Annual Report

2017

ANNUAL REPORT

2017

Laurel Area Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, Inc. Faith in Action Program

A 501(c) 3 Nonprofit Corporation

Serving the area since 2002

Laurel Faith in Action, PO Box 854, Latrobe, PA 15650 • 724-539-4357

faithinaction@msn.com www.laurelfia.org

Find us on Facebook: Laurelfia

Mission:

To enhance the quality of life for persons 60 years and older

who reside in the Greater Latrobe, Derry, and Ligonier

Areas by providing companionship and assistance.

“Today, Tomorrow, and Always!”

Laurel Faith in Action began its 16th year in 2017 serving the aging population in

the Greater Latrobe, Unity, Ligonier, and Derry areas with quality of life services.

Today, an average of two aging residents request services every week!

Tomorrow, a new care recipient remains active in the program for an

average of 52 months!

Always, the program is committed to providing services for many years to

come!

Since 2002, the community has embraced the program with their generosity of

spirit, time, and talents. Over 900 adult volunteers have been trained, 1,394

recipients have received services, and we have logged more than 95,000 volunteer

hours since 2002. Amazingly, hundreds of young volunteers have devoted more

than 20,000 volunteer hours helping our residents to remain living in their homes!

This is the story of the power of community and philanthropy. In our small

communities, we are doing big things! When each household and every person

gives just a little, the total of their efforts and gifts is magnanimous! Just ask

Christine, Jane, Rose, Helen, Mary, and Marie who have been receiving help since

2002 and 2003. Or check with Fay, Ray, Mary Ann, Sally, Juanita, Diana, Fran,

Pat, Chuck, Mary, and Patty to learn how Laurel Faith in Action has enhanced their

lives by their volunteering over the past fifteen years. Still others – Lou, Harry,

Kathy, Marie, Mary, and Helen – to name just a few – have continuously sent

generous gifts to help pay the administrative overhead needed to run the program.

The support and results are overwhelming and have enabled the program to grow

and flourish. The Laurel Faith in Action program is now more than just a quality

of life volunteer organization. It has taken root in the community and has become

a vital part of everyday life for our aging residents. Why? Because we all know,

“There’s No Place Like Home.”

The lesson learned is this – get involved in your community in any way you can.

Today, tomorrow, and always – give what you can, when you can, and

continuously. It is only through the generosity of spirit of each of us that we are

able to build on a community where we all wish to live, raise our children, work,

volunteer, and retire with dignity. Today, tomorrow, and always and in all ways!

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall…

All you have to do is call.

You’ve Got a Friend!

Table of Contents

Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Summary of Program Accomplishments . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Photos of Board of Directors and Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

List of Board of Directors and Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Community Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Community Collaborations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Photo Collage of Action… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Funding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Survey Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Demographics of Volunteers and Recipients- 2016. . . . . . . . ……….…16

Program Activities and Costs 2016 … . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Snapshot of 2017…………………………………………………..…………18

“There’s No Place Like Home” Dorothy, Wizard of Oz

Services

Laurel Faith in Action addresses the issues of isolation, loneliness, and basic needs.

Working with local churches, organizations, and agencies, the program works to fill the

gap between current initiatives and services. The intent of the program is to

complement existing community services, not replace or compete with them.

Caring Volunteers are trained to assist elderly individuals with the following:

Appointment Escort – a friendly support person to meet the recipient at doctor

appointments or go with them

Caregiver Relief – much-needed 1-2 hour breaks for full-time caregivers

Correspondence – help with paying bills, writing letters, completing forms

Errands – picking up prescriptions, groceries, toiletries

Friendly Visitor – weekly friendly visits to talk, play cards, and share interests

Friendly Helper – weekly friendly visits include light household chores

Handyman/Yard work – as needed minor repairs, installations, yard work

Referral Services – link to other services in the community

Technology Mentor – help with cell phone, computer, e-Reader, cable remote

Telephone Reassurance – monthly calls for wellness – checking and talking to

a friend

Transportation – rides to the store, doctor, social events during the day

Prospective Care Recipients requesting services qualify, as follows:

Live in Latrobe, Unity Township, parts of Derry Township with Latrobe mailing

address, Derry, New Derry, New Alexandria (new in 2015), Ligonier borough,

and Ligonier Township AND

Aged 60 years and older AND

Request services offered by the Program AND

Complete and sign an application for services

Care Recipients can expect to receive an average of up to 2 hours of service a week.

