25 Stories for 25 Years
Community Giving Foundation: Sunbury originated from the sale of the Sunbury Hospital in 2005, establishing a charitable organization committed to supporting nonprofits meeting health needs in the Sunbury region. Through this mission, oversight of several scholarship opportunities for future health care professionals—including the Allied Health Scholarship, Nurses Scholarship, and Sunbury Area Health Fund’s Health Profession Scholarship—moved to the local Sunbury Board.
“The goal of every individual on the Board is to make informed decisions that will benefit youth in our community. Our Board has a sub-committee that conducts an online review and discussions of each health scholarship application and qualifications,” explains Mike Martz, Sunbury Board member. “It always amazes me at the well-roundedness of the vast majority of applicants for health scholarships.”
(Right: Sunbury Board Members Justin Michaels, Craig DeFazio, and Mike Martz with two scholarship recipients.)
In 2024, nearly $50,000 was awarded to applicants from Line Mountain, Selinsgrove, and Shikellamy school districts.
“How wonderful it is that the Community Giving Foundation: Sunbury has the financial resources from donors and organizations that are earmarked to benefit our local graduating seniors and those pursuing health careers. It is extremely rewarding to be a part of the Board and be involved in selecting those scholarship recipients. Only by serving am I able to see the future through the eyes of our young people. The future looks bright, so be proud of your community and those in it who have started this legacy of giving!” (Craig DeFazio, Sunbury Board Chair)
Scholarship recipients from across the region gathered with donors and board members on May 30th for the Foundation's inaugural scholarship luncheon.