Erie Insurance awards $450,000 in ‘Investing in Our Future’ educational grants to strengthen early childhood education and out of school time activities for local students

ERIE, Pa., Aug. 14, 2024 -The Erie Insurance (ERIE) Giving Network has announced $450,000 in grants supporting nine local nonprofits serving pre-kindergarten through high school students in Erie, Pennsylvania.

The grants are part of Erie Insurance's Investing in Our Future competitive educational grant initiative, aimed at strengthening the connection between academic programming and out-of-school time activities and supporting early childhood education.

Erie Insurance has donated more than $1.7 million through its Investing in Our Future grant program since it was launched in 2021. As a leading contributor to education in Northwest Pennsylvania, the company also donates annually to education nonprofits through Pennsylvania's Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, with giving totaling more than $10 million.

"For nearly 100 years, Erie Insurance has been committed to caring for the communities we serve," said Jenny Weigold Geertson, community outreach director for Erie Insurance. "We strive to impact generations through high-quality education and support the well-being of students. That's why we're excited to continue the Investing in Our Future grant program for nonprofits to help impact our community's goal of eliminating poverty through education."

The organizations benefiting from the 2024 Investing in Our Future grants are Child Development Centers Inc.,Early Connections, Erie Philharmonic, Erie Playhouse, Erie Police Athletic League, Erie Together, Friends of the Erie County Library, Gannon University, and The Goodell Project.

Individual project grants range from $10,000 to $100,000 and support early childhood education and a variety of out-of-school activities and summer programs that enhance well-being, school readiness and literacy, and offer career exploration and educational field trips.

With Erie Insurance's support, The Goodell Project has expanded nature experiences and field trips to more than 1,000 elementary students from the city and county public schools.

"Student's faces light up as they connect concepts from the classroom with real-life, hands-on examples," said Amber Wellington, executive director, Goodell Gardens & Homestead. "Funding from this Investing in Our Future grant has allowed us to remove the barriers keeping students from being able to visit. These funds off-set the cost of field trip fees and transportation, making it possible for children to enjoy, learn, and refresh at Goodell."

To learn more about ERIE's Investing in Our Future grant program, visit erieinsurance.com/givingnetwork/investinginourfuture.