The Carbon County Community Foundation is pleased to announce grants totaling more than $4,000 to nine area educators and schools through the Penny Allison Early Childhood Fund.

Educators from all five school districts in Carbon County will receive grants between $250-500 to support programs that prepare parents to nurture and support their children through the earliest stages of learning, promote school-readiness, and provide enrichment experiences for young learners (field trips, creative materials, etc.).

The Penny Allison Early Childhood Fund was established at Carbon County Community Foundation earlier this year by Bill Allison to honor his wife, Penny, who dedicated her life to the well-being of children with a 38-year career as an early childhood teacher with the Philadelphia School District across a varied spectrum of positions.

Bill Allison, a resident of Jim Thorpe, was impressed with the caliber of educators and their classroom projects that were submitted for consideration this year and generously agreed to fund all of them for this first year of grants distribution.

“I am excited by the nine educators’ creative and nurturing proposals, activities Penny would have offered in her classrooms. I hope to stimulate excellence across Carbon County’s five school districts,” Allison said.

Erica Chapman, a kindergarten teacher at L.B. Morris Elementary in Jim Thorpe, is planning to use the grant funds to expand the flexible seating options for her students.

“This year, I have started to implement different seating other than desks, and I have found the students seem to be more focused and excited to do their work. The Penny Allison Early Childhood Grant is going to help me continue to create an engaging environment for my students, which in return will create successful and happy learners. It makes me even more excited and anxious to get back to school,” Chapman said.

The grants from the Penny Allison Early Childhood Fund are the first from a series of grants being made this spring by various funds at the Carbon County Community Foundation.

The following educators and organizations were awarded grants from the Penny Allison Early Childhood Fund this cycle:

• Shawn Bierman, kindergarten teacher, Jim Thorpe Area School District, kindergarten home learning bags

• Erica Chapman, kindergarten teacher, Jim Thorpe Area School District, kindergarten flexible seating

• Autumn Gilbert, special education teacher, Weatherly Area School District, Osmo Kit and flexible seating

• Kathryn Harleman, Pre-K Counts teacher, Jim Thorpe Area School District, literacy bags

• Lehigh Valley Children’s Center Summer Kindergarten Readiness Program in Palmerton

• Robert Palazzo, principal, Panther Valley School District, Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Curriculum

• PathStone, Child & Family Development Services Creative Arts Enrichment in Lehighton

• Christine Peiser, Pre-K Counts Teacher, Weatherly Area School District Little Wrecker Family Reading Club

• Suzanne Rentschler, director of special education, Palmerton Area School District, social skills program for kindergarten

The Carbon County Community Foundation was formed in 2015 with the mission to improve the quality of life for residents of the Carbon County region, now and forever. The Foundation exists to simultaneously be a philanthropic leader, a community resource and a financial steward. Carbon County Community Foundation’s role in charitable giving is: to help donors realize their goals today and in the future; to improve the capacity of nonprofits to meet vital needs through grants and workshops; to facilitate opportunities for collaboration and innovation; and to build resources and strengthen our community, forever.

Learn more about CCCF at cccfoundpa.org or by calling 855-545-1311.