Burns: Veterans’ nonprofit receives $50,000 state grant
Money comes from voluntary driver donations, sale of specialized license plates
Rep. Frank Burns February 28, 2019 | 3:05 PM
EBENSBURG, Feb. 28 – A nonprofit organization headquartered in Upper Yoder Township is receiving a $50,000 state grant to aid its rural veterans’ outreach project, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, announced today.
Burns said Veteran Community Initiatives Inc., located at 727 Goucher St., has been selected by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to get the grant through the Veterans Trust Fund – which is replenished by generous Pennsylvanians who make a voluntary $3 donation when applying for or renewing their driver’s license or photo ID, or renewing a vehicle registration.
Other sources of funding, according to Burns, are the sale of the state’s “Honoring Our Veterans” license plates as well as some private donations.
“Since its 1993 inception, Veterans Community Initiatives has been dedicated to assisting, caring and advocating for our area’s veterans, and helping their families,” Burns said. “I’m hopeful this state funding will enable them to maintain and expand that mission.”
Burns noted that VCI received the maximum $50,000 under the grant program.