New Community Center Establishes Funds at Foundation

May 21, 2021

The Community Giving Foundation is pleased to announce new agency endowed and non-endowed funds recently established by the Mount Carmel Area Community Center, Inc. (MCACC). The addition of the new funds adds to the regional footprint of philanthropy served by the Foundation and its community partners.

After residents recognized the need for a community center to enrich the lives of people of all ages in the Mount Carmel area, steps were taken to formalize a new 501(c)(3) organization. The establishment of a board of directors and organizational structure, plus the purchase of a building on West Avenue, brought the community vision to life. MCACC will serve as a place where the area’s heritage can be preserved, residents can gather for meetings and events, and people of all ages can participate in activities that reflect the joy of a diverse community.

Cathy Besser, MCACC board president, explained: “We realize it will take a lot of work and the support of many people to transform a building that was formerly the Phillips Mansion, and later the American Legion post, into an attractive and functioning community Center. We will be relying on the generosity of present and former residents as well as friends and benefactors of our community to support the project.”

With recommendations from key partners of MCACC, the board decided to establish agency endowed and non-endowed funds at the Community Giving Foundation to secure a fiscally stable base of operation and ensure long-term stability for the community center. The funds will provide charitable support for MCACC and its mission of promoting unity and enhancing a shared sense of community through a safe place where people of the Mount Carmel Area School District can gather.

“The community center is an investment in our community’s quality of life. Our funds at the Foundation will help in building awareness of our short- and long-term needs and creating options for donors to consider as they decide how their generosity can best make a difference,” said Besser.

Mount Carmel area looks forward to the future community center as a place to enrich the lives of all residents through educational, recreational, and cultural activities. Contributions can be made to the MCACC’s funds online here (search “Mount Carmel”), or mail to the Community Giving Foundation, Attn: [Fund Name], 725 West Front Street, Berwick PA 18603. You can tell your community giving story by giving to a fund at the Foundation. It’s a wonderful way to honor a person or business or carry on the memory of someone important to you. Leave your own legacy of giving at csgiving.org.

The Community Giving Foundation manages over 300 charitable funds and makes grant investments throughout the region to improve the quality of life in the Central Susquehanna area.