The Richard King Mellon Foundation invites Southwestern Pennsylvanians to support
their favorite local nonprofits during this important holiday season
PITTSBURGH – (Nov. 27, 2024) – The holidays are an essential season for local nonprofits. Many of their service offerings are particularly in need this time of year. And the holidays also are a pivotal season for the nonprofits themselves, as they seek to raise essential funds, as many nonprofit fiscal years draw to a close.
To shine a light on the importance of holiday giving to nonprofits, the Foundation has awarded 16 grants of $10,000 each to 16 local nonprofits that are undertaking holiday initiatives. The grants were awarded outside of the Foundation’s usual application process.
“The holiday season is the most important time of the year for so many nonprofits,” said Foundation Director Sam Reiman. “The people our nonprofits serve are particularly in need during the holidays. And it’s also a crucial time for the nonprofits themselves, to ensure the viability of their own financial operations.
“So many people and businesses in Southwestern Pennsylvania know of nonprofits whose missions they regard to be meaningful, and whose work they judge to be important and effective,” said Reiman. “The holiday season is a particularly important time to demonstrate that support. And, if you already have supported a nonprofit this year, the holidays are the ideal time to consider giving again.”
Reiman noted that Giving Tuesday, next Tuesday Dec. 3, is a nationwide movement that reflects the essential importance of this giving season.
Jennifer Miller, CEO of the Westmoreland Food Bank, one of the holiday grant recipients, said: ”The holidays are rough for everyone, even worse when you are food insecure. We see more families who need our help during this time, people who have never had to ask for a hand up before. This is hard for them to come to us; [holiday-season] support makes it easier for us to help ease their minds and their wallets.”
“This time of year is often the most difficult for individuals experiencing homelessness and hardship,” said Jerrel T. Gilliam, Executive Director of Light of Life Rescue Mission, another holiday-grant recipient. “The holiday season brings colder weather, increasing the need for our services such as shelter, warm clothing, and nourishing meals. Donations and volunteer support enable organizations like Light of Life to serve holiday meals, distribute essential items like coats and blankets, and provide meaningful community experiences that uplift the spirit.”
The holiday grants recently approved by the Foundation, all for $10,000, were awarded on Oct. 30, 2024 to the following nonprofits in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties:
Best of the Batch Foundation – to support the Batch A Toys annual holiday drive
Bible Center Church – to support a holiday clothing drive for families in Homewood
Café Momentum Pittsburgh – to support youth employees during the holidays
Cameron Heyward Foundation, Inc. – to support the Suiting Up for Success program
CASA of Westmoreland, Inc. – to support the CASA Holiday Toy Drive
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh – to support the Basic Needs Assistance program
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank – to provide food for people in need over the holiday season
Homewood Children’s Village – to support a holiday clothing drive for Homewood children
Light of Life Ministries, Inc. – to support holiday meal services
Neighborhood Resilience Project – to help individuals during the holidays through its Community Support programs
Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership – to support the Holiday Market
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy – to support activation of Mellon Square during the holidays
Tree of Life Congregation – to support the Hanukkah Display Project
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy – to green and beautify Downtown Pittsburgh for the holiday season
Westmoreland County Food Bank, Inc. – to provide food for individuals in need during the holiday season
Westmoreland Human Opportunities, Inc. – to support the Christmas for Kids program
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About the Richard King Mellon Foundation: Founded in 1947, the Richard King Mellon Foundation is the largest foundation in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and one of the 50 largest in the world. The Foundation’s 2023 year-end net assets were $2.9 billion, and its Trustees in 2023 disbursed more than $176 million in grants and program-related investments. The Foundation focuses its funding on six primary program areas, delineated in its 2021-2030 Strategic Plan.