State Theatre Receives Lehigh Valley Community Foundation Grant to Spark the Arts

The State Theatre recently received a Cultural Enrichment Spark Grant from Lehigh Valley Community Foundation (LVCF). The $12,500 grant will help fund the Spark the Arts Ticket Initiative, providing free tickets to students and veterans in the Lehigh Valley region.

"Congratulations to the State Theatre," said Bernie Story, president and CEO of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. "This year, we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary by asking organizations to "be the spark," a spark of awareness, a spark of change, a spark of connection to make life better in the Lehigh Valley. We are pleased to support the Spark the Arts Ticket Initiative with a Spark Grant and look forward to its implementation."

"We are honored and delighted that we are the recipients of such a generous grant from the LVCF," comments Shelley Brown, President & CEO of the State Theatre. "We have long dreamed of being able to provide no-cost tickets, especially to kids that participate in our FREDDY© Program. All of the finalists are wonderful examples of the great things that the Community Foundation funds. Every day lives are changed for the better through this wonderful organization."

Grants are reviewed on a competitive basis and approved by the Foundation's Board of Governors. The Spark Grant applications involved a two-part process. The first is a written detailed proposal. Five finalists are invited to produce a video to promote their program and the issue. Collectively, the videos garnered over 20,000 votes during a two-week period.

The Lehigh Valley Community Foundation is celebrating its 50th anniversary, by doing what it does best... making grants to community organizations that work to improve the lives of those in the Lehigh Valley. The year of grant making is themed "Be the Spark." The Community Foundation will grant $50,000 to each of six chosen issues in our community for a total of $300,000 in special grants during its anniversary year.

For decades, the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation has helped donors with their charitable contributions with a simple, powerful, and highly personalized approach. LVCF is a philanthropic hub for the Lehigh Valley-and knows and navigates the landscape of the Lehigh Valley's community's needs to connect people who care to causes that matter. It is our mission to improve the quality of life in our region, to encourage collaboration among area philanthropists, and to serve as a source of information and expertise regarding charitable giving. Learn more, visit www.lvcfoundation.org