Amazon Awards $300,000 in Columbia/Luzerne Counties

The Amazon Northeastern Pennsylvania Community Fund supports mission-driven organizations whose work is driving transformation, sustainability, and meaningful, community-informed solutions. Grants were awarded to programs aligned with the fund’s core focus areas: STEM education, sustainability and environment, health and wellbeing, and culture and heritage.

“Each of these organizations reflect what makes the counties of Columbia and Luzerne so special—people coming together to make a meaningful difference where it counts and strengthen the communities they call home,” said Mia Gooding Martin, community engagement manager at Amazon. “Supporting their work through the Amazon Community Fund is something we take great pride in, and our collaboration with the community foundations help ensure these efforts reach even further.”

• A Moment of Magic—The NEPA Bravery Project: Improving the quality of life of medically vulnerable children and their families through creative play, mental health support, and community-based programming.
• Benton Area School District—Curiosity to Careers: AI & Robotics for K-6 Learners: Fostering a nurturing and inclusive learning environment that empowers every student to reach their full potential.
• Berwick Area School District—Growing Green Pathways at BASD & CMAVTS: Fostering compassion, critical thinking, and resourcefulness to prepare students to thrive in their communities.
• Berwick Arts Association—Berwick Arts District Discovery Trail: Inspiring the human spirit through creative placemaking by making the arts accessible to everyone.
• Berwick Historical Society—The Jackson Garden Learning Pavilion: Where History Takes Root: Collecting and protecting local artifacts, maintaining historic buildings and gardens, and bringing regional history to life for residents and students.
• Beyond Violence, Inc.—Shelter Fixes and Program Specific Supplies: Offering support and safety to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, eliminating both personal and institutional violence, and providing direct services, educational programs, systems advocacy, and counseling for adults and children.
• Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society—LED Lighting Project: Preserving and informing citizens of the historical and genealogical heritage of the community.
• Columbia Montour Area Vocational Technical School—Rams Helping Rams: Addressing the immediate needs of local students.
• Community Development Association of Pittston—Pittston Community Wellness Challenge: Building Healthy People, Healthy Places: Improving the quality of life throughout the region by providing programs, partnerships, and community development initiatives that create lasting economic, social, and environmental benefits.
• For the Cause—Teen Life Lab: Practical STEM Skills for Life: Empowering young leaders and catalyzing regional revitalization by connecting local youth.
• Friends of Camp Louise, Shickshinny PA—Nature Reimagined: Growing & Building Together Nature Center Renewal: Preserving Camp Louise for future generations to foster an interest in the environment and the pursuit of healthy outdoor educational activities.
• Friends of the Columbia County Traveling Library—STEM on the Move: Expanding access to books, educational resources, and programs that enrich the lives of residents throughout Columbia County.
• Historical & Preservation Society of the Greater Shickshinny Area—FLT Main Rubber Roof: Collecting, preserving, studying, and celebrating the culture, history, and archives of the greater Shickshinny area.
• Lacawac Sanctuary—Ignite STEM: Hands-On STEM Learning for K-12 Students: Preserving the natural, historical, and cultural resources of the Lake Lacawac region while advancing environmental education, scientific research, and public engagement.
• Millville Area School District—Data-Driven STEM: Cross-Curricular Math & Science in Grades 7-11: Providing a quality education for every student through the combined efforts of a dedicated staff, parents, and supportive community.
• North Branch Land Trust—Nature Based, Hands-On Environmental Education in Northeastern Pennsylvania: Protecting the beauty and environmental health of Pennsylvania for the benefit of future generations.
• Orangeville Public Library—STEM Activities for Preschool and Early Elementary Aged Children: Meeting the informational, educational, recreational, and cultural interests of the community by providing free and timely access to print and non-print resources.
• Penn’s Northeast—Future Ready NEPA: AI Skills for Success: Attracting quality employers, creating family-sustaining jobs, and strengthening the economy of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
• Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts—Roof Drain Replacement: Enriching the cultural fabric of the community through theatrical productions, educational programs, and community engagement.
• Riverfront Parks Committee—Restoring Nature & Reconnecting Community in the Kirby Park Natural Area: Improving the quality of life in the region through the rehabilitation, enhancement, and preservation of three historic and natural parklands along the Susquehanna River.
• The AED Access Project Inc.—AEDs: Providing information to the public regarding the use and importance of Automated External Defibrillators and raising funds to provide AEDs and accessories across Luzerne County.
• The Women’s Center, Inc.—Program Specific Supplies: Providing direct services for all victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, including education and prevention activities, advocacy, and community partnerships aimed at eradicating domestic violence and sexual assault both individually and systematically.

Amazon also granted $15,000 to the Community Giving Foundation and the Luzerne Foundation to support the grant round’s research, management, and impact reporting. As local partners with trusted relationships and community-specific knowledge and expertise, the community foundations worked with Amazon to evaluate applications and prepare recommendations that focused on Amazon’s goal areas and maximized the impact of their funding.

Amazon and community partners will celebrate grant recipients at a community-wide recognition event in February, honoring the organizations whose dedication and vision are driving progress throughout the region.

Community Giving Foundation convenes and connects people, resources, and ideas. The Foundation manages over 400 charitable funds—including permanent, flexible endowments that meet local needs and personalized giving services that achieve donor goals—and annually distributes over $4 million in grants and scholarships across the Central Susquehanna region. Through local expertise and partnerships, the Foundation is uniquely positioned to connect community giving with community needs to maximize impact—today, tomorrow, and forever.