Several local non-profits received grants thanks to Erie Insurance on Wednesday.

Erie Insurance gave out $900,000 with their Educational Improvement Tax Credit or EITC program.


Children and educational programs are the latest benefactors of their recent round of grants.


Jenny Geertson, the Community Outreach Director for Erie Insurance explained, "We are able to see the results in real time. Education is an important equalizer. These programs are important to kids Pre-K to high school and many of these organizations are downtown neighbors."


This money was distributed among 22 non-profits, including Erie Insurance neighbors, like the Experience Children's Museum.


According to Ainslie Brosig, the Executive Director of the Experience Children's Museum said, "EITC funding is an amazing way for nonprofits to expand their reach and be able to do different programming, bring different exhibits in, bring different presenters. We are really really fortunate, the museum is so lucky to have them s their neighbors."


Staff at the Experience Children's Museum plan to use the money to help expand their programs to older children. As Brosig explained, "This funding would specifically will help bring 3rd, 4th and 5th graders to the museum and we really want to focus on the museum's rich history, which was a former livery and talk to them about that but also encourage kids to be entrepreneurs and to invent things."


Officials through Erie Insurance said helping fellow community organizations is one of the missions they are rooted in. "A lot of our employe

 

es are here today as board members on these organizations, so being above all in service doesn't stop with our policy holders it extends to our employees and community", said Geerston.


The Experience Children's Museum is gearing up for their busy season, officials said in the summer months 30 percent of their visitors are tourists coming to Erie.