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NOVA received a $2,000 grant from the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology (MBIT) Philanthropy Today Club. The grant will be used to help defray the cost of transporting clients to and from NOVA’s headquarters and various court proceedings. 

The club, comprised of students from MBIT, teaches students about charities, how to give responsibly through grant allocations, and how to identify community needs. The students and their two teacher advisors worked with two foundations -  Heenan Foundation, through rantor Bernadette Heenan, for which they are given a specific challenge to meet; and The Norman Raab Foundation www.raabfoundation.org), for which they created a mission statement, areas of focus, and criteria for the funds they bestowed through The Norman Raab Foundation. 
                                                                         

The club chose NOVA as a grant beneficiary because of the organization’s work in the areas of victim advocacy and violence prevention. As the students stated in the report they submitted to The Norman Raab Foundation, “We believe that we should fund NOVA because their mission statement [states that it strives] to be a hopeful light for individuals healing from serious crimes, sexual assault/abuse, and for the greater community, as it works to end patterns of violence.”

"The student members of the MBIT Philanthropy Today Club demonstrated the power of collaboration and critical thinking as they created a mission for their Club, identified community needs, and ultimately made grant decisions to support local charitable organizations,” said Stephen Raab, Board Chair, The Norman Raab Foundation. “The students clearly identified the connections between their Club's mission and that of NOVA, and presented a strong rationale for the grant to support client transportation services. The Norman Raab Foundation is honored to work with the MBIT Philanthropy Today Club for the past 10 years and to support the work of NOVA, as well.”

Pamela Swoyer is a worked-based education teacher at MBIT who has been involved in the club for nine years and has been impressed with the work of the students. “Participation in the Philanthropy Today Club has been a life changing experience for our students,” she said. “I am once again humbled by the generosity of the Raab and Heenan Foundations and their dedication to the youth of Middle Bucks. Our students learn the language of the philanthropic world, and the importance of due diligence and research when investigating who should be the grant recipients. We appreciate the valuable and essential work NOVA does every day for crime victims in Bucks County.”

“NOVA is honored to be selected by the Philanthropy Today Club at MBIT to receive a $2,000 grant,” said Angela McGettigan, Director, Operations & Community Engagement, NOVA. “This grant will help victims with transportation costs related to attending appointments at NOVA’s office, as well as court proceedings. The students involved in MBIT’s Philanthropy Club Today are the leaders of tomorrow and we are excited to see what the future holds for them.”

About NOVA

NOVA supports, counsels, and empowers victims of sexual assault and other serious crimes in Bucks County and works to prevent and eliminate violence in society through advocacy, training, community education and prevention programs. Founded in 1974, NOVA is a non-profit 501(c)(3), community-based organization operating out of three offices in Fairless Hills, Jamison, and Perkasie. Services are made possible through the financial support of federal, state, and local government grants and contracts, corporations, foundations and private donations. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. For more information, visit www.NOVABucks.org.

About The Norman Raab Foundation

The Norman Raab Foundation was founded in 1968 by businessperson Norman Raab to promote active philanthropic giving by his descendants. The foundation supports organizations focused on education, health and research, and community-based human services. To learn more, visit: https://www.raabfoundation.org.

About Middle Bucks Institute of Technology

Middle Bucks Institute of Technology (MBIT), located in Warwick Township, Bucks County, is supported by Centennial, Central Bucks, Council Rock, and New Hope-Solebury School Districts.  It operates as a school of choice designed for students who are seeking to enhance their educational program with a highly relevant career and technical experience connected directly to the real world of business and industry.  The educational program is organized around five broad career pathways and offers twenty-one state approved career programs. The MBIT experience provides students with a blend of classroom theory, technical applications in state-of-the-art laboratories, and off-campus work-based experiences. To learn more, visit www.mbit.org.

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