The YWCA of Northcentral PA received a donation of more than $1 million from the Miele Manufacturing Group, following a legislative reception outlining efforts to legalize skills games in the state Wednesday night.
“We’re celebrating 90 years, and our staff has decided to pick some charities, so every month, we’re either volunteering somewhere, or we’re doing a collection of some kind or collecting money,” said Director of Public Relations & Charitable Giving Nicole Miele.
“And thanks to Governor Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Neighborhood Assistance Program, it is with a lot of joy in our hearts that we announce a donation to the YWCA of North Central PA,” she said.
“The YWCA has been serving women and children through a range of services like Wise Options and Liberty House, working with women who are in crisis, empowering them to reach their full potential,” Miele said.
“For nearly 50 years, Wise Options has been available to the community, and last year alone, provided 35,550 nights of safe shelter to adults and children fleeing violence. They served 17,143 individuals impacted by violence, 285 of whom were children, and they served 630 individuals who were seeking relief through a PFA,” she told the crowd.
Formed in 2003, Liberty house provided shelter to 50 adults and 27 children experiencing homelessness last year, amounting to 9,505 nights. 20 of the adults obtained full-time employment, Miele said.
“These are just two of the programs offered by the YWCA,” Miele said as her husband and President of the Miele Group unveiled a check in the amount of $1,017,500.
“This is so heartwarming, and to have this state of community members is just so worthy,” said Cheryl Yoxtheimer, YWCA Board President and interim CEO.
“I cannot express how grateful we are to the Miele Manufacturing Group for partnering with us and for such a very generous award,” she said.
With a goal of $1,017,500, the YWCA initially received $935,000 through the neighborhood Assistance Program, and the award, which Yoxtheimer called, “a wonderful amount.”
“Can you imagine what we thought when we found out that the Miele’s were actually giving us the full amount,” she said, noting that the news came the same day the organization found out that there was no asbestos in the building.
Yoxtheimer, who retired from Hope Enterprises last September and has been filling in as interim CEO for the past four months, said she has been astonished by the work of all those involved with the organization.
“Whether working custodial or programs, they all support the mission, and they work very hard,” she said.
“It’s truly an honor to be here tonight and to have the opportunity to express our deep gratitude on behalf of the YWCA,” incoming CEO Amber Morningstar told the crowd.
Morningstar, who previously served as program director, then told the story of a young mother and her two young children who recently arrived with nothing more than the clothes on their back, seeking help, fleeing from a violent home life.
“We welcomed her into our Weis Options program. We gave her hope, safety and a space to breathe. She received counseling, legal advocacy and help securing protection orders. She attended parenting classes, began working towards the GED and started building a life free from violence. For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t surviving. She was healing,” Morningstar said.
Though she was beginning to thrive, Morningstar said her living conditions were far from ideal, as the space lacked the ability to receive adequate heating or cooling due to the age of the 97-year-old building.
“Her room was bearable, but only because we provided multiple heavy blankets for her and her children to sleep under each night. In the summer, the electrical system couldn’t safely air conditioners, leaving those same rooms stifling and uncomfortable,” she said, while lauding the work of maintenance crews, who did everything they could to create as comfortable a living space as possible.
“It wasn’t just inconvenient, it was an ongoing financial strain on an already stretched nonprofit and an exhausting pace to keep things from falling apart while trying to create stability for the people who need us the most,” Morningstar said.
“Your $1 million gift through the Neighborhood Assistance Program doesn’t just update electrical panels and HVAC systems, it helps us restore dignity and comfort to the lives of the most vulnerable people in our community,” she said to the Miele’s.
“You are helping us create an environment that supports healing, not just survival, and this upgrade doesn’t stop here. With this new electrical infrastructure in place, we can finally move forward with future renovations like installing commercial grade kitchen appliances to better serve the hundreds of families who rely on those kitchens for each meal each year,” Morningstar said.
“These possibilities for improving our facility and expanding our services have opened wide because of this investment,” she said.
“To Nicole and Lou Miele, your kindness, your belief in our mission and your choice to fund this project will leave a lasting legacy on every corner of our building. You saw our need, and you went above and beyond,” Morningstar said.
The CEO also offered special thanks to Gov. Josh Shapiro, the Department of Community and Economic Development, State Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, State Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, and his former District Office Manager Alivia Tagliaferri, before turning her attention to her staff.
“You are the heartbeat of our organization. Your commitment, especially during the hardest nights and the coldest winters, is what makes the YWCA a place of hope and transformation. This gift is more than infrastructure. It’s about restoring peace, comfort and a sense of home to those who need it the most,” Morningstar said.