Support Us
Whitaker Center was founded to make Central Pennsylvania a better place to live, work, and play!
As a non-profit organization, we are not self-sustaining. We rely on donations from those who support first-class learning experiences, inspiring live performances, and amazing films. Your gift will help Whitaker Center stay accessible to all and be the place where people of all ages can discover the wonders of art and science while creating unforgettable experiences.
Whether you are an individual looking to make an outright or planned gift or a company interested in supporting your community and reaching new patrons, we have a variety of giving options to meet your needs. For information on giving options, please see the specific items below or contact the Development Office at development@whitakercenter.org or call 717-724-3886.
GENDER AND RACIAL EQUITY NETWORK
EQUITY GIVING. NEW TO WHITAKER!
Despite being among the highest paying and fastest-growing careers in the United States, women and people of color account for just a small percentage of people in STEM careers. Studies show that this lack of diversity is due in part to a lack of access to STEM engagement and stereotypes surrounding STEM fields.
- STEM Scholarships – In FY 2019 over 9,000 students and chaperons received scholarships to attend Whitaker Center programs.
- Community Classrooms - Whitaker Center opened its doors to students in need of support during online learning, offering internet access, homework assistance, and free meals to students.
- Girls in STEM Programs - In FY 2019 over 600 girls and chaperons attended programs including Girls in STEM Summer Camps, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Night, Girls in STEM: Exploring Your Future Day, Girl Scout Badge Workshops, and more.
- Girls in STEM: Emerging Healthcare Careers Program - Piloted in 2020 in partnership with Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine, this program offers young women in high school the opportunity to explore careers in healthcare and biomedical fields.
- Women in STEM Initiative - The annual Women in STEM Awards Program and Women in STEM Networking Nights offer opportunities for connections and breaking of stereotypes surrounding STEM careers.
- Youth Rising: Stand Together - A speaker series in collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sister and the Chamber of Commerce. It is offered to middle and high school students so that they may have opportunities for meaningful interactions with professionals of color and bridge the gap in opportunities for youth in the Capital Region.
- Pre – K STEM Grow Up Great Partnership with PNC Bank and the United Way – In FY 2019 over 1,333 children and parents from moderate-income backgrounds were able to attend Pre-K STEM educational programs.
- Holiday Gift Drive-In 2020 Whitaker Center, through the support of Representative Patty Kim and sponsorship from Highmark, provided 4-5 fun and educational STEM gifts to over 85 children (ages 0-16) from local families who may need a little help this holiday season.
We are proud to offer a range of Gender and Racial Equity Programs that address the unique financial and engagement needs of students from historically underrepresented and underserved backgrounds. We hope you will join us in supporting these efforts and building the next generation of STEM leaders in Central PA.
Support our Gender and Racial Equity Programs
Corporate Partners - $10,000 minimum
SMALL BUSINESS & INDIVIDUALS - $5,000 minimum
OR SMALLER MONETARY DONATION
As you review your year-end charitable donations, please consider Whitaker Center and the impact we have made in our community. To donate, please mail checks to Whitaker Center 222 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 or email mringenbach@
Stock Gifts
To make a tax-free stock gift to Whitaker Center, please contact the Development Office by email or call 717-724-3886 for transfer instructions.
Matching Gifts
Your contribution could go twice as far with a matching gift!
Many employers offer matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees. By taking advantage of your company’s matching gift program, you may be able to double, or even triple, the impact of your contribution. To find out if your company participates in a matching gift program, please check with your company’s Human Resources Department. To send a matching gift, please request a matching gift form from your company and send a completed copy with or following your contribution to the Development Office address listed above.
HOW TO GIVE
To make a contribution to Whitaker Center, you may choose to give in any of the following ways:
- Send a check made payable to Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts to:
Development Office
Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts,
222 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101 - Call the Development Office at 717-724-3886 to make a credit card donation over the phone
Stock Gifts
To make a tax-free stock gift to Whitaker Center, please contact the Development Office by email or call 717-724-3886 for transfer instructions.
Matching Gifts
Your contribution could go twice as far with a matching gift!
Many employers offer matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees. By taking advantage of your company’s matching gift program, you may be able to double, or even triple, the impact of your contribution. To find out if your company participates in a matching gift program, please check with your company’s Human Resources Department. To send a matching gift, please request a matching gift form from your company and send a completed copy with or following your contribution to the Development Office address listed above.
INDIVIDUAL GIVING
The generosity of individual donors helps support Whitaker Center’s day-to-day operations and keep our cutting-edge programs and unique performances accessible to all. We accept and appreciate donations of any size and recognize each contribution at various times throughout the year. To send a donation, please see the “How to Give” section above.CORPORATE GIVING
EITC, or the Education Improvement Tax Credit, is a PA Department of Community and Economic Development program that provides incentives for eligible businesses when they donate to eligible organizations. Whitaker Center is registered as an eligible Educational Improvement Organization. We use EITC funding to help public school students take part in our many educational offerings, such as trips to the science center, Discovery Lab programs, live performances at our Sunoco Performance Theater and more!PLANNED GIVING
There are many ways to affirm your commitment to our mission through a legacy gift. An outright bequest, a gift of life insurance, and a charitable gift annuity are just a few of the many ways you can have a lasting impact on the future of Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts.WHITAKER SOCIETY
Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts is named in memory of Uncas A. Whitaker and his wife, Helen F. Whitaker and is a living legacy to their spirit of philanthropy. Whitaker Society was created to ensure that their philanthropic spirit lives on.ADVANCING PERFORMING ARTS CHALLENGE
At Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, we understand that the arts are crucial in helping children foster creativity and imagination. Through the incredible generosity of the Lois Lehrman Grass Foundation, we have created the Advancing Performing Arts Challenge to help raise money for an endowment that will provide thousands of students in Central Pennsylvania access to live performing arts at our Sunoco Performance Theater. Leading with a pledge of $1 million, the Lois Lehrman Grass Foundation has challenged us to match her donation to create a special $2 million endowment. Earnings from the endowment will allow us to bring up to 20,000 more children to Whitaker Center each year.EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH FUND
Whitaker Center is committed to making sure that as many children as possible have the opportunity to learn and explore through our various educational programs. Thanks to the generosity of individual and corporate donors, The Whitaker Center Educational Outreach Fund (WCEOF) allows us to offer reduced admission fees for Title 1 schools and Central PA nonprofits that serve low income or disadvantaged youth ages 4-18.TRÈS BONNE ANNÉE
Très Bonne Année, French for “a very good year”, is a series of wine and food events held annually in Harrisburg. Each year, over 600 guests, including nationally recognized wine authorities and enthusiast from all around the world, gather to attend what has become one of the largest wine auctions for charity on the East Coast. The proceeds from Très Bonne Année exclusively benefit Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts.