It’s an eye-opening video that is very much worth the 12 minutes it takes to watch.

If you or someone you know is struggling to put food on the table, here are some local resources that can help:

State College Area Food Bank – 814-234-2310

Centre County Office of Adult Services – (814) 355-6768

Community Help Centre – 814-237-5855

-Erin

We work closely with the Knight Foundation, and have received grants from them that allowed us to better assess our county’s needs, and to work on projects that will bring needed high-speed Internet access, and a 211 non-emergency helpline to Centre Countians. Because Centre County is one of 26 Knight communities across the country, and the Centre County Community Foundation is a Knight Community Information Challenge grant-winner, Knight pays for a staff member and a board member to attend the annual Media Learning Seminar, at Knight Foundation headquarters in Miami.

Eli Pariser spoke at the Knight Foundation's Media Learning Seminar this past weekend.

The Media Learning Seminar is always a  great place to get ideas for new and innovative projects, both from the very experienced and intelligent speakers, and from other community foundation administrators like ourselves.

Speakers included Amy Webb, CEO of Webbmedia Group, who talked about how to reap the benefits (and avoid the dangers) of new technology; Eli Pariser, Chairman of the Board of MoveOn.org and the author of the New York Times bestselling book The Filter Bubble, who talked about how the Internet is becoming more and more personalized, which can prevent people from experiencing diverse opinions and information; Ethan Zuckerman, director of the Center for Civic Media at MIT, and a principal research scientist at MIT’s Media Lab, who talked about his Global Voices site, which showcases news and opinions from citizen media in over 150 nations and 30 languages; and many others interesting speakers.

There were also speakers from other community foundations, who talked about innovative projects they are doing in their communities, from helping people who are interested in environmental preservation, to improving early childhood education.

We learned a lot, and we’re excited to bring that information back to the Centre County community!

-Erin

We took photos at those meetings, and we’ve arranged them in a slideshow. Click here to watch it! Enjoy!

-Erin

The finalists for the CCCF-sponsored Community Service Award are Georgia Abbey, from Leadership Centre County; Betsy Dupuis, from Babst, Calland, Clements & Zomnir, PC; and The Hartman Group.

Winners will be announced at the CBICC’s annual Awards Gala, on Thursday, March 1, at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. Cost is $75 per person and attendees must register by Feb. 16.

Other awards that will be given that night include the Corporate Philanthropy Award, the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award, the Quality of Life Award, and the Small Business of the Year Award. Click here for a list of all of the awards and the nominees!

Congrats to the finalists, and good luck!

-Erin

Michael Brand will speak about keys to nonprofit sustainability this Wednesday.

In an age in which nonprofits are scrambling for more funding, sustainability is a topic on a lot of people’s minds. For that reason, the Centre County Community Foundation is teaming up with Leadership Centre County to sponsor How To Think About Fiscal Sustainability: A Framework for Securing Your Future, a workshop in which Erie Community Foundation Program Officer Michael Brand will discuss specific ways to keep your nonprofit afloat during these difficult times.

Topics will include the five critical components of a financial plan, determining financial gaps, devising strategies for sustainability and building your nonprofit’s capacity for support and future success.

The workshop will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. this Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the Ferguson Township Municipal Building Community Room. Registration costs $30, and the event is open to all.

Check out the video below to hear from Michael about the keys to a sustainability plan, and go to his website to find out more about him!

-Erin

Erin Rowley is the Program Assistant at the Centre County Community Foundation.

Because of Countdown to Kindergarten, I now have something I almost certainly wouldn’t ever have otherwise – a picture of myself with Dora the Explorer.

But the annual Countdown to Kindergarten, which takes place tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 4) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Nittany Mall, by the J.C. Penney Court, is much more than live-action cartoon characters. As a former intern with Smart Start – Centre County, the organization that sponsors it, last year I helped staff the event, which helps parents of 3-5-year-olds learn more about their kindergarten options. Representatives from public schools, private schools, and local support agencies will be on hand to answer questions and help parents decide what the best kindergarten option is for them and their children.

