University Baptist & Brethren Church
Connecting to God, to each other, and to the world
Alternative Christmas Fair Charities
Thank you to everyone who visited our 42nd annual Alternative Christmas Fair in person and online, and to all the non-profits who shared information about their organizations! We're delighted to anounce that we did indeed meet our goal of crossing the one-million-dollar mark and have raised over $1,000,000 for charities since our inception in 1972! Have a wonder 2025, and visit us again next December!
Centre County PAWS is committed to finding forever homes for cats and dogs. Our mission is to promote Animal Welfare and Safety with compassion through adoption, sheltering, education and community assistance. By building a compassionate Centre Region where animals thrive, PAWS will lead the way by serving as a premier resource for companion animals and their caregivers.
Centre Helps is the first line of defense for our neighbors in crisis, answering 988 calls for suicide prevention and providing critical aid to prevent evictions and utility shut-offs. No matter what the crisis is, our well-trained, compassionate team is ready to help around the clock through our hotline, text and chat lines, basic needs case managers., and community collaborations. Our goal is to empower those we serve by providing emotional support in the transition from crisis to stability.
The mission of Centre LGBT+ is to bring the community together through LGBT+ education, advocacy, and activities in the Centre region. Offering a wide variety of support and resources at the center located downtown which offers an LGBT+ library, gender affirming closet, a welcoming lobby with free coffee/tea/cocoa, free wifi, resources, and more. Please visit our website for more of what we do and how we support the LGBT+ community that we serve!
Since 1994, CentrePeace has been more than a workplace—it’s a place of hope and second chances for Centre County inmates. Here, individuals learn to repair and restore electronics and furniture, build life skills, and discover new ways to resolve conflict. Every day, CentrePeace transforms not only furniture but lives, helping people find purpose and dignity. Our commitment to sustainability is unwavering. In 2024 alone, CentrePeace kept over 145 tons of usable furniture and household items out of the landfill. Every purchase from our store directly supports fourteen vital programs for returning citizens, helping them rebuild their futures and strengthen our community. At CentrePeace, every piece tells a story—and every person matters.
Centre Safe's mission is to empower survivors of sexual violence, dating and domestic violence, and stalking, and to work toward the elimination of such violence. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, Centre Safe provides critical services including emergency shelter and housing, counseling, advocacy, hospital and court accompaniment, 24-7 hotline, outreach and education, no-cost legal services, and also supervised visitation and safe custody exchange through its Child Access Center.
Centre Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM) is Centre County’s only free clinic, providing medical, dental, behavioral health, case management, and medication assistance services to nearly 1,100 uninsured and underinsured residents annually. Founded in 2003, CVIM operates in a modern clinic in State College, PA, using a volunteer-driven model sustained by community donations, fundraising events, and grants. Our mission is to serve and advocate for the medically underserved, improving health equity and reducing disparities. Over 325 CVIM volunteers contributed over 13,500 hours of service in fiscal year 2024, working alongside a small full-time staff to deliver nearly $3.7 million in healthcare value.
Centre Wildlife Care is located on 15 acres of wooded land in Port Matilda, PA. Since opening in 1995, they have rehabilitated thousands of injured, sick, and orphaned wild animals until they can be released back into the wild. They care for all native species of wildlife including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
Go Reentry Specialists exists to serve those leaving incarceration and returning to their communities. They work with local prisons as well as organizations that help those leaving incarceration. Go Reentry is a faith-based, non-profit organization that specifically helps individuals in Centre, Clearfield, Mifflin, Cambria, Jefferson and Elk counties.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Centre County (HFHGCC) is one of over 1,000 independent affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International. To date, HFHGCC has served nearly 130 families by building, renovating or repairing homes in Centre County. Homeowners give 350 hours of sweat equity and pay a mortgage, real estate taxes and homeowners insurance. Our repairs program was launched in 2023 and has served almost fifty households in that time. Currently HFHGCC has the first 3D printed home in Pennsylvania under construction in Boalsburg. .
The mission of Heifer International is to end hunger and poverty in 21 countries, beginning with a seed investment of livestock or agriculture, followed by mentorship to help project participants build a business and ultimately to gain access to supply chains and markets. By supporting and training the world’s farmers, ranchers, and female business owners, Heifer International enables them to earn a living income and continuously lift up their communities as they train the next generation of leaders.
