A sign in front of the Community Partnership building Thursday, July 30, said the partnership was temporarily closed for repairs. Zach Zimmerman/Butler Eagle

After more than a year of financial struggles and organizational upheaval, Community Partnership Inc., the nonprofit which formerly organized Butler County’s food bank, is officially ceasing all operations.

The announcement came Monday, Aug. 24, in a news release from Community Partnership’s parent organization, Community Action Association of Pennsylvania.

“This is an extraordinarily difficult moment for an organization that has meant so much to this community,” Robert Shook, chairman of Community Partnership’s board, said in the news release. “There is real sadness in recognizing what is ending, but our responsibility now is to act with transparency, accountability and care. Our focus must remain on the people these programs were created to serve and on doing everything reasonably possible to support continuity of those services.”

Community Partnership’s most recent available Form 990 filings, for the fiscal year covering July 2024 through June 2025, indicate the nonprofit had a loss of $113,636 for that fiscal year due to a significant decrease in contributions and grants. The filing also indicates the organization’s “net assets or fund balances” sat at $7,302.

According to the closure announcement, the board of Community Partnership is working on an orderly transition plan to ensure the nonprofit’s programs will go on with as little disruption as possible.

“For programs supported through state or federal awards, CPI will work with the appropriate funding agencies regarding those awards and the continuation or transition of services,” the announcement said. “Any decisions regarding successor providers will be made in accordance with applicable funding requirements and the authority of the respective funding agencies.”

The board has also commissioned an independent forensic audit to “...provide the board with a clear, independent and fact-based understanding of CPI’s financial practices, current financial condition and the circumstances that contributed to the agency’s financial hardship.”

“We know there will be many questions,” Shook said in the news release. “We are committed to answering those questions as transparently as we can while respecting the integrity of the independent review, our obligations to employees and clients and any legal or regulatory requirements.”

Community Partnership was Butler County’s designated “community action” agency, a nonprofit focused on administering programs to address the root causes of poverty. It was one of dozens of member agencies in the CAAP network, which extends across Pennsylvania.

Among the programs offered by CPI was a mobile farmers market called the “Produce Cart,” as well as the “Fresh Bucks” program, which allowed eligible individuals to receive $150 worth of coupons to spend at the Butler City Farmer’s Market and other participating vendors.

Until mid-2024, CPI also administered Butler County’s official food bank, before that responsibility was given to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Community Partnership’s financial situation came into the public eye in 2025 when Butler County Commissioners and state representatives called for a state audit of the organization after an independent audit by Maher Duessel uncovered deficiencies in financial and organizational management.

Issues with the organization drew renewed attention in late-July when Sandra Curry, executive director of Community Partnership, was dismissed from her position.

No direct announcement of the closure has gone out over Community Partnership’s own social media channels as of Monday afternoon, Aug. 24, and the organization’s website is still active.

However, on Friday, Aug. 21, Community Partnership’s Facebook page did notify participants in its “Fresh Bucks” program that remaining coupons will not be honored by former partners in the program.

“Our vendors unfortunately will not be able to honor your remaining Fresh Bucks,” said Friday’s post. “We deeply apologize for the inconvenience and we hope you were able to utilize most of them before this.”