All services are provided FREE of charge.

*******************

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“I was overwhelmed by the goodness of the volunteers – giving a

day to someone they did not know and doing every kind of menial

labor. They cleaned, painted, smiled, and gabbed all at the same

time. Can you imagine how grateful I am?” 91-year-old care recipient

“I am so grateful for the volunteers from West Penn Power. You

sent them to paint my porch and Fox’s Pizza donated pizza for

their lunch. So many good people! 91-year-old care recipient

Summary of Program Accomplishments

Aging Down – Volunteer Recruitment

In 2014, the Program focused on “aging down” the organization in order to recruit a

younger volunteer pool to complement the retiring generation of volunteers. Between 2014

and 2015, the program experienced a dramatic increase in volunteers from the millennial

generations due to the development of services including the Memory book project with

Saint Vincent College and technology mentoring to help aging residents with computers,

internet, cell phones, and cable TV. In 2016, another astonishing success occurred with

Generation X volunteer recruitment.

Connection with area businesses

Connection with the Generation X volunteers had been a challenge. They are the busy

working adults who rush from work to soccer games and have very little spare time for

volunteering with Laurel Faith in Action. In 2016, however, through programs with local

companies including Kennametal, Inc., Carpenter Technology, West Penn Power, Peoples

Gas, Power-ex, and PICPA, care recipients received over 630 hours of service from 102

“Generation X” volunteers. The employers permitted them to help during working hours

as part of company-sponsored community service projects. The United Way of SW PA

coordinated several projects with local businesses to the benefit of many care recipients.

Several of the companies also contact the Program directly for community service projects

where employees go out in groups on workdays and provide help including painting,

cleaning, extensive yard clean-up, and landscaping.

Advent project

This year’s project to provide gifts to all care recipients for Christmas was a true labor of

love and was the best yet! Throughout the year, many sewing groups from the area made

beautifully sewn, knitted, and crocheted “love lap blankets.” Volunteers wrapped the

gifts and delivered them to almost 400 care recipients who called and wrote many notes

of thanks for the beautiful gifts. Bethlen Communities also donated glass-cleaning cloths

and SeniorLIFE provided candy that was included with the gifts.

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“I had been looking for something to throw over my shoulders to keep warm for weeks but

no store understood what I needed. Today I got my gift from you and it was EXACTLY

what I was looking for! Thank you, thank you and God bless you all!”

Care recipient who passed away in early 2017

The first delivery of 2016 resulted in an email and thank you!

The couple is sharing the gift with their cat!

Board of Directors and Staff Photos

Staff

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Standing: Dr. Conrad Bures, Emily Johnston, Rev. Clark Kerr

Seated: Glema Burke, Marie McCandless, Lillian Crusan

Standing: Tom Sylvester, Simon

Chamberlain. Seated: Susannah

Calvo, Johny DeRose

Rex Ashbrook and Joyce Novotny-

Prettiman

Standing: Sandi Sherba,

Jane Kerr

Seated: Dee Kane, Sibby

McLaughlin

Board of Directors and Staff

Officers 2016-2017

President

Simon Chamberlain, Office Manager, Extramet

Vice President

Johnette DeRose, Retired Administrator, Valley School of Ligonier

Secretary

Susannah Calvo, Retired, Derry Area School District

Treasurer

Tom Sylvester, Commercial Bank and Trust of PA

Directors

Rex Ashbrook, Active Retired, Manufacturing business consultant

Kathy Bartolomucci, Retired, Area Agency on Aging

Conrad Bures, M.D., Retired Physician, Excela Latrobe Hospital

Glema Burke, Retired, University of Pittsburgh

Lillian Crusan, Consultant, MetLife

Don Gobbel, Retired Postmaster, U.S. Postal Service

Emily Johnston, Event Services, Westmoreland County Community College

Dorothy Lynch, Retired Teacher; Excela Lifeline and Little Shop Volunteer

Rev. Clark R. Kerr, Pastor, Latrobe Presbyterian Church

Peter Mahoney, Chief Information Officer, Saint Vincent College

Marie McCandless, Retired, News Editor, Latrobe Bulletin

Joyce Novotny-Prettiman, Attorney, Quatrini Rafferty Law Offices

Advisory Board

Courtney Baum, Director, Career Services, Saint Vincent College

John Graziano, President, Hartman-Graziano Funeral Home

Rev. William A. Schaefer, Pastor, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

