Last October, I sat down with Megan Shreve of SCCAP to talk about the growing strain on food pantries and food distribution programs across Adams County and the families who depend on them.
A federal government shutdown and Pennsylvania’s state budget impasse had left local nonprofits wondering how they would keep food on pantry shelves and meals on family tables. The need was immediate. Waiting weeks or months for our next Adams County Grants cycle wasn’t an option.
Within days, the Adams County Community Foundation awarded $125,000 from the Fund for Adams County to ten local food assistance programs serving every corner of the county. SCCAP, Holy Trinity, and the Upper Adams Food Pantry replenished pantry shelves. GBC continued its food distributions. Ruth’s Harvest and John’s Meals fed schoolchildren, while Seton Center and New Hope Ministries continued serving families in need.
There was no ribbon-cutting ceremony. No groundbreaking. No building with someone’s name on the front. In fact, most people probably never knew those grants were made.
That’s the thing about philanthropy.
Some of the most important charitable gifts in Adams County are the ones you’ll never notice.
We tend to recognize generosity when it’s visible. A new building. A major event. A room bearing a familiar name. Those gifts deserve recognition. But much of philanthropy works quietly behind the scenes.
You won’t see the emergency food pantry that stayed stocked because generous people invested in the Fund for Adams County over the years. You won’t see when Adams Regional EMS replaces aging equipment using charitable gifts. You may never know about the child who receives counseling at the Adams County Children’s Advocacy Center, the veteran who finds help through Roots for Boots or Shining Stars, or the older adult who is able to remain safely at home because the Adams County Office for Aging has the resources to respond.
Those gifts rarely make headlines. Yet they change lives every single day.
That spirit of generosity is why we’re preparing for the 2026 Adams County Community Foundation Giving Spree, Adams County’s annual day of giving.
This November, you’ll have an opportunity to learn about and support more than 100 local nonprofits working to strengthen our community. They preserve our history, enrich our arts and culture, protect our environment, care for animals, and provide essential services to children, families, veterans, and older adults.
Many of these organizations don’t have a deep bench of professional staff. The same people who provide direct services often write grant proposals, recruit volunteers, balance budgets, and raise the dollars needed to keep their doors open. They wear many hats because the needs of our community don’t wait.
The Giving Spree is our opportunity to stand beside them. Thousands of gifts, whether $250, $25,000, or more, combine into meaningful support that allows local nonprofits to spend less time worrying about tomorrow’s budget and more time serving today’s needs.
The next time you drive past SCCAP, Forever Love Rescue, the Adams County Arts Council, or any one of the more than 100 nonprofits participating in the Giving Spree, remember that extraordinary work is probably happening inside. Someone’s life may be changing because another person chose to give quietly, expecting nothing in return.
The most important charitable gifts aren’t always the ones we see. The best philanthropy isn’t measured by the recognition it receives. It is measured by the lives that are better because someone cared enough to give.
That’s what the Giving Spree celebrates. It is a day of giving, but its impact extends far beyond a single day. It reflects the quiet generosity that strengthens Adams County every day of the year.
Ralph Serpe is President & CEO of the Adams County Community Foundation. He serves on the board of the Adams Economic Alliance and the National Standards Board for U.S. Community Foundations. He can be reached at 717-337-0060 or rs****@***********cf.org.