Johnstown Elks make donations to 3 local nonprofits

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Johnstown’s Elks Lodge No. 175 has provided financial support to three area nonprofits to assist them in continuing the work they do.

On Thursday, Exalted Ruler Stephen Pappas and Bruce Shannon, grant committee coordinator, held a brief ceremony to present the donations that came from the Elks National Foundation. The amounts and recipients were:

• $3,500 to Veteran Community Initiatives for its veterans suicide prevention program;

• $2,500 to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Food for Families effort;

• and $2,000 to Branches of Mercy, which provides hygiene products for children.

“They’re very good issues, and they’re very worthwhile charities,” Shannon said during the event at VCI’s office.

Shannon said “hunger is a universal problem” when talking about the donation to Food for Families.

“It’s our opportunity to try and focus that down in our own small way to support the community,” he said, adding that lack of good hygiene among underprivileged students “is one of the biggest issues in school.”

VCI plans to use its money to further develop its newly formed suicide prevention program.

“This is, in effect, our first outside support that we’ve had,” VCI Director Tom Caulfield said. “... We’ll be able to extend our outreach efforts. We’ll also be able to get involved in numerous activities within the community.”