Local philanthropist grants funds to area nonprofits
Pike County. The Petersheim Fund recently gifted nine local non-profits with grant funding, including the Milford Enhancement Committee Endowment Fund and the Delaware Valley Educational Foundation.
| 03 Jan 2024 | 04:37
Nonprofit representatives gather with Greater Pike Board Chair Gail Shuttleworth (second from left) and Chuck Petersheim (center, second row).
Nine area nonprofits each received an early Christmas present this year in the form of a generous grant from the Petersheim Fund, a donor-advised fund established in 2019 at the Greater Pike Community Foundation. Chuck Petersheim, a Pike County resident, set up the fund with a goal, “...to make the annual round of giving more like a celebration of well-deserving entities and not an exercise of check writing,” and no one can argue he hasn’t met that goal with great success. Petersheim, who designs and builds homes in the Catskills, has supported food pantries, emergency services, animal rescue, health services, educational and environmental causes, and more.
“We’re proud to support these hard-working institutions... and give back to the community,” Petersheim said. He underscored the importance of a commitment to generosity and gave a nod to Greater Pike for helping to develop a community of givers.
The generosity hasn’t gone unrecognized. Pike County Emergency Management Director Tim Knapp said, “The grant allows us to take somebody who otherwise couldn’t afford to become an emergency medical technician and help them.” But that’s not all, Knapp pointed out, “There will be stable jobs in the community and our children can work here.”
Other grantees from the Petersheim Fund include the Milford Enhancement Committee Endowment Fund, Delaware Valley Educational Foundation, Farm Arts Collective, A Single Bite Food Pantry, Ecumenical Food Pantry, Tamerlaine Sanctuary & Preserve, Bashakill Area Association, and GAIT Therapeutic Riding Center.
Charitable grants from donor-advised funds are made to a variety of nonprofit organizations, which can change each year. Donors specify the types of programs or charities they wish their funds to support and may be eligible for a tax deduction for the initial donation, which could be in the form of various assets, including but not limited to bonds, securities, and mutual fund shares.
Online donations to the Petersheim Fund can be made at greaterpike.org/fund_list. Greater Pike helps individuals, families, and local businesses to provide a permanent and personal way to give back to the community. For more information visit greaterpike.org, or follow the organization on social media.