KENNETT SQUARE, PA — The Mushroom Festival awarded over $77,000 in grants to 38 local non-profit and community organizations at their annual Grants Reception last week, announced the Mushroom Festival Board.
While the Mushroom Festival is a weekend event, the impact continues all year. Each year, the Mushroom Festival provides proceeds from the event to local charities and non-profit organizations. From simple, hyper focused needs to larger requests, the Mushroom Festival Grant Program works directly with local groups to identify clear needs that make significant impacts in the community.
Over the past 20 years, the Mushroom Festival has donated more than $1 million in funds to local organizations for things like books, playground equipment, food, transportation, healthcare services, and more.
Gale Ferranto, Buona Foods, Mushroom Festival Coordinator, explained the grant program this way. “Kennett Square is the Mushroom Capital of the World, in large part due to the support of the community. This is a way for the mushroom farming community to say thank you.”
“I want to thank our sponsors who continue to support this program through their Mushroom Festival sponsorships,” said Gina Puoci, Mushroom Festival President. “Every dollar of the Grant Program makes a difference in people’s lives.”
Grants were awarded to the following community groups:
- Adult Literacy Program Kennett Library, Kennett Square
- ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter, Chester County
- Arts Holding Hands and Hearts, West Chester
- Avondale Fire Company, Avondale
- Boy Scouts of America, Chester County
- Camp Dreamcatcher, Kennett Square
- Canine Partners for Life, Cochranville
- Carasmark, Landenberg
- Domestic Violence Center of Chester County, West Chester
- Family Promise of Southern Chester County, Kennett Square
- Friends Home, Kennett Square
- Friends of Anson B Nixon Park, Kennett Square
- Good Neighbors Home Repair, Kennett Square
- Good Samaritan Services, Kennett Square
- Hero Hunts Foundation, Delaware
- Housing Partnership of Chester County, Downingtown
- Kennett After School Association (After the Bell), Kennett Square
- Kennett Area Food Cupboard, Kennett Square
- Kennett Area Senior Center, Kennett Square
- Kennett Collaborative Memorial Day Parade, Kennett Square
- Kennett Fire Company No. 1, Kennett Square
- Kennett Heritage Foundation, Kennett Square
- Kennett Underground Railroad, Kennett Square
- LCH Health and Community Service, Kennett Square
- Longwood Fire Company, Kennett Square
- Meals on Wheels of Chester County, West Chester
- Mighty Writers, Toughkenamon
- New London Counseling Center, Lincoln University
- Opportunity Health Center/Handicrafters, Throndale
- Oxford Art Alliance, Oxford
- Prepared to Thrive, West Chester
- Reins of Life, Landenberg
- Southern Chester County EMS, West Grove
- Spanish Health Ministry, Kennett Square
- Swayne, Campbell, Testa VFW Post 5467, Kennett Square
- The Barn at Spring Brook Farm, West Chester
- The Garage Community and Youth Center, Avondale and Kennett Square
- Tick Tock Learning Center, Toughkenamon
Planning is underway for the 2023 Mushroom Festival, to be held on State Street, Kennett Square, September 9 and 10. For sponsorship information and more, visit www.mushroomfestival.org
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