Takac: $300K boost for Jana Marie Foundation to serve 500 Centre County youth
Rep. Paul Takac April 15, 2026 | 4:01 PM
HARRISBURG, April 15 – State Rep. Paul Takac, D-Centre, is pleased to announce that the Jana Marie Foundation has received a $300,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
The funding will expand free summer camps and after-school clubs that promote resilience, emotional wellness, positive peer connection, and safe, structured engagement for children and adolescents.
“This investment will help expand critical supports for Centre County youth,” said Takac. “These programs give young people the tools they need to build emotional strength, connect with caring adults, and thrive in school and in life.”
"We are deeply grateful for this funding, which allows us to expand our no-cost summer camps and after-school programs to reach even more young people in our community,” said Marisa Vicere, president and founder of the Jana Marie Foundation. “This investment strengthens our commitment to promoting mental health awareness and building resilience in our community's youth."
The Jana Marie Foundation will use the grant to serve approximately 500 youth annually, providing eight weeks of summer camp and multiple after-school clubs for upper-elementary through high-school students, with programming that emphasizes mindfulness, coping skills, creative expression, movement, team building, and social-emotional learning.
“These vital initiatives prioritize our children’s well-being and the future of our community,” Takac added. “I’m proud to support efforts that expand safe, enriching opportunities for Centre County youth.”
The award is part of the FY 2025–26 Violence Intervention & Prevention and Building Opportunities Through Out-of-School Time funding framework administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. BOOST grants are intended to expand out-of-school time programming for at-risk school-age youth and support evidence-based or evidence-informed practices delivered by community partners.