CLEARFIELD – The Board of Directors of the Clearfield County Charitable Foundation recently held their annual meeting to review activities during 2023 and reorganize the board for 2024.
During 2023, the Clearfield County Charitable Foundation recorded donations totaling $3,641,651.95, up from $2,116,797.33 collected during 2022.
Trustee Mid Penn Bank reported the market value of all CCCF funds as of Jan. 25, 2024 totaled $17,106,213.20 up from $11,465,299.49 at the end of 2022.
On the financial reporting side, the annual audit was completed for the 2022 year by Young, Oakes, Brown and Company PC Certified Public Accountants with no findings and all annual required filings to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Internal Revenue Service have been submitted and accepted.
For the year ending Dec. 31, 2023, the Clearfield County Charitable Foundation distributed back to communities across Clearfield County a total of $373,030.20 as follows: $57,150 in scholarship awards, $90,590 through the community grant program awards, $15,000 to community food banks through the Basic Needs Fund and $210,290.20 in annual distributions to the beneficiaries of various endowment funds.
New funds created during 2023 include the Clearfield Area High School Class of 72 Scholarship Fund, the Shirley Ann McKee Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Be the Kindness Fund in Memory of Westin Cantolina.
Additionally, estate settlement work was completed for the Constance McGarry Estate to finalize creation of the Fred L. and Bernece C. Rhoads Nursing Scholarship Fund along with the legal work to gain court approval to transfer the PB Zentmyer Fund from the Masonic Lodge to the Clearfield County Charitable Foundation.
With the funds created in 2023, there are now 60 total endowment or scholarship funds under the Charitable Foundation.
Board Chairman John G. Soult Jr. stated: “We appreciate all the individuals, families and organizations who have created scholarship or endowment funds with the Charitable Foundation.
“We are thankful to everyone who made donations in support of our funds during 2023 and we are looking forward to further success in 2024. The Clearfield County Charitable Foundation has seen tremendous growth in recent years which benefits many students, individuals and organizations throughout Clearfield County.”
Executive Director Mark McCracken reported to the board that discussions are ongoing with individuals, families and community organizations that could see several new scholarship or endowment funds established in 2024. McCracken advised that he is currently working with scholarship committees and high school guidance departments to accept applications for 2024 scholarship awards.
Board officers selected for the coming year are Chairman John G. Soult Jr., Vice Chairman John Harpster and Secretary/Treasurer Lisa Conrad.
In addition to the board officers, current members of the CCCF Board of Directors are Dana Beauseigneur, Maureen Gathagan, Lisa Kovalick, Shayne Lumadue, Vicki Myers, Jamie Straub, Joe Valenza, Lee Grace Valigorsky, Trustee Representative George Weidlein and Directors Emeritus Robert M. Kurtz Jr. and Kevin McMillen.
The Clearfield County Charitable Foundation welcomes inquiries from any individuals, families or organizations interested in establishing an endowment or scholarship fund to benefit communities in Clearfield County.
Information is available on the CCCF website www.clearfieldcharitablefoundation.org, or by contacting us at 814-592-7331 or e-mailing at cccfexecdir@outlook.com.
Online donations to any of our funds can be made on the website or by mailing checks to Clearfield County Charitable Foundation, P.O. Box 1442, Clearfield PA 16830.
Checks should be made payable to Clearfield County Charitable Foundation and write the name of the fund donating to on the MEMO line.