MAKE YOUR DONATION TODAY!
Photo Credit - Katie Weidenborner, Dubois Courier Express
Give From the Heart
ST. MARYS AREA UNITED WAY
The St. Marys Area United Way has served the citizens of our community since 1925. Making a contribution allows you to support 13 local agencies with just one donation. Our focus areas are education, income, and health - the building blocks for a good quality of life. We all win when a child succeeds in school, when families are financially stable, and when people are healthy.
Because of you, in the past 10 years, we have distributed over $1.5M to local nonprofits. Your support allows us to continue supporting agencies that provide vital services for children, special needs individuals, libraries, families and individuals in crisis, students, women, senior citizens, and veterans.
The funds raised by the United Way stay here and go directly toward supporting our families, friends, and neighbors. Change starts with you. Take action today to make a difference in your community.
2024 CAMPAIGN GOAL $220,000
The St. Marys Area United Way annually grants funding to nonprofit organizations in Elk County, Pennsylvania. The 2024 campaign goal is $220,000. All funds raised in 2024 will be available for organizations to seek grant funding in 2025.
The St. Marys Area United Way relies on contributions from companies and local individuals. Those donations support the financial needs of non-profit agencies that serve the health and human welfare needs of our community. If you would like to become one of these individual or corporate donors, please call 781-6000 or mail your check to the St. Marys Area United Way, 250 Depot Street, St. Marys, PA 15857.
2023-2024 ST. MARYS AREA UNITED WAY RECIPIENTS
Alcohol & Drug Abuse Services
Boys & Girls Club of St. Marys
Boy Scouts-Bucktail Council
CAPSEA
Catholic Charities
City of St. Marys Recreation
Crystal Fire Department
Dickinson Center
Elkland Search & Rescue
Girl Scouts of Western PA
Guardian Angel Center
Jay Township Fire Department
St. Marys Area School District
St. Marys Library
West Creek Recreation Trail
Veteran's Memorial-Eternal Flame
West CrWe
Agencies applying for funding through the St. Marys Area United Way must be a 501 c 3 nonprofit and registered with the PA State Bureau of Charitable Solicitation. If interested in applying you are encouraged to call 814.781.6000 before submitting your grant application.
Organizations seeking funding from the St. Marys Area United Way must describe a positive influence in one or more of the identified influence areas below.
• Education • Income Stability • Health • Poverty •Youth • Elderly • Disabled • Veteran
Submission of Funding Proposal Application: Six copies of all materials must be received by December 15, 2023 and may be submitted to the St. Marys Area United Way, 250 Depot Street, St. Marys, PA 15857. An in-person meeting will be scheduled with each agency in January with grant awards announced in first quarter of 2024.
Photos: These are a few of the organizations that received grant awards in 2022
United Way advances the common good by creating opportunities for everyone
Our Focus Areas
Living United means being a part of change. It takes everyone in the community working together to create a brighter future.
 |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |
Education
The United Way makes sure children and youth can start school ready to succeed, become proficient readers at a young age, stay on track in middle school, earn their high school diplomas, and pursue higher education or meaningful careers.
Education is a cornerstone for success in school, work and life. It also benefits the whole community: high school graduates have higher earning potential, contribute more to their local economies, are more engaged in their communities, and are more likely to raise kids who also graduate on time.
The United Way supports a comprehensive approach to education that spans all the way from cradle to career.
Income
United Way empowers people to get on stable financial ground with proven methods like job training, financial wellness classes and more. The result is thriving communities where everyone has more opportunity to succeed.
When people are able to find decent jobs, provide for their families and save for the future, they and their children are more likely to enjoy healthy lives and succeed in school. Everyone benefits, because financially stable individuals and families lead to a more competitive workforce and a stronger community. We work with partners from all sectors of society to connect people to the resources they need to get on more solid financial ground.
Health
The United Way is building healthier, more resilient communities by promoting healthy eating and physical activity, expanding access to quality health care and integrating health into early childhood development.
Good health is both a community responsibility and a community benefit: It goes beyond personal diet, exercise and the many other individual choices we make. The foundation for a healthy life is in the neighborhoods we build and environments we inhabit. When people have access to parks, bike paths, safe playgrounds, healthy foods, and good medical care, they are more likely to succeed in school, work and life.
The United Way is creating solutions that help everyone thrive, creating healthier communities that improve our collective quality of life. We’re focused on expanding access to healthy foods, opportunities for physical activity and quality health care. To do this, we partner with local schools, governments, health agencies and other community-based nonprofits
Grant Application & Procedures
The St. Marys Area United Way grant application is due by December 15, 2024 with a grant distribution in 2025. All eligible organizations will be requested to attend an agency review with members from the United Way board in January 2025.
Eligible organizations must meet the following criteria to apply for funding:
-
Hold a current 501(c)(3) status
-
Provide services to residents within the St. Marys Area School District
-
Address health and human welfare needs
-
Be registered with the PA State Bureau of Charitable Solicitation or qualify for an exemption
Please click on the link below for the 2025 grant applications, and if you have questions, please call 814.781.6000.
The mission of ADAS mission is to provide quality and compassionate substance use and co-occurring services, empowering individuals to develop responsible, healthy lifestyles.
2024 St. Marys Area United Way Board of Directors
Jim Ryan, President
Doug Bauer, Vice-President
Bill Olson, Secretary
Jeff Azzato
Doug Gaffey
John Dippold III
Jason Gabler
Erica Hayes
Rob O'Leary
Jane Olson
Bob Ordiway
Becky Piccolo
Rachel Rhed
Jim Ryan
Pete Straub
Leah Whiteman
William Conrad, Honorary Board Member
Photo: L-R Doug Gaffey & Jim Ryan
Doug Gaffey, 2022 and 2023 Board President is being recognized by Jim Ryan for his two years service as United Way board president. Jim Ryan will will be the board president for 2024-2025.
Jen Dippold, Director
Barb Glatt, Finance Director & Board Treasurer
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
The St Marys Area United Way (SMAUW) seeks to engage the entire community in our work without regard to race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity, & expression, disability, sexual orientation, veteran-status, familial status or socio-economic status. That commitment will be reflected in all aspects of SMAUW’s service, staffing or volunteer participation. The St. Marys Area United Way opposes all forms of racism.
Doug Bauer
Leadership Chair
Leadership donors are individuals who donate $500 or more annually to the St. Marys Area United Way.
Donations that were received in 2024 funded partner organizations in 2025.
Individual donations are essential for the success of the annual United Way Campaign.
The 2024 Leadership campaign will start this June. This year's Leadership campaign is being led by
Leadership Chairman Doug Bauer. Doug and his wife Patty have been Leadership supporters for many years, and Doug is currently a St. Marys Area United Way Vice-President.
Anyone interested in becoming a Leadership member can mail their check to:
St. Marys Area United Way
250 Depot Street
St. Marys, PA 15857
If you would like to make a donation today, please use the donate button below. Thank you!
THANK YOU 2023
LEADERSHIP DONORS!
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
The St Marys Area United Way is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, disability, veteran status, marital status, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin or ancestry, genetics, retaliation, and other legally protected characteristics.