Nonprofit News

National Public Radio's CEO and representatives for several Eastern Pennsylvania public media organizations joined a forum in Bethlehem on Thursday hosted by Lehigh Valley Public Media. The officials said a looming clawback of federal funding could force meaningful cuts.

"A Community Conversation: Broadcast in the Balance" examines funding cuts under consideration in Congress to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The cuts would result in the defunding of more than $1 billion over two years to public media outlets across the country.

Easton City Council approved $1 million in grant applications for community organizations and city programs, though the potential for the CDBG program to disappear remains an ever-present threat.

The city of Allentown is set to get $1.9 million, while dozens of nonprofits — including food banks — and other groups will split $3.8 million from the trust's annual disbursement.

If Congress adopts a measure clawing back $1.1 billion allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Bethlehem community radio station WDIY would need to come up with $200,000 dollars in new funding. "It's money I don't have," the nonprofit's executive director said Tuesday.

The Keystone Media Awards recognize excellence in journalism and the news media. Lehigh Valley Public Media captured awards in digital news, radio broadcast and television production.

Alumni celebrated the PBS39 quiz show's 50-year run at the Iacocca Conference Center at Lehigh University on Friday. The celebration continued Saturday with a screening of a documentary at the Univest Public Media Center on the SteelStacks campus in Bethlehem.

The Neighborhood Center and Andre Reed Foundation are partnering to kick off the season with an event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at 344 N. 7th St.

Members of Adult Skills Quest, tutors, students, politicians and more came together at the Pomfret Club in Easton Thursday to celebrate the educational achievements of adults seeking continued education.

Speakers at the Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony at Allentown City Hall on Thursday emphasized the amount of work yet to be done in guaranteeing equality for all.

The grant money first approved by the Pennsylvania Legislature in 2018 can go toward making safety infrastructure improvements to facilities.

The Barcelona-based singer performed a mix of classic, flamenco, Valencia and Catalan music at a concert and fundraiser for child literacy at Lehigh Valley Public Media.

It's a Festivus for felines! Emmaus cat boutique Purr Haus hosted a Festivus celebration on Saturday, Dec. 23 to collect contributions for local rescue Ruff Life, with a them of everyone's favorite fake holiday.

Silk Lehigh Valley has to move from its location in the Hamilton Business Center after Allentown inspectors deemed the building an "immediate risk to human life” earlier this month.

KidsPeace, which provides behavioral and mental health services to children, collected about 1,400 toys for its 12th annual Angel Tree holiday gift drive.

The annual holiday festivity celebrated its 31st year with five weekends of the market that spans retailers, artisans and food.

Thanks to a funding allotment from the city council and a partnership with the Downtown Bethlehem Association, the Celtic Cultural Alliance will be able to hold its first Parade of Shamrocks since 2019 this coming March.

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, which has been a central organization for LGBTQ community in the region since opening in 2016, in recent months has laid off five employees and temporarily reduced hourly employees' time.

Three Kings Day is returning to the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks on Sunday, Jan. 7 at 2 p.m.Also known as Dia de los Reyes, the observance is a Christian feast day that commemorates the Biblical story of the three kings who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the Christ child.

The City of Bethlehem and the Celtic Cultural Alliance will hold a joint news conference on Monday, Dec. 18 to impart details of their new partnership for the Parade of Shamrocks in March.

Officials said demolishing the current facilities and starting from scratch is the most cost-effective option to continue to provide its range of public offerings.

The Smithsonian Institution-affiliate will begin to review applications starting in January.