Jack and Helen Wanich loved the Danville community and wanted to see it thrive, both during their life and long into the future. The couple left a generous estate gift to the Foundation to do just that, providing flexibility for the local Danville board and Foundation staff to make funding decisions based on Montour County's needs, maximizing local impact.
In its first year of grantmaking, the Jack and Helen Wanich Fund distributed $52,999 in grants to nonprofits driving community change around affordable housing, childcare and mental health—three top needs in Montour County determined using area needs assessments and one-on-one nonprofit site visits. Recipients included AGAPE, Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Danville Area Community Center, Danville Child Development Center, and The Gate House.
The flexibility of the Wanich Fund allowed the Foundation to address the interconnectedness of community needs, building stable footing for many of the community members served by these organizations.
"It's so important to a person's well-being that they have a community and feel that they belong. A lot of the issues that people walk through our doors with are generational," explained Gate House staff. "What we're doing through our shelter, case management services, and educational resouces is changing lives because we're helping individuals break those generational barriers and build self-worth and confidence to make it in the world."
"As we continue to collaborate with partner organizations to grow our capacity and serve mroe effectively, we hope the community will see that they can work together as well to make a difference," added Karla Alexander, AGAPE.
Thanks to the forethought and generosity of the Wanichs, their giving legacy will remain rooted in Montour County, connecting top needs with flexible funding to transform the community—today, tomorrow, and forever.