June 10, 2025
Community Giving Foundation recently partnered with Amazon to distribute $100,000 in grant funding to nonprofits serving the Berwick area. The partnership was included in Monday’s announcement on Amazon’s plan to invest $20 billion in Pennsylvania, including a data center innovation campus in Salem Township.
As a community foundation—providing local leadership, grantmaking expertise, operational efficiencies, and personal connections to area nonprofits—Community Giving Foundation was well positioned to support Amazon’s initial grant funding goals.
“Our Foundation exists to facilitate giving that drives community impact. After hearing Amazon’s vision and goals for this funding in the Berwick area, we were thrilled to form a partnership that utilizes our local expertise and existing processes to maximize their impact and support in the Berwick community. That is why the Foundation is here. We continue to work with families, businesses, and other partners to transform our region together,” shared Kara G. Seesholtz, Foundation President and CEO.
Through Community Giving Foundation’s Impact Team and the daily work of Becky Stugart, Impact Coordinator, to discover funding opportunities and gaps through nonprofit site visits and needs assessment data, the Foundation worked with Amazon to select grant recipients that best aligned with their desired impact areas.
Funding from Amazon totaling $100,000 was allocated to support Berwick area nonprofits focusing on programs targeting food insecurity, housing insecurities, transportation, STEAM, energy sustainability, and agriculture technology. After identifying and approaching nonprofits with specific projects that fit these impact areas, the Foundation used social impact measurement tools to provide grant recommendations to Amazon that maximized their impact and commitment to the Berwick community.
Grant recipients:
- 3P Ride—Rabbit Transit Public Transportation Expansion
- Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Inc.—Case Manager for Berwick and Surrounding Areas
- Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Inc.—Client Support Services for Berwick and Surrounding Areas
- Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association—Mobile Environmental Education Training Kit Program
- Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation—Mobile Ag Labs for Berwick Area School District
- The Children’s Museum, Inc.—STEAM Education and Resources
- The Hope Center of Nescopeck, PA Inc.—Expansion of Employee Hours to Increase Services and Resource Distribution
- The Hope Center of Nescopeck, PA Inc.—Public Restroom Completion
Community Giving Foundation identifies regional and local needs and opportunities through a data-driven lens, serving as a resource for donors, nonprofits, and all those who want to make a difference in their community. The Foundation manages over 375 charitable funds, helping donors maximize their community impact in the Central Susquehanna region both now and for future generations.