Hope International Services has provided integrated health care, education, environmental, and outreach services to needy children and families in the U.S. and the disadvantaged population in EL Salvador for 27 years. Their services include medical clinics, food and clothing donations, nutritional health education to pregnant and breastfeeding moms, and water filters to impoverished villages, orphanages, and prisons.
Housing Transitions has been providing shelter and guidance to individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity in Centre County since 1984. Services include the Centre House Homeless Shelter, open 24/7; Permanent Supportive Housing for those who have experienced chronic homelessness; and Rapid Rehousing to provide a period of rental assistance and case management following homelessness.
11% of Centre County adults read below a third-grade level. The Mid-State Literacy Council (MSLC) equips people with the skills needed to connect and communicate with others and succeed in the workplace. With the help of 200+ trained volunteers, MSLC provides essential instruction in reading, writing, math, computer skills, English, and health literacy.
Out of the Cold is a low barrier homeless shelter at 318 South Atherton Street, State College. Our day shelter is open from 8 am to 8 pm to anyone experiencing housing insecurities and our night shelter is open from 8 pm to 8 am for guests who need shelter. While at the shelter guests are provided with warm meals, clothing, shelter and supportive services from our case managers.
Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light is a network of individuals and faith communities responding to climate change in a variety of ways, practical and prayerful. Their work includes a Sustained Advocacy initiative that supports individuals engaging with lawmakers and civic leaders, and Creation Care work to remove invasive species and plant resilient, eco-system-appropriate trees and plants .
For more than 230 years, the PA Prison Society, Centre County Chapter has advocated for humane prisons and a rational approach to criminal justice. The Centre County Chapter has been active since the 1970s and serves over 4,800 inmates and their families in Centre County. Volunteers provide one-on-one visits, special programs, and re-entry services that bring hope to people during their incarceration and support upon release.
The Park Forest Preschool is a nonprofit, state licensed program providing 100% scholarship-funded, high quality preschool programming for low income, qualifying families who reside in Centre County. We provide a diverse and nurturing environment, which includes a nutritious breakfast and lunch every day. Our program offers resources for children and families and prepares children for educational success by promoting cognitive, social-emotional and physical growth.
RISE is a 5-year effort to ensure that Centre County elementary schools have access to high-quality children’s books that portray individual differences and encourage respect and understanding of those differences. RISE donates children’s books to Centre County elementary school libraries and preschools. A student reward program encourages students to read books in diversity categories, and grants are available to elementary educators for diversity curriculum resources.
Ridgelines provides expert language arts education to those who are impacted by stigma and injustice in the ridges and valleys of Central Pennsylvania. We teach language arts—from poetry and creative writing to songwriting and storytelling—in settings outside of academic institutions. Our programs serve low-income older adults, survivors of domestic violence, residents of our region's youth detention center and women’s state prison, rural and low-income youth, rural LGBTQA+ teens, and more. Through in-depth workshops, participants gain ways to explore their voices and their stories, exercise creative agency, and advocate for personal wellbeing and social change.
The State College Food Bank has provided services to clients since 1982. Their mission is to provide food security, directly or indirectly, to everyone at risk in Centre County. Our primary focus is to ensure access to healthy and nutritious food for anyone who is in need of our support and assistance.
State College Area Meals on Wheels prepares and delivers meals to people who are elderly or disabled and homebound and who are living in the State College Area School District. During COVID their services evolved to include delivery of groceries and fresh local produce as well as meals from local caterers and restaurants. Their services help our neighbors to live healthy lives in their own homes.
​Ten Thousand Villages State College is a local non-profit with a global vision. Ten Thousand Villages’ ethical artisan investment model puts the maker first, empowering artisans via a commitment to fair wage pricing, interest-free microfinance investments, strong partnerships, and full payment before export.
The Youth Service Bureau was created in 1968 to ensure that children, youth, and families have opportunities to realize and fulfill their potential. Although YSB’s basic mission has remained the same for over five decades, their services have evolved and grown as they continually assess needs among local youth and look for creative, evidence-based ways of meeting those needs.