It also provides prize drawings and fun activities for the kids to take part in while their parents peruse the displays. This year’s theme for the activities is health and nutrition.

Me (far left) with Dora Explorer during the 2011 Countdown to Kindergarten

This event is NOT kindergarten registration; it’s simply a way to help parents and children prepare for the big transition to school.

Check out Smart Start’s website for more information about helping children prepare for kindergarten, and come out on Saturday to meet one-on-one with experts who will help you choose which options are right for your child.

-Erin

You can buy roses or carnations through Penn State’s Liberal Arts United Way, and proceeds will benefit the Centre County chapter of the United Way. One dozen red roses cost $25, a half dozen roses cost $15, and a half dozen pink, red and white carnations cost $8. Payment (cash or check) is due with your order by Feb. 9. Checks should be made out to Liberal Arts United Way.

All bouquets, provided by Woodrings Floral Gardens in State College,will be wrapped in cellophane and include greens and baby’s breath.

For more information, or to place an order, contact Barb Edwards, 201 Willard Building, bae1@psu.edu, 814-863-0344.

There’s a good chance you’ll be buying flowers anyway, might as well support a good cause while you’re at it!

-Erin

To help ease that stress, local organizations are making free tax assistance available to Centre County residents.

Starting this Wednesday, Feb. 1, through the sponsorship of the county commissioners of Centre County/Retired and Senior Volunteer Program and Penn State University/Cooperative Extension, the IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program will offer free tax assistance to low to moderate income (generally, $50,000 a year or lower) individuals or families.

All sites will have the ability to file returns electronically. Additionally, the Penn State site offers educational resources and information on managing money.

The locations, scheduled start dates and appointment phone numbers are as follows:

• Penn State/Cooperative Extension, Ferguson Building, Room 10, University Park. Assistance opens Feb. 1. Call 863-7448 from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for appointments. The building is closed from March 3-10.

• Church of the Good Shepherd, 402 Willowbank St., Bellefonte. Assistance opens Feb. 2. Call 355-6816 for appointment from 3- 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays.

• Millheim Outreach Center, 103 Mill St., Millheim. Assistance opens Feb. 2. Call 349-5850 for appointment from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Thursdays.

• Schlow Centre Region Library, 211 S. Allen St., State College. Assistance opens Feb. 6. Call 355-6816 for appointment from noon- 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays.

• Holt Library, 17 N. Front St., Philipsburg. Assistance opens Feb. 7 Call 355-6816 for appointment from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays.

You must bring with you: proof of identification, Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents, birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents, income documents, including Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers, interest and dividend statements (Forms 1099), a copy of last year’s federal and state returns (if available), and bank routing numbers and account numbers for direct deposit; and to file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.

The IRS certified volunteers are not authorized to assist individuals with rental properties, farms, business with an inventory or overall loss for the tax year, or individuals claiming moving expenses.

-Erin

But an event at 7 p.m. this Sunday, Jan. 29, at the State Theatre aims to better inform people about child sexual abuse, and give them a forum in which to discuss this topic that is so often shrouded in secrecy.

The Centre County Women’s Resource Center and the State Theatre have joined forces to bring a documentary called “In a Town This Size” to the theater. The award-winning film presents the experiences of people, including the director himself, Patrick V. Brown, who grew up in a small Oklahoma town, where they allege a local pediatrician sexually abused them.

In an article in the Centre Daily Times’ Weekender, Women’s Resource Center Director of counseling and advocacy services Mary Faulkner said “We saw important parallels with the events featued in ‘In a Town This Size’ and Jerry Sandusky’s indictment here in Centre County.”

Though people often think of child molestation as a big-city problem, something that couldn’t happen in their tight-knit community, Brown’s film shows that the conservative culture of small towns and the silence that surrounds child sexual abuse makes it shockingly easy for abusers to keep their actions under the radar.

The film will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Brown, as well as Matt Bodenschatz, a Penn State student who says he was sexually abused as a child; Julie Price, a certified child life specialist; Pamela McCloskey, a licensed psychologist; and Marolyn Morford, a clinical and developmental psychologist. The panel discussion will be moderated by Kristen Houser, of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape.