Harry Speedy, M.D., Physician, Retired, Diagnostic Associates

Louis Steiner, Retired, Latrobe Foundry

Staff

Jane F. Kerr, Executive Director

Sandi Sherba, Program Director

Sibby McLaughlin

Dee Kane, SEP program trainee, WCCC

Office Volunteers - Jayne Kalp, Bookkeeping; Sandy Romano

Interns – Kayla Stockenaus (2016); Olivia London (2017)

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Community Partners

Adelphoi USA

Bradenville United Methodist Church

Bethany United Methodist Church

Bethlen Communities

Brookdale at Latrobe

Christ United Church of Christ

The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County

Covenant Presbyterian Church

Derry Township and Unity Township Board of Supervisors

Excela Health System

Heritage United Methodist Church

Holy Family Church

Holy Trinity Parish

Latrobe Art Center

LAH Charitable Foundation

Latrobe Bulletin

Latrobe Church of God

Latrobe Presbyterian Church

Latrobe United Methodist Church

Latrobe United Presbyterian Church

Laurel Area Partnership on Aging

Mental Health Association in Westmoreland County

Mullen Refrigeration

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

Rotary Club of Latrobe

Saint Vincent Basilica Parish

Saint Vincent College

Saint Vincent Seminary

Senior Employment Program at WCCC

SeniorLIFE of Greensburg

St. Benedict Catholic Church

St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church

St. James Lutheran Church/Ligonier

St. John the Evangelist Church

St. John’s United Church of Christ

St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church

St. Michael’s of the Valley Episcopal Church

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church

United Way of SW PA

Westmoreland Community Action

Westmoreland County Area Agency on Aging

Westmoreland County Community College

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Community Collaboration

Partnerships – New and Expanded Virtually everything we do, we do with partners. Examples of such partnering are the

following:

Excela Health Latrobe Hospital – The partnership with Excela Health

continues as the program serves on the Palliative Care and Compassionate

Companions committees and receives referrals through the “Hospital to Home”

program as well. Excela Health sponsors the “Faith in Action Live” monthly

radio show airing the fourth Saturday of the month at 9 a.m. on WCNS 1480

AM. As the hospital system works to reduce healthcare costs and provide

“excellence in health care,” the program works to support their efforts.

Adelphoi Village – The collaboration with group homes at Adelphoi Village has

been a tremendous success and the relationship continues to grow. Supervised

youth cut grass, rake leaves, and shovel snow for more than 40 elderly homeowners

year-round in the Greater Latrobe area. Since the work began with Adelphoi group

homes in 2003, ten group homes have provided over 11,000 hours of service!

Saint Vincent College – Since 2002, the program has worked with the college and

students who help with household chores, yard work, friendly visits, oral histories,

and technology assistance with many care recipients. Interns paid through PHEAA

have also worked with the program since 2004.

Saint Vincent Seminary - Seminary students are enrolled in an ongoing practicum

program with Laurel Area Faith in Action where they earn credit and gain field

pastoral experience. The students are gaining an appreciation for the struggles of

aging residents and are learning how to discuss spirituality.

United Way of Westmoreland County Day of Caring – Employees from local

businesses participate through the United Way and directly with the Program to

provide projects that directly help recipients remain living in their homes. In 2016,

102 volunteers from local businesses contributed over 630 volunteer hours!

Community Foundation of Westmoreland County – The program participates

in the Foundation’s annual “Day of Giving” and has received a number of generous

grants through the years, including an anonymous donor grant and grant for

technology upgrades.

Elder Abuse Task Force – The program serves on the countywide initiative to

“reduce the number of victimized older adults through prevention, education,

identification and prosecution through a joint effort.”

Latrobe Presbyterian Church donates office space for staff and meeting space

for Board and volunteer meetings.

Senior Employment Program (SEP), Westmoreland County Community

College provides paid office staff who work on-site 16-20 hours per week; Laurel

Faith in Action has been a training site since 2002.

