Matthew McDonnell, a soon-to-be 7th-grade student at Abington Heights Middle School, was diagnosed with a rare form of Wilm’s Tumor (kidney cancer) at age three. After defeating the disease five times, he partnered with the Scranton Area Community Foundation to start Matthew’s Hope 4 Miracles, which raises awareness of the lack of funding for pediatric cancer research and helps to support local families who have a child with a cancer diagnosis and who may be experiencing financial hardship.

Matthew’s Hope 4 Miracles will be hosting a 5K Run & Walk at Nay Aug Park on Saturday, July 23.

This year’s event will be in memory of the McDonnells’ family friend Nathan Gray, an 8-year-old who died of cancer on January 6.

At this event, medals will be awarded to the top males and females in each age group. Local food vendors, small businesses, a basket raffle, and children’s games and activities will be all around Nay Aug Park during the race.

Through the Matthew’s Hope 4 Miracles Family Support Fund at the Scranton Area Community Foundation, Matthew and his family have provided over $40,000 to date to support charitable causes.

Registration for the race starts at 7:30 a.m. The race itself starts at 9 a.m. on July 23.

In November 2021, Matthew McDonnell of Matthew’s Hope 4 Miracles was presented with the 2021 Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy Award at the National Philanthropy Day luncheon hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals – NEPA Chapter. Here, he poses for a photo with Scranton Area Community Foundation’s President and CEO, Laura Ducceschi.

To learn more about the 5K Run/Fun Walk and how you can participate, visit: https://www.facebook.com/teammatthewm

The Alex Seeley Memorial Fund has announced an exhibition of Alex Seeley’s work at ArtWorks Gallery and Studio from August 1 through 31, 2022. Perseverance: The Life’s Work of Alex Seeley will have an opening reception to the public on First Friday, August 5, from 6 to 9 p.m.

This retrospective will display a variety of works that Seeley created throughout his life as an artist and photographer. Seeley created art in all stages of his life and was most well known in the community for his concert photography. He was a great lover of music, horror, and all things Halloween. His loved ones remember him as vivacious and insightful with a deep love for life and a witty remark always at hand. Seeley succumbed to his long battle with cancer on February 11, 2021.

“I love my brother and I want to support and preserve his legacy,” said Melissa Seeley. “I’ve always been so proud of how he was easily able to express himself through his art. He was able to turn his observations into something magical. I miss him every day.”

The Alex Seeley Memorial Fund, administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, was created in 2022 to honor the legacy of Alex Seeley. The Alex Seeley Memorial Fund supports charitable initiatives and programs serving the residents of Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Donations to support this fund are welcome.

Recently, pro-golfer and Pittston native Brandon Matthews came back to the Scranton area and spent some time at Glenmaura National Golf Club in Moosic for a fundraiser to support the NEPA Invitational Fund at the Scranton Area Community Foundation.

Matthews teed off with players at hole No. 11 for a “meet the pro”-style contest. The $20 minimum donations went to the NEPA Invitational Fund.

The NEPA Invitational Fund supports local charities through the NEPA Invitational and other charitable events. Most recently, the Fund provided support to local charities including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA, Meals on Wheels of NEPA, Inc., Outreach, and United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.

The Scranton Area Community Foundation is proud to work with Brandon Matthews through the NEPA Invitational Fund, which will continue to support local charities for many years to come.

Brandon Matthews is an American professional golfer from Dupont, Pennsylvania. He is one of 25 golfers to earn their 2022-2023 PGA Tour status through the Korn Ferry Tour. As a top-ranked golfer on the Korn Ferry Tour, he qualified to compete in the U.S. Open, the annual open national championship of golf in the United States.

The Humor Therapy Fund at the Scranton Area Community Foundation is currently seeking grant applications from nonprofit organizations that wish to promote laughter and/or humor for the therapeutic benefit of their clients, staff, and/or the community at large.

Whether a nonprofit organization wants to bring smiles to children, hold a comedy improv workshop to improve staff morale, or create a humor toolkit, the Humor Therapy Fund of the Scranton Area Community Foundation can provide the necessary support. Grant applications for this fund will be accepted until August 31, 2022.

Grants in amounts up to $900 will be considered.

Established in July 2011 by Jeannine Luby, the Humor Therapy Fund is intended to support any activity by a 501(c)3 organization that promotes laughter and/or humor for the benefit of its clients and/or the community.

Over the last several years, Ms. Luby has spent time spearheading numerous fundraisers to build the fund, including comedy shows and local events on World Laughter Day.

Grant applications for the Humor Therapy Fund will be accepted through the online grants portal at the Scranton Area Community Foundation until August 31, 2022.

On July 11, 2022, the Matt McGloin Fund of the Scranton Area Community Foundation hosted its 6th Annual Matt McGloin Charity Golf Tournament to raise funds to support charitable causes across the region.

The Matt McGloin Fund, established in 2017 by Matt McGloin, supports charitable causes in the Lackawanna County region. This support has included funding to help a child being treated for cancer, providing oral health kits for hundreds of local children and youth, and providing funding to support veterans’ causes. Additionally, the fund awards a scholarship annually to a graduating senior of West Scranton High School.

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To date, over $100,000 has been distributed from the Matt McGloin Fund to support charitable causes across the region.

We are incredibly honored that Matt and the McGloin family have chosen the Scranton Area Community Foundation as a partner to administer his charitable fund supporting the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania now and for years to come!

Minooka Subaru recently presented the Scranton Area Community Foundation with a check in the amount of $44,149 which comes from their recent Share the Love® event where the Scranton Area Community Foundation was selected as the hometown charity for Minooka Subaru’s customers to support during the event. This is the fourth year that Minooka Subaru has partnered with the Scranton Area Community Foundation as the hometown charity to support.

To date, Minooka Subaru has donated over $160,000 to support the Minooka Subaru Fund of the Scranton Area Community Foundation which provides charitable support to the community.