ERIE, Pa., August 9, 2023 – The Erie Insurance (ERIE) Giving Network has announced $514,860 in grants supporting 10 local nonprofits serving students in northwest Pennsylvania.
The grants are part of ERIE’s competitive educational grant initiative, aimed at strengthening the connection between academic programming and out-of-school time activities and supporting early childhood education.
Erie Insurance has donated more than $1.2 million as part of the company’s Investing in Our Future grant program since it was launched in 2021. The Investing in Our Future grant funding is in addition to the $824,000 that ERIE awarded in April to more than 20 education nonprofits through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.
ERIE’s Charitable Giving Committee strives to impact generations through lifelong learning and support our community’s goal of eliminating poverty through education, according to Christy Blashock, community outreach manager for Erie Insurance.
“We were impressed by this year’s grant applications and pleased to be able to increase our funding of the Investing in Our Future grant program for nonprofits and, ultimately, the students the programs support,” said Blashock.
The 2023 Investing in Our Future grant recipients are Child Development Centers Inc., Erie Arts & Culture, Erie Philharmonic, Erie Playhouse, Erie Police Athletic League, Gannon University, The Goodell Project, Nonprofit Partnership, YMCA of Corry, and the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research and Evaluation (CORE). Individual project grants ranged from $25,000 to $100,000.
Erie Police Athletic League (PAL) will support at-risk youth through after-school programming with ERIE’s Investing in Our Future grant. This includes field trips, computers, books and other educational resources. PAL has increased its outreach to more than 800 youths from the City of Erie public schools. Volunteers provide mentoring, educational, athletic and recreational programs.
“Erie Insurance has always been a big component of our success by creating a pathway of opportunities that would not be possible without the support of its Community Outreach department,” said Lt. Tom Lenox, PAL coordinator. “Erie Insurance and its staff have proven that they truly care and take a vested interest in our youth and understand that these educational opportunities will, in fact, create our future leaders.”
Erie Insurance Giving Network is also supporting professional development workshops provided by the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research and Evaluation (CORE) at Penn State Behrend as part of the Investing in Our Future grants. This funding will help enhance learning and development opportunities for local nonprofits.
“Susan Hirt Hagen CORE is incredibly grateful for the Investing in Our Future funding to provide educational workshops for nonprofit professionals on outcomes measurement and reporting,” said James Hodge, director.
The workshops will give nonprofit professionals and their organizations the tools to track and communicate their accomplishments.
“Erie Insurance’s unwavering commitment to the local nonprofit community is inspiring, and we are thrilled to serve as a partner to drive measurable and meaningful change in our community through high-quality educational opportunities,” added Hodge.
To learn more about ERIE’s Investing in Our Future grant program, visit erieinsurance.com/givingnetwork/investinginourfuture
