The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County awards $500,000 to regional nonprofits

GREENSBURG, PA, JULY 16, 2026 — The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County (CFWC) has awarded 11 grants totaling $500,000 to Westmoreland County nonprofits. 

The organizations receiving grants focus on providing basic needs services to the community, including housing, child care, food and employment services. Supplying basic needs services to families in need helps them establish stability, which assists them move beyond poverty.

“Every neighborhood holds the promise of a better tomorrow, and these 11 organizations are making that promise real,” said McCrae Martino, CFWC executive director. “Day after day, they show up for our neighbors who are working hard to meet life's most basic needs. They are looking after the physical, social, environmental and emotional well-being of the people who need hope the most. When we invest in these organizations, we're really investing in each other and in the future of the community we all call home."

CFWC awarded funding from its evolved grantmaking program, Impact Grants: Investing in People and Place, which provides general operating support to organizations making a measurable difference in the lives of individuals and families living in poverty and/or investing in the revitalization of communities. General operating support is unrestricted funding provided to a nonprofit to advance its overall mission and sustain day-to-day operations, rather than to run a specific project or program. These types of grants are designed to strengthen the 11 organizations that are deeply rooted in their communities and address critical needs.

Since 2022, programs like Healthy Communities and Revitalizing Westmoreland and now Impact Grants have supported the needs of vulnerable populations in the county while helping to develop the places in which they live. Now, the Impact Grants program reflects a new approach, according to Martino. 

"Our community is always evolving, and our grantmaking must evolve with it,” Martino said. “Over the past year, we took a careful, intentional look at how we fund the nonprofits that serve Westmoreland County. We studied best practices in grantmaking, held focus groups with nonprofit organizations, sat down for one-on-one conversations with nonprofit CEOs, and surveyed the sector. What we heard shaped everything that follows. The revised grantmaking strategy we are launching in 2026 reflects what our nonprofit partners told us they need most, and it positions us to make an even greater impact on the people and places we are here to serve.” 

The 11 organizations receiving grants are:

Sampling of the CFWC Grantees:

Homes Build Hope - housing

Located in Greensburg, Homes Build Hope is a nonprofit affordable housing agency that operates nearly 140 apartments, townhouses, duplex homes and single-family homes throughout Westmoreland County, including in East Vandergrift, Irwin, Jeannette, Greensburg, Latrobe and Derry. The organization offers housing counseling services and matches qualified applicants with suitable rental properties. Through its rental and senior housing units, Homes Build Hope is committed to providing affordable housing for low- and moderate-income individuals and families across the community.

“Homes Build Hope is facing rising costs associated with property maintenance, insurance, taxes and other essential operating expenses,” said executive director Kristin Zaccaria. “At the same time, Westmoreland County continues to experience a shortage of decent, safe and affordable housing. The ongoing challenge for our organization is balancing increasing costs while keeping rents affordable for the residents we serve.

“This investment from The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County through the Impact Grant represents a meaningful and significant commitment to both our mission and the community we serve. The funding will strengthen our organizational capacity, enhance our ability to deliver critical housing and supportive services and position Homes Build Hope for long-term sustainability. Most importantly, it will allow us to provide greater stability and hope to individuals and families facing housing insecurity, creating a lasting impact throughout Westmoreland County.”

Sonward Youth Programs - youth services

Sonward Youth Programs, a community-based youth enrichment initiative founded in 2011 in New Kensington, is dedicated to transforming its community one child and one family at a time by empowering young people in disadvantaged neighborhoods through development and engagement initiatives.

“Over the last several years, Sonward has grown tremendously,” said founder and executive director Kim Louis. “More families are reaching out, more children need support and more teenagers are looking for opportunities to learn, work and lead. Our greatest need is more caring, consistent adults. This grant will allow us to increase adult staffing across our after-school, summer enrichment and teen employment programs. That means more mentoring, stronger supervision and deeper relationships with the children and teens we serve.

“It also creates much needed capacity. As additional staff help lead our daily programs, it frees me as executive director to build community partnerships, recruit volunteers and invite more people to invest in Sonward.”

Faith in Action Laurel Area - senior care

Since 2001, Faith in Action Laurel Area has been dedicated to supporting seniors age 60 and older across Latrobe, Derry, Ligonier — and their respective townships — and Unity Township. As a nonprofit 501(c)3 community benefit organization, Faith in Action Laurel Area works to ease isolation and loneliness while helping our aging neighbors meet basic needs so they can remain safe in their homes. By partnering with local organizations, they fill the gaps between existing services and the real needs of our community. Together, Faith in Action Laurel Area empowers local seniors to live confidently, age well and stay connected to the community they love.

“This $50,000 grant from The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County is a lifeline for our organization,” said executive director Amy Williams. “At a time when we were deeply concerned about how we would continue meeting the needs before us, this grant gives us hope. It helps ensure that local seniors will continue to receive the support, connection and care they need to remain safe and independent. Every day, we hear from seniors who are trying to remain independent in their homes, which they love, and are no longer able to drive, live alone and do not have family nearby to help. For many, something as simple as getting to a doctor’s appointment, picking up groceries or hearing a friendly voice on the phone can make the difference between feeling cared for versus feeling forgotten.”

About The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County

Established in 1995, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County (CFWC) encourages local residents to become philanthropists, provides grants that support a wide variety of charitable organizations, and serves as a community leader. CFWC’s resources comprise endowments funds established by individuals, businesses, and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and a deep commitment to strengthening and celebrating the Westmoreland County community. CFWC currently stewards more than 250 individual donor funds, totaling $40 million in assets. It has granted $37 million to local nonprofit organizations.

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