Centre County United Way asking for help after ‘devastating’ fundraiser cancellation

The Centre County United Way is asking for the community’s help after its marquee fundraising event was canceled.

Taste of the Town was supposed to take place Thursday at the Bryce Jordan Center but was called off due to the winter storm. The United Way said Tuesday that the event won’t be rescheduled this year.

The BJC is the only local space big enough to host the event, United Way event coordinator Celesta Powell said in a statement. “The BJC has a very busy event schedule and finding a day that works for them and for our vendors is not any easy task so, unfortunately, we had to make this tough decision.”

United Way board Chair David Gaines said the loss of funds that would have been raised through Taste of the Town “is truly devastating.” That money is part of the 2022 Annual Campaign, which helps Centre County families with basic needs such as housing, child care, transportation and food.

The United Way is asking people who planned to attend Taste of the Town to donate their ticket cost.

Most sponsors have allowed United Way to keep their donations, while attendees have received refunds from Ticketmaster.

“On behalf of community members in need, we are humbly appealing to those who had planned to attend Taste of the Town to donate their ticket price back to CCUW and to ask their family and friends to support the 2022 campaign with a donation,” Gaines said. “We recognize this is an unusual request at an unusual time. Still, we are asking everyone to think about our neighbors who are struggling and to give whatever they can.”

Taste of the Town’s silent auction will still take place, but online. The “Snowed Out” event will feature a variety of items from local businesses and will run Dec. 21-Jan. 6.

Visit ccunitedway.org to donate or for more information.