Central Susquehanna Sight Services (CSSS) received a $6,000 First Federal Charitable Foundation grant it will use to fund its Prevention of Blindness and Social Services programs in Columbia County.
CSSS plans to allocate some of the funding to offer Prevention of Blindness vision screenings and eye health and safety educational programming for children ages six months to six years and needy adults. It will also use funding to provide a full range of Social Services to adults who are blind or living with low vision, including case management, life skills education (including Access Technology training), transportation/escort services, low vision services, and personal support (such as mail reading/bill paying).
On average, CSSS serves 1,850 people each year across a four-county radius, including 800 in Columbia County.
CSSS President and CEO Shelly A. Stroble said, The COVID-19 pandemic brought unforeseen challenges through 2020 and 2021. Service provision was canceled, reduced or modified to ensure the safety of our customers and staff. The reduction in service provision negatively impacted CSSS' income while our expenses increased due to the need for extra programming events and increased transportation runs to serve smaller, distanced groups. Extraordinary protective equipment and sanitization supply needs also increased expenses. Our organizational goals for 2023 are to safely provide vision screening and educational presentations to positively impact the lives of a greater number of community residents than we were able to serve over the past few years and to safely provide a comprehensive range of Social Service support programming to ensure independent living for the blind or low vision adult customers we serve.”
The First Federal Charitable Foundation was established to support worthwhile community causes. It strives to nurture nonprofit institutions and programs that will effectively serve those in need from the community, empower nonprofit institutions and programs that will expand their presence in and services to the area, and promote opportunities for new nonprofit institutions and programs that will serve the unserved.
Nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) IRS designation located in Luzerne, Schuylkill, Carbon and Columbia counties are eligible to apply. Any organization whose headquarters is in another county but services either Luzerne, Schuylkill, Carbon or Columbia counties may apply for a grant to be used in one of those counties.
For more information on the foundation or to obtain a grant application, visit email