25 Stories for 25 Years
Local businessman C. Kenneth Battram was active in the community he called home. Through a personal philosophy of community development, service and giving, Mr. Battram left instructions in his living trust to support charitable programs across the Central Susquehanna region after his passing. This legacy included the creation of the C.K. Battram Fund at the Community Giving Foundation. In its first year of grantmaking in 2023, the fund awarded a total $78,000 in grants to 13 nonprofit organizations meeting a variety of local needs.
(C. Kenneth Battram)
Mr. Battram was passionate about supporting programs that provide basic necessities while instilling dignity and respect to those in need. In this spirit, several grants last year supported area food banks, like Kate's Kupboard out of St. John's Lutheran Church in Northumberland. According to coordinator Lou VanGilder, this money has gone a long way in keeping their doors open. "Ten thousand dollars provides us with approximately two months of inventory for distribution to local families. In December we were able to help 200 families secure food, household, baby station, and elder care products. So far in 2024, we have served over 1,000 people."
Another recipient was DIG Furniture Bank, a young nonprofit restoring dignity by redirecting used furniture and household items to local families in need. Emily Gorski, DIG founder and executive director, explained the importance of grant funding to support her organization's operations: "The generous gift from the C.K. Battram Fund was exactly what DIG needed as we prepared to end our third year of operation. Especially as a young nonprofit, I cannot overstate how important unrestricted funding is to our growth and long-term sustainability. This $10,000 grant helped us start 2024 strong as we continue to build our staff and improve overall client experience and impact. We love the work we do—we want to be doing it for a long time—and grants like this make it that much easier!"
(Emily Gorski and Gabby Herman, DIG Operations Director)