Connellsville organizations receive United Way Opportunity Fund grants
Two Fayette County organizations are among nine area human service agencies recently awarded grants through the United Way of Westmoreland County’s Opportunity Fund.
Both of the Fayette County organizations are based in Connellsville: Wesley Health Center Inc. received $2,897 for its dental screening program while Connellsville Community Ministries received $10,000 for an anti-poverty program called Circles that is operated in partnership with St. Vincent De Paul Society and the Salvation Army.
Marilyn Weaver, executive director for the Wesley Health Center Inc., explained the center opened a dental-screening service last year and this grant will now enable it to perform cleanings.
“Dental equipment is expensive and buying it is a challenge,” said Weaver, who said the center is grateful for the grant.
The services are performed by a public health dental hygienist who is able to work without a dentist. She visits the center once a month.
Weaver noted, “If people are having health problems, they are probably having dental problems, too. This enables us to screen them and clean their teeth. If they need additional work, we have a dentist who will see them.”
Chip Rowan, executive director of Connellsville Community Ministries, said of the grant, “We are really pleased. The $10,000 is going to be a great help as we continue Circles.”
Rowan noted the Connellsville program, which started in September, is one of 80 chapters throughout the country that are part of the Circles USA program, which takes a personal approach to pulling families out of poverty.
“We find families in poverty and take them through a process where they become self-sufficient,” said Rowan. “This is achieved through education and we link them with allies (individuals who volunteer) who serve as mentors.”
Rowan said 10 families started the program in September, beginning with a 12-week training class. Seven families completed the class. This month, they will start an 18-month process in which they will be matched with allies who will coach them on making changes in their lives. They will also attend weekly meetings with allies and community members as well as monthly meetings.
The class prepares the families while the second part is putting everything into practice.
“This is an on-going program,” said Rowan. “Every six months, we will start a new class.”
Rowan also noted that national Circles founder Scott Miller of Albuquerque, New Mexico, will appear in the area on today, visiting with community leaders in Connellsville in the afternoon and speaking at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus near Uniontown at 6:30 p.m.
The United Way of Westmoreland County’s Opportunity Fund grants are designed for Westmoreland and Fayette County non-profit human service agencies to expand their organizational capacity to deliver services through training, materials, program innovations or other supports, according to a press release from the organization.
Alyssa Cholodofsky, director of community investments and donor relationships for UWWC, said the board of directors received 35 grant proposals for this funding program.
“It was a competitive process reviewed by community volunteers. They selected proposals that were reviewed by our board,” Cholodofsky said, “It was exciting for us to provide additional funding to agencies.”