Mountain Watershed Association has received grant funding to support Fayette County’s rural mountain communities. The funding will be used to support local food banks, establish a drinking water aid program, and distribute resource boxes for families in need.
MWA has long advocated for the water, land, and communities of the Youghiogheny River watershed. Since 1994, the organization’s home base has been located in the rural mountain communities of Fayette County, Pennsylvania – specifically Springfield and Saltlick Townships – that have never fully recovered from the boom-and-bust cycle of extractive industries.
Fayette County has a 19% poverty rate, which leaves the community with a high reliance on community support. Food banks, free water delivery, and other support opportunities are crucial in bridging the gap to ensure that rural residents have access to the essentials they need.
“The Saltlick Township Board of Supervisors and our dedicated employees are excited to team up with The Mountain Watershed for their most recent community support project,” says Martie Cain, Saltlick Township Secretary and Treasurer. “Our commitment to our community is our number one priority. We are happy to step outside of our daily responsibilities of road repair and maintenance to assist the Watershed with packing and distributing resource boxes. We truly hope that in these difficult times, these resource boxes make a significant impact to those who are struggling.”
Local township leaders have long recognized the need to provide basic amenities to families, especially in the face of state and federal budget cuts that threaten rural aid programs. With support from the Saltlick Township supervisors, administrative staff, and other county residents, two events will be hosted near the holidays:
“As a community-minded organization, we recognize both the beauty of our mountain people and the challenges that many households face while dealing with rising costs and changing resources. As we head to the holidays and the cold weather season, we are hopeful that these funds may ease a few burdens and remind our neighbors that they are seen and supported,” says Community Organizer, Stacey Magda.
The grant funding for this program was made possible by the Heinz Endowments. The Heinz Endowments works to grow an exemplary, sustainable Pittsburgh region where everyone prospers and belongs. Their work in Arts & Culture; Civic Participation; Climate, Environment & Health; Community & Economic Development; Food Systems; Veterans; and Workforce is supported by reliable data based on results-focused goals. The Endowments is among the 60 largest philanthropic organizations in the United States, distributing approximately $90 million in grants annually.
“We see this work as imperative in moving forward MWA’s mission of protecting, preserving, and restoring the Youghiogheny watershed and its broader communities,” says MWA’s Executive Director, Ashley Funk.
MWA’s work embraces its rural communities and has consistently sought pathways to increase quality of life for local residents. By prioritizing the community’s critical, basic needs, this program will build community resiliency and strengthen relationships in rural Fayette County’s mountain communities.
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Our holiday resource box distribution in November was a great success! The next distribution day is on December 20 from 9 am – 12 pm, at the Saltlick Township Municipal Building in Melcroft and at the Stewart Township Office in Ohiopyle.
If you would like to contribute, please consult the list below! If interested in a monetary donation, please make payments to Mountain Watershed Association and note the township of distribution.
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Mountain Watershed Association is a non-profit with the mission to protect, preserve, and restore the Youghiogheny River watershed and its broader communities. Learn more at www.mtwatershed.com