Unity Township Supervisors, Derry Township Supervisors, and City of

Latrobe staff pick up hundreds of bags of raked leaves from recipients’ homes

and provide financial and other support.

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Events

Annual Celebration of Community – The annual Celebration of Community was titled

“There’s No Place Like Home.” Over 150 attended the annual luncheon held at the Rogers

Center, Saint Vincent College, in Latrobe on April 29, 2016. The theme and décor for the

event were based on The Wizard of Oz. Tables were decorated with red shoes and the live

characters from the musical performed at Derry Area High School were on hand to greet

the guests. The program was greatly honored to recognize the contributions made by youth

and the millennial generation from Adelphoi Village, Saint Vincent College, Saint Vincent

Seminary, and many local youth and church youth organizations. Since 2002, these groups

have collectively devoted more than 20,000 volunteer hours helping aging residents remain

living in their homes by cutting grass, raking leaves, shoveling snow, visiting, and

providing other chores and services. The event also introduced the program’s new

memorial fund – “Over the Rainbow” – encouraging gifts in honor and memory of loved

ones. Sponsors of the event included Excela Health, Carpenter Technology, McFeely-

Rogers Foundation, Mullen Refrigeration, Quatrini Rafferty Law Offices, Saint Vincent

College, Scalise Real Estate, RFS Properties, Gibson Kirr Charitable Foundation, RDCSL,

Inc., Laurel Area Partnership on Aging, SeniorLIFE of Greensburg, LHTC/WCNS, and

Bethlen Communities. Tables for the honored guests were sponsored by the Knights of

Columbus-Derry Chapter 2648, Hartman Graziano Funeral Home, McCabe Funeral Home,

and Lopatich Funeral Home.

Volunteer Appreciation Dinner - The 15th annual dinner was well attended by

approximately 130 volunteers and board members at St. Vincent Grove on October 6, 2016.

Following the theme from Wizard of Oz, the volunteers were invited to “Follow the Yellow

Brick Road” to the Grove at Saint Vincent for a delicious dinner, games and gifts. Saint

Vincent provided the Grove facility and Laurel Faith in Action provided the food. Local

businesses donated over 70 gifts that were raffled for the volunteers.

Leaf Raking – Since 2002, leaf raking has been an annual youth event in the Laurel area.

It was held in 2016 on the first Saturday in November and was another successful event

with more than 300 youth participating from local churches, scout groups, Adelphoi group

homes families, schools, and Saint Vincent College! Raking teams met at Holy Trinity

Parish in Ligonier and Latrobe First Church of God before going out to their assignments.

The capacity crowds enjoyed 400 slices of pizza and went out to rake at 42 different homes.

Sponsors included Fox’s Pizza Den in Latrobe, Pizza Sienna, Marco’s Pizza, Pleasant

Unity Pizza, Racer’s Tavern, City of Latrobe, and Unity and Derry Township Supervisors.

Advent project – For the 15th consecutive year, volunteers worked on this signature project

that provides a gift to each care recipient (400+ in 2016) for Christmas. Volunteers worked

throughout the year to sew, knit, and crochet beautifully crafted “love lap blankets,”

including Unity Quilters, American Sewing Guild’s “Sew and Sews,” Trinity Lutheran

Church’s Wednesday sewing group, Latrobe United Methodist “Quilting Bees,” “Purls of

Prayer” from Trinity Lutheran Church, “Knifty Knitters” from Adams Memorial Library,

and volunteers Bev, Karen, Ann, Nancy, Sara, Portia, Elaine, Jean, Marian, Emma, Ruth,

Dottie, Barb, June, and Fay. The volunteers donated all fabric. Bethlen Communities

donated glass-cleaning cloths and SeniorLIFE Greensburg donated treats. Volunteers

wrapped the gifts and delivered to almost 400 homes in time for Christmas. For some, the

Laurel Faith in Action gift is the only one received for the holiday.

Projects of Area Businesses – While we have enjoyed the benefit of help from area

businesses in the annual Day of Caring, sponsored by the United Way of SW PA, we were

overwhelmed by the support in 2016. The following page depicts some of the “action”.

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Action!

