Latest news with #ErieCommunityFoundation
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Playhouse for All program returns, offering discounted prices for ACCESS card holders
(WJET/WFXP) – One local program is hoping to make the arts more accessible for the Erie community. The Erie Playhouse announced the return of its Playhouse for All program, which allows state-issued ACCESS cardholders to buy tickets at a discounted price. To celebrate 75 years, Art's Bakery hosts four-day anniversary event Thanks to a Helping Today grant from the Erie Community Foundation, tickets will cost $5 for those who show their ACCESS card, as well as a valid photo ID, when purchasing. Please be aware that you cannot use your ACCESS card to make a payment. The Erie Playhouse is currently offering discounted tickets for the following shows: The Phantom Tollbooth Jr Tickets on sale: Now Performances run: May 9-18 The Da Vinci Code Tickets on sale: May 20 Performances run: June 13-29 Cats Tickets on sale: July 1 Performances run: July 25 – August 10 'The arts are for everyone,' said Erie Playhouse executive director Zach Flock. 'Programs like Playhouse for All allow us to continue to provide greater access to the Erie Playhouse to members of the community, ensuring that the price of a ticket is never a barrier to experiencing live, local theatre.' Each production will offer 50 tickets at this price, and they are available for purchase at the Erie Playhouse box office, located at 13 West 10th Street. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘It's a crisis' Erie County refugees in crisis due to federal funding freeze
Response to a federal funding freeze that they say is impacting Erie County communities and agencies. What's being called a rapid response team was established to develop strategies to combat the lack of funding which is expected to rock the refugee community to its core. Rescued pup Bernard finds loving home after recovering from abuse Members of this team said the federal funding freezes have forced a budget crisis at the local level, potentially impacting Erie's workforce and local economy. Infinite Erie is spearheading an initiative to construct a team to brainstorm action in response to the federal funding freeze. Some members of the team include the likes of the Erie Community Foundation, the United Way, Erie Insurance, and ECGRA just to name a few. And they said Erie's refugee community is in dire straights. 'It's a crisis. It's right here, right now,' said Kim Thomas, executive director of Infinite Erie. 'Our entire economy and community relies on this population.' AHN St. Vincent honors two physicians for National Doctors' Day Since October of 2024, Erie's resettlement agencies have had no federal funding reimbursements. That's led to more than 20 layoffs in the department with more on the way. It's impacted thousands of refugees who have been legally resettled here by the government to escape crisis, war, and persecution. Without these services, Thomas said immigrants are more likely to leave Erie, resulting in a loss of $253 million to the local economy annually. 'About 47% of them own a home in our community so they're paying mortgages and they're providing that economic stimulus into our community. They are part of our workforce. There have been about 500 jobs over the past however many years that have really resulted from refugees entering into the workforce. They're an incredible participant in our entrepreneurial and business communities,' Thomas explained. That's why the Erie Community Foundation is opening an emergency fund. They created rapid response funds both when covid-19 broke out as well as during the war in Ukraine. She said this funding freeze has risen to the level of a humanitarian crisis locally. 'We connect donors to causes that they care about and so our role is to inspire, engage and empower donors. That's what this is doing, the rapid response fund. By creating this fund to support nonprofits, they're helping refugees resettle, we're making our community stronger, more culturally rich, and then that results in new stores and restaurants,' said Erin Fessler, vice president of marketing and community relations for the Erie Community Foundation. Despite being just 4.1% of Erie County's population, refugees own 5% of businesses in Erie County and this fund should act as a lifeline to resettlement agencies hoping to continue welcoming refugees into our region. City of Erie, ErieBank partner up to boost home ownership 'There's a much larger conversation that certainly needs to happen around long-term solutions for specifically the refugee resettlement agencies and this population but we recognized right away that this is a crisis right here and right now. The federal funding has been shut off,' Thomas went on to say. To learn more about the Rapid Response Fund Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Erie Community Foundation donates $15,000 for LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention
Advocates of the LGBTQ+ community say it's more important now than ever before to provide safe spaces for everyone. That's why the Erie Community Foundation continues to support the work that goes into it as well. Erie Land Bank changing policies to help drive development Statistics show that LGBTQ+ youth have higher risks of anxiety, depression, and suicidal tendencies than other groups. And investments into nonprofits like Compton's Table are what can help tip the scale in the other direction. 