeps their job because they can get to work safely, that ripple effect lasts for generations.”

Growing Joy at Centre Care

Centre Care Volunteers are bringing wheelchair-accessible greenhouses to life for nursing home residents. These new spaces are designed to ease seasonal depression, provide purpose for former farmers and gardeners, and create a more homelike atmosphere by contributing fresh vegetables to shared meals.

The organization is now in the process of site plan submission, zoning review, and building permit applications.

The Power of Collective Giving

Looking for a way to make your giving go further? The Giving Circle isn’t just about writing a check—it’s about joining forces with your community to fuel projects that matter. As a member, you combine your resources with others, cast your vote, and help decide which local nonprofits will receive funding.

And the more you give, the bigger your impact. Each membership level increases your ability to drive change, lift voices, and support the causes shaping Centre County’s future.

Membership levels include:

Changemaker
Annual contribution: $250 / year
Monthly contribution: $20.83 / month

Amplifier
Annual contribution: $500 / year
Monthly contribution: $41.67 / month

Ambassador
Annual contribution: $1,000 / year
Monthly contribution: $83.33 / month

Join the Circle

Online voting for this year’s grants is open until September 26. New members who join by October 14 can still cast a vote for their favorite nonprofit program at the in-person Giving Circle voting event.

New Video: See the Giving Circle in Action

Curious about what it’s all about? Watch the video and get an inside look at the heart of the Giving Circle.

For more information about the Giving Circle, including membership, visit Centre-Foundation.org or contact Kerry Tolton at kerry@centrefoundation.org or 814.237.6229. 

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