Tickets will cost $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. The film is unrated, and parental discretion is advised. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Centre County Women’s Resource Center. Click here for the State Theatre’s official event listing.

-Erin

The lives of the young protagonists in The Book Thief, who live in World II-era Germany, are filled with uncertainty. They often play sports to take their minds off of these hardships, if only for a short time.

“One of the themes of the book is overcoming tragedy through the uplifting nature of sports,” said Kristina Yezdimer, Adult Services Librarian at Schlow Library and co-chairwoman of Centre County Reads.

The Book Thief has been chosen as Centre County Reads’ 2012 book, so it makes sense that the kick-off event for this year’s program will be at the State College YMCA, where, on Jan. 22, from 1-3 p.m., there will be indoor sporting activities like rock climbing and a soccer obstacle course, and appearances by the Nittany Lion and Ike the Spike, as well as a giveaway of 50 copies of the book!

Centre County Reads, an initiative of the Centre County Federation of Public Libraries, encourages people to read by promoting one book every year and planning activities and discussion groups that get people excited about reading. From its start in 2003, every year the program has chosen a different book that is both thought-provoking and enjoyable to read for people of all different reading levels. The group recently received a grant from the Centre County Community Foundation to help with this year’s programming.

The Book Thief is an award-winning novel by Markus Zusak about Liesel Meminger, a foster child who is taken in by a family in Nazi Germany during World War II. The family experiences pressure to join the Nazi party, sees book burnings and bombings, and hides a Jewish man in their basement.

The book is a good match for the program, Yezdimer said, because it addresses an important theme — the value of resiliency during harrowing times.

Though The Book Thief is intended for young adults and adults, the library also offers “read-a-likes” – children’s books with similar themes, for parents who want to involve their children.

In past years, activities planned by Centre County Reads have included talking with cultural groups at Penn State when discussing books from other countries, and observing trained mustangs when discussing a book about horses.

This year, Centre County Reads is partnering with Penn State’s Center for American Literary Studies, through a writing contest. The Book Thief is narrated by death, so for the contest, writers are encouraged to write their own piece from death’s point of view. The categories for the contest are Best Short Fiction (7500 words or less), Best Poetry, Best Parody, and Best Entry for a Writer Under 18. There will be prizes, including a $200 grand prize for the overall winner!

In most countries, The Book Thief is regarded as adult literature, but in the United States, it’s classified as young adult literature. On Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 4 p.m. in 124 Sparks Building on the Penn State campus, there will be a panel discussion about that and other interesting aspects of the book. The panel will feature Erin Clarke, Senior Editor of Knopf Books for Young Readers, the chief editor and acquirer of The Book Thief for Knopf, as well as children’s literature expert Jacqui Reid-Walsh, Jewish and Jewish American literature expert Ben Schreier.

Another planned event will utilize new technology to bring locals face-to-face with author Markus Zusak. Using Skype, the Australian writer will speak, via a video call, to Centre County residents about his motivations for and experience with writing The Book Thief. WPSU’s Patty Satalia will moderate. This event will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20 at the Mt. Nittany Middle School Auditorium.

Centre County Reads will also sponsor discussion groups at county libraries, bookstores, Rockview State Correctional Institute, the Fraser St. Senior Center and Mid-State Literacy. And they also encourage private groups to gather to discuss the book on their own.

 Though there is no way to tell exactly how many people are participating and reading the books every year, Yezdimer, who has worked on the program since 2006, says it’s easy to tell that a lot of people are excited about this year’s book.

“We know that people are reading it, because as soon as we announced it, all 80 of our copies were gone within a week,” Yezdimer said.

There are a couple of options for people in search of a copy of the book. You can request it through Schlow Library’s website, you can buy it (Barnes & Noble, who work with Centre County Reads, should have copies in stock) or you could win one of the 50 copies that will be given away at the YMCA this weekend!

For more info, check out this brochure or take a look at Schlow Library’s website!

Happy reading!

-Erin