PA American Water provides $5,000 grant to Inspired Hearts and Hands to fight food insecurity
As the holidays inch closer, Pennsylvania American Water’s charitable arm has stepped up to help combat food insecurity.
The American Water Charitable Foundation on Thursday, Dec. 11 presented a $5,000 State Strategic Impact grant to Inspired Hearts and Hands, a regional nonprofit serving families in at least 25 school districts across Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver and Butler counties.
According to Pennsylvania American Water, the company and its charitable foundation provided more than $135,000 last year to Pennsylvania nonprofits working to address hunger.
Inspired Hearts and Hands has supported roughly 1,400 families this year through its food box program at Easter, over the summer and during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The boxes provide several meal items, along with a gift card so families can purchase fresh items. The organization also provides clothing, shoes and backpacks to help students start the school year.
More than 900 Inspired Hearts and Hands volunteers are in the middle of wrapping nearly 1,800 Angel Tree gifts for local children.
Almost 40 workplaces host Angel Trees, where community members select tags containing children’s holiday wish lists, purchase gifts and return them to the organization. Volunteers then wrap the presents, with nearly two dozen wrapping sessions scheduled to prepare for distribution.
Inspired Hearts and Hands executive director Mindy Schnitgen said the need has grown over time.
“Food insecurity is astronomical right now,” she said. “Inspired Hearts and Hands relies heavily on donated food, volunteer support, and contributions from local businesses and residents.”
Pennsylvania American external affairs manager Lauren Camarda said the company is committed to helping the communities it serves.
“Supporting impactful organizations like Inspired Hearts and Hands is making a real difference for families in Butler County and beyond by putting food on tables and providing gifts for kids at this special holiday time,” she said.
Inspired Hearts and Hands began in 2012 in the garage of Schnitgen and her husband. Today, the organization serves about 1,400 families, 600 more than last year.