In 2016, from June through November, 102 (yes 102!) volunteers from area

businesses devoted 628 volunteer hours helping Laurel Faith in Action care

recipients with a variety of projects from painting to cleaning to extensive

trimming and yard clean up. Painting projects included painting a mobile home

from top to bottom, bedroom, kitchen cabinets, interior doors, garage, porches,

ramp, outdoor furniture, and window frames. Yard clean up required power

tools, ladders, wheelbarrows, and pickup trucks!

In addition to participating in the United Way of SW PA’s annual Day of

Caring, Laurel Faith in Action also enjoyed work from Kennametal employees

during their Day of Action in June and a special “golf outing” team in October.

Other local companies included People’s Gas, First Energy, and Powerex, and

organizations PICPA and Women’s Leadership Council. Employees from

Carpenter Technology Corporation replaced the cedar siding on a woman’s

home in 2015 and for the third consecutive year, two teams raked thousands of

leaves for four recipients - one who lives on her family’s heavily wooded

homestead in the country.

Laurel Faith in Action works with organizations, agencies, churches,

foundations, and individuals and connected in 2016 in a huge way with the

local business community!

Funding

The program continues to be blessed with a generosity of spirit and donations from many

local organizations and individuals. Income reported in the Annual Report is based on a

cash basis while the financial reports are based on an accrual accounting basis. The exact

audited income appears on the current tax returns available at www.laurelfia.org and will

differ from this reporting due to the differences in accounting and reporting.

Revenues again exceeded expectations with a 13% increase in number of

individual donations. The average gift per donor was $74.04 in 2016.

Donors 94 organizations and 514 individual donors

Fundraising Events and projects

Including the special “Over the Rainbow” memorials of $1,553, the final total was

$12,803.

Annual Appeal - The annual appeal for 2016 netted $19,368 from individuals.

Day of Giving – Participating in this event for nonprofit organizations in

Westmoreland County for the seventh consecutive year, we received $2,939.

Individual donations and gifts – In addition to the Annual Appeal and Day of

Giving, 96 individuals sent $17,776 for “general support” and additional memorial

donations totaled $940.

Grants and Significant gifts

The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County technology grant

and donor grants

“Day of Giving” annual event

Derry Township Board of Supervisors

Excela Health – Sponsorship of annual awards luncheon and WCNS radio

show

Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation

Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation

McFeely-Rogers Foundation

Richard King Mellon Foundation

Rotary Club of Latrobe

Sawyer Foundation

United Way of SW PA – grant and designations

Churches, including but not limited to Heritage United Methodist Church,

Latrobe Presbyterian Church, St. John’s United Church of Christ, St.

Michael’s of the Valley Episcopal Church, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran

Church, Latrobe Alliance Church, and Unitarian Universalist Church.

“We make a living by what we get,

But we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill

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Survey Results 2016

Each year, the program contacts a sample of active care recipients for a survey that

measures satisfaction, health and well-being, and unmet need, reported below.

13%

87%

Satisfied with the quality of services from FIA

Agree

StronglyAgree

15%

85%

Feel more secure knowing FIA can be called

Agree

Strongly Agree

77%

21%

2%

FIA helped recipient remain in home

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

2%

25%

73%

FIA has made recipient's life

Same

Better

Much Better

22%

15%

16%

19%

15%

9%4%

Best thing about FIA and program

Securtiy

Volunteers/staff

Nice/friendly

Help when needed

Services offered

Phonereassurrance

Other

16%

67%

17%

Rate recipients overall health

Poor

Fair

great

42%

58%

Have you dropped many of interests/activities?

Yes

No

8%6%

23%

22%

41%

How much control do you have over your life circumstances?

1

2

3

4

5- total control

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Participant Demographics 2016

Adult Volunteers –

75% of new volunteers were from Generation X and Millennial

Generation.

62% of volunteers are female and 38% are male.

The most popular activities that most volunteers choose are shopping,

visits, special projects, and transportation.

Participant Demographics 2016

Care Recipients –

60% are aged 85 and above and 15% are aged 90 and above

74% of care recipients are women.

60% live alone and 23% are married and living with their spouse.

Only 24% list their health as “good”.

Average Length of Stay in the program is 52 months.

56% are referred to the program by word of mouth from friends, family,

volunteers, and church; 35% are referred to the program from agencies

and organizations; 8% are from public relations or social media.

