PHOTO COURTESY OF 412FOODRESCUE. ORG
The grant marked the fourth year this fund has supported the Good Food Project, which transforms surplus high-quality food into nutritious frozen meals distributed to nonprofit partners for community members in need. The organization produces about 1,300 meals each month through this zero-waste kitchen initiative.
The Grocery Bagging Program, in which volunteers pack and deliver bags of fresh produce and pantry staples for local housing authority sites, distributes roughly 1,500 pounds of groceries each week, with expanded capacity during the holiday season.
Leaders from both organizations emphasized the partnership’ s role in creating sustainable, equitable food systems by turning food that might otherwise go to waste into vital nourishment for families facing hunger.
KEYNOTES MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION
Keynotes is accepting applications for its 2026 music scholarship competition, set for May 9 at the Fine Arts Theater of Mt. Lebanon High School in the South Hills. More than $ 16,000 in cash awards will be available for outstanding young musicians.
Eligible applicants include instrumentalists under age 26( as of June 1, 2025) and vocalists under age 30. Students must be full-time music majors at a college, university, or music school— or graduating high school seniors who have been accepted into a full-time music major program.
Applicants must also be legal Pennsylvania residents for at least one year, or out-of-state students who attend school in Pennsylvania and can provide proof of a Pennsylvania address( such as a campus address, university mailing, or utility bill).
Applications are available online at keynotesmusicscholarship. com. You may also request one by contacting the scholarship chair, Lori Walter, at 412.260.6972 or houdini5 @ hotmail. com. The application deadline is April 30. For more information, visit keynotesmusicscholarship. com or find Keynotes on Facebook at Keynotes Music Scholarship.
ST. MARGARET FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES GRANTS
The St. Margaret Foundation recently announced $ 957,425 in grants for 2026 to support its three strategic priorities for UPMC St. Margaret— patient access, patient education and patient experience.
Funding includes new and continued initiatives designed to reduce barriers to care, improve comfort and independence, and enhance overall hospital experiences for patients and families.
Highlights include a new grant to revitalize the inpatient rehabilitation activity room, helping patients recovering from strokes, surgeries and falls to practice daily living skills in a supportive environment. Continued funding was also approved for adaptive feeding equipment, allowing patients with tremors or strokerelated impairments to eat independently.
A significant portion of funding supports patient access through free transportation services, including multiple senior shuttle programs and medical shuttles serving communities throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley and surrounding areas.
Additional grants support patient safety, valet services for patients with disabilities, and transportation assistance for underresourced patients.
Patient education initiatives include in-room calming programming and community CPR training, while patient experience grants fund cancer care support, food assistance, health screenings, flu immunizations, sensory stations, comfort items and holiday gifts.
There are also funds for staff and volunteer recognition.
The grants reflect St. Margaret Foundation’ s commitment to“ filling in the gaps with hope, healing and independence” for patients and families across the region.
PHIPPS CONSERVATORY RECEIVES‘ MAKING AN IMPACT’ AWARD
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens received the Making an Impact Award from the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums at its annual conference in Pittsburgh, recognizing the conservatory’ s leadership and community impact through its Climate Toolkit Initiative.
Launched in 2020, the Climate Toolkit connects cultural institutions worldwide to share strategies for addressing climate change and promoting sustainability. The initiative now includes about 250 institutions across 30 countries, reaching more than 120 million annual visitors.
The award highlights Phipps’ longstanding commitment to environmental stewardship, innovation, and global collaboration, as well as its role in fostering positive change both locally and internationally. n
SEWICKLEY ❘ SPRING 2026 9