By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

On Nov. 1, Kennett Area Community Service (KACS) Executive Director Leah Reynolds received a phone call from a prominent state official, informing her that KACS was going to receive a $775,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP).

While the funding was a sizable chunk of money, it was far from what KACS was seeking. In fact, for an agency that provides food, crisis services, educational programs and affordable housing for people in 22 different municipalities in the county, the grant fell $4,225,000 short of the agency’s original $5 million request to RACP which, if received in full, would have accounted for about one-third of the estimated $15 million needed to construct KACS’ planned new facility in Kennett Square.

“I paused, and then I told the elected official that this is devastating news,” Reynolds said of the phone call. “It was devastating that we didn’t get any more than that for this kind of anchor institution that the community needs.”

Within seconds after the call, the entire staff and board of KACS galvanized to push the re-start 

button that saw the agency re-set its fundraising strategies and develop a communications plan that began when the board recently held a finance meeting to create possible fundraising pathways to compensate for the lower-than-expected grant from RACP.

In addition, KACS is working with the grant writer Wright Horne, who has been assisting the agency “find” possible grant money and is tapping the strength of its capital campaign committee, led by Lynn Majarian, Nancy Pia and Anne Moran.

“We have three amazing different co-chairs representing this campaign who are talking about it to everyone on their contact list, and all of their children are also 100 percent committed to the project,” Reynolds said. “People see the value in helping non-profits get into better facilities, such as the Kennett Library’s new building and KACS’ planned new facility – an example of agencies who serve many municipalities.”

While KACS readjusts its fundraising strategy, it does so in the shadow of a blueprint that spells out a brand-new, 24,000-square-foot facility hat is being proposed for construction along West Cypress Street in Kennett Square. The new location will provide much-needed space for its Food Cupboard, its social services, its educational programs and better facilities for agency staff and volunteers to work with families who are experiencing hunger, homelessness and a lack of services. 

Despite having to make up the $4.2 million that it anticipated from RACP, KACS’s fundraising campaign has already raised nearly $7.4 million toward their $15 million goal: 

• $183,000 in donations from the PA Community & Economic Assistance Program, a Keystone grant and interest income
• $2 million individual and private donations
• $1.24 million in individual and corporate pledges
• $950,000 in in-kind donations of furniture and land for building site
• $237,000 in in-kind pledges and
• $2.7 million in grants

While the exact date of the groundbreaking for the new facility is still to be determined, Reynolds said that she envisions the event as being one of inclusion that will prioritize the partnering agencies who work with KACS to build a better community.

“I have already been speaking with our colleagues at other agencies that when we do this groundbreaking, we want all of them to be together with us on that land,” she said. “We are going to fill that property up with all the families that come here, all of the volunteers and all of the staff, and everyone will have a shovel of some kind, and together, we will do this. The people who use our facilities and seek our services will be front and center, and it will be powerful.

“That full commitment [from RACP] would have been helpful to have and driven things more quickly, but time and time again, no matter what has happened over the last five years in this area, this community continues to affirm that this agency should stay open,” Reynolds added. “I have absolute and total confidence that we will get there. It’s just going to be a different path and we’re just re-setting, because we don’t see this as a loss as just a change in direction. It’s putting everything else aside and getting to work.”

“This community is not going to let this new building fail.”

For more information about KACS’ new facility and to make a contribution to its fundraising campaign, visit www.KACSImpact.org/NewHome.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].