“Laurel Area Faith in Action…

Changing lives, two at a time”

“I was filling in for the regular volunteer and on

the second visit, the recipient told me she had

never made a pie. She and her 94-year old sister

had canned fruit and she wanted to make a pie.

Years ago, I worked in New York in a bakery and

I made up to 75 pies a day so she asked the right

person! We got right to work and made a

delicious fruit pie. What fun we had!” Volunteer

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Program Activity – 2016

Since 2002

Volunteers* 112 new 262 active* 921 total trained

Care receivers 91 new 437 served 1,394 total served

Volunteer Activity

Hours

2016 Total 10,665 95,080 total hours

Top # of individual services reported by category

2016 Hours

Friendly Visits/calls 2,622 1,794

Rides and errands 1,929 2,493

Caregiver relief 99 193

Special projects** 1,409 4,188

*Includes adults only and does not include additional average of 75 youth from Adelphoi Village per year

on regular basis. Additional periodic youth volunteers from SVC Service Learning, Valley Youth Network,

churches, and scout troops totaling 300+ in 2016.

** Includes lawn mowing, leaf raking, and snow shoveling and special projects-indoors and outdoors

Program Costs – 2016

Costs to provide program services are relatively small. In 2016, $233.42 in administrative

costs provided rides, errands, visits, chores, calls, and much more for one recipient for

an entire year.

Based on the year-end financials and functional expenses and the reported volunteer

hours, an estimated average administrative cost for 2016 was $11.21 per volunteer hour.

Based on this estimate and our Database Operations report, the program is able to

estimate the following amounts for donors to consider when sending gifts:

Average administrative costs

Escorted ride to the doctor or grocery store $20.85

Errands for groceries $10.09

Friendly visit and chores $14.46

One telephone reassurance call $ 3.36

Deliver food pantry to the home $ 5.61

“There’s No Place Like Home” Dorothy, Wizard of Oz

The Annual Report focuses on the who, what, when, and where. In conclusion, the most

important part is the why? The program continues to focus on services that help aging

residents remain living in their homes with quality of life and an overall sense of security.

Why? Because we know “there is no place like home!”

Following is a snapshot of things to come in 2017…

Strategic Planning and Board Development

The Board and Staff are busy planning to project the next five-year goals, taking the

program to the 20th year serving the Laurel area with compassion and innovation. Included

in the discussions and planning are the following:

Transportation Education

While the Laurel Faith in Action program has met 100% of the requests for escorted

transportation over the past 15 years, they have done so in conjunction with the local

Transit Authority. Plans are to help more of the aging population learn to use and enjoy

the many benefits offered by Westmoreland County Transit and Shared Ride services.

Elder Abuse

The Executive Director currently serves on the Westmoreland County Elder Abuse Task

Force. The mission is to educate aging residents and their families in order to prevent

abuse and financial exploitation. Focus of Program participation is to enhance public

awareness and education in partnership with local, State, and Federal authorities.

Planned Giving As part of the new five-year Strategic Plan, the program is developing simple planned

giving programs to encourage volunteers, recipients, families, and other individuals to help

us sustain the program for future generations. As an independent nonprofit corporation,

we must raise 100% of all our administrative costs each year and planned giving will assure

sustainability for future generations.

Expanded Partnerships

The Program is working with Bethlen Communities in Ligonier to establish a presence in

a Community Services Center that is part of their expansion to the former Holy Trinity

facility in 2017.

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Remarkable return on investments!

Each year, the Independent Sector, a coalition of nonprofits, foundations and

corporate giving programs, calculates the Value of a Volunteer Hour. In 2015,

the value was calculated at $23.56 per volunteer hour.

Considering the 10,665 volunteer hours tracked last year in the Laurel Faith in

Action program, the value in 2016 alone is valued at $251,267.40! Since

2002, the value at the 2015 rate and 95,080 volunteer hours would be an

incredible $2,240,084.80!

That is philanthropy in action!

New in 2016 for all Amazon users:

Amazon Foundation will give ½ of 1% of all purchases on

Amazon when you select Laurel Faith in Action as your

charity when ordering. Use the simple link below or log

on to Smile.Amazon.com when ordering!

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/20-4380836

“Giving Tree” Fund

Gifts in honor and memory of

loved ones for long-term

sustainability

The Local Charity of Choice

www.Laurelfia.org