Return of the Chef Auction: Local Foundations Partner To Help Students Financially
Posted June 22, 2023 at 11:40 amThe Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation and the 1889 Foundation are partnering to make a difference for local students by bringing back the Chef Auction fundraising event. The 2023 Chef Auction will be held at 5 PM on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at the Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center in downtown Johnstown.
The Chef Auction was originally developed over 10 years ago to help the community through the work of the 1889 Foundation. This year, the two foundations are coming together to re-ignite the popular event for a worthy cause.
“When we were approached for this partnership, we couldn’t say ‘yes’ fast enough,” stated Jeff Wood, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation Board President. “The College is growing, and part of the Foundation’s mission is to help students through scholarship dollars. Every penny is going toward scholarships. This event is going to change lives.”
The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation manages funds for several scholarships totaling over $30,000 annually to students. These scholarships are funded by local businesses, area philanthropists, Pennsylvania Highlands staff and faculty, and Foundation fundraisers. In addition, the College sponsors nearly $80,000 in scholarships to high school seniors in the region who demonstrate outstanding excellence in academics and extracurricular activities.
In late 2022, the Greater Johnstown School District signed an agreement with Penn Highlands Community College that allows its Culinary Arts students to leverage their high school studies with the collegiate environment through dual enrollment. This allows these students to further their education more quickly by earning college credits toward an associate or bachelor’s degree.
The Chef Auction hopes to include Greater Johnstown culinary students in the evening to showcase their talents. The students’ training and experience will be partly due to the Penn Highlands Center for Culinary Excellence, which will be opening soon in the heart of downtown Johnstown.
“This partnership is very exciting for the 1889 Foundation. Two of our funding priorities are wellness and education,” stated Susan Mann, President of the 1889 Foundation. “Pennsylvania Highlands Community College offers much needed scholarship money to students and the academic offerings of the College assist the regional workforce. This partnership makes sense and will have great community impact.”
The Chef Auction is already securing restaurants and chefs for the evening. Sunnehanna Country Club, Balance Restaurant, and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort have all made commitments to be involved. Interested restaurants should reach out to the Penn Highlands Foundation to inquire about vendor options for the evening at foundation@pennhighlands.edu or 814.262.6448.
More details about the Chef Auction are to come, including sponsorship packages and individual tickets, by visiting the Chef Auction page on the College Foundation’s webpage at www.pennhighlands.edu/chefauction/.
To help a local student today by providing scholarship funding, visit www.pennhighlands.edu/donate/ or call the Foundation at 814.262.6448.
About the 1889 Foundation
1889 Foundation’s mission is to support innovative programs and initiatives that improve and transform the overall health and wellness of our region. Through collaborations and partnerships, with a focus on population health, the Foundation is dedicated to making meaningful change in the areas that are negatively impacting the health and well-being of our local communities. For more about the 1889 Foundation, visit www.1889foundation.org.
About the Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation (www.pennhighlands.edu/foundation/)
The Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Foundation is an innovative non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the efforts of the College with financial resources and scholarships through seeking and securing funds. The College Foundation offers over 10 diverse scholarships to students pursuing an education at Penn Highlands Community College. To donate to the College Foundation, visit www.pennhighlands.edu/donate/.