'Over the past several months we've seen several executive orders that have really been targeting the trans and the queer community stripping us of rights that we've been fighting for for centuries and decades really,' said Tyler Titus, the founder of Compton's Table. Titus said a statistic that keeps them up at night is a staggering 50% of LGBTQ youth have regular instances of suicidal ideation. And it's why groups like the Erie Community Foundation are continuing to support the work of nonprofits like Compton's Table. State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro named Advocate of the Year for anti-SLAPP law 'The LGBT fund is a really special group of people who are so passionate about turning around, taking their own experience as community members, or their passions as allies and using that to drive improvements for the LGBTQ+ community and this grant is a really perfect example of that,' said Olivia Burgess, director of collective giving for the Erie Community Foundation. The community foundation's LGBT fund is awarding $15,000 to Compton's Table to support youth programs. True North is a four-session life skills and empowerment program meant to help LGBTQ people ages 16-24. It gives them skills in things like career development, budgeting, self-care and beyond promoting confidence and resilience. Chat n' chill is what it sounds like, a safe space for peer groups to connect for open conversations regarding whatever might be happening in their lives. 'It was life-changing. I was able to learn life skills like how to cook, clean, be a good roommate and live with other people. They break it down into these nice bite-sized lessons each week so it's not too overwhelming for people. Especially when you're young, queer, and maybe even neurodivergent, it can be harder to absorb information like that,' said Sunny, a mentor at True North for Compton's Table. 'We need to create these people where can just show up as their full authentic self and just do things that teen and young adults do,' Titus went on to say. LECOM Health offers Erie's first treatment for Alzheimer's, dementia Titus said studies show that all it takes is just for one adult to be accepting of that individual and the risk of suicidal ideologies decreases by 40%. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Redevelopment authority opens bids for East Bayfront Greenway Trail
Bids are now open for phase one of the East Bayfront Greenway Trail project. This is what they plan to transform it into. Erie Community Foundation celebrates 90 years serving the community A vibrant and accessible trail system throughout the East Bayfront neighborhood. He calls it a severely distressed area in the City of Erie. Executive Director Aaron Snippert and the rest of his team at the redevelopment authority are on a mission to create a public asset throughout the East Bayfront neighborhood. With an overwhelming amount of vacant lots, a park and trail system was brought to the table. It's called the Greenway Trail Project. Millcreek kindergartners get a lesson in finances from McDowell students 'Throughout this process, we've identified lots, we've looked at properties that are up for sale, approach property owners and properties that are under repository under an effort to try to build these pieces of the puzzle and put them together so we can have a trail system that ultimately connect across the neighborhood,' said Aaron Snippert, executive director of the City of Erie Redevelopment Authority. 'It's kind of to promote accessibility through this neighborhood to the bayfront area. there's also a bus stop here so bikes will be able to go through, it'll be walking, there'll be some benches and we'll have wayfinding signs that will kind of direct you throughout the entire trail,' said Kendra Wilson, community engagement specialist for the City of Erie Redevelopment Authority. Michael Baker International is the overall consultant that put together the high-level plan. As of Friday, bids are now open for phase one of the project that has been in development for two years. Snap-tite's Warrior hose: Revolutionizing fire safety and resilience 'We're looking about three-quarters of a million dollars for this initial phase one,' Snippert said. 'We've brought in LSSE as the landscape architect to develop the plans that are now out for bid. They're due by March 27.' According to LSSE, the scope of work generally consists of site demolition and earthwork. Phase one of the project includes this parcel on East Sixth Street and three additional properties on East 7th Street. They will become a part of a larger trail project that will go throughout the East Bayfront area. The rest of the project will connect the middle of the neighborhood, winding up through Tenth and Ash Streets, then to Sixth and Reed Streets. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now At public engagement sessions, the authority heard a lot of concerns of 'negative activity.' Neighbors are hopeful that bringing positive space here will deter that activity.' 'This neighborhood is kind of left behind as far as amenities, parks, green space over here so I think it's really important that when we are putting something like this in that we hope stand the test of time and can kind of create spaces like this in this neighborhood, that is what they want,' Wilson. Grover Cleveland students collect 4,000 books for needy kids The authority is applying for additional funding through the state. As they secure more grants, they will continue to the next phase Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Erie Restaurant Week has most successful year yet
Erie Restaurant Week 2025 had its most successful week since its inception. That's according to VisitErie which released stats from the 10-day promotional event this week. Erie Community Foundation celebrates 90 years serving the community Erie Restaurant Week ran from January 17-26 with local restaurants offering unique specials. There was an increase in participating restaurants from 49 to 63 this year. There were also more specials sold and a 79% increase in total sales from those specials. Erie Restaurant Week not only shines a spotlight on the region's culinary diversity, it also supports restaurants during a time of year that business is traditionally slow. Jersey Mike's Subs Month of Giving returning this March 'You know that snowstorm over Thanksgiving weekend really took a toll on the restaurants so the timing of restaurant week couldn't have been better. It really boosted their business. We heard back from a lot of different resturant owners that they were just thrilled with the results,' said Chris Temple, director of communications for VisitErie. Temple said restaurant owners reported not only seeing a lot of repeat customers but also a lot of new customers which is the goal of restaurant week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
