Rice Family Foundation Awards Grants to 70 Central PA Nonprofits

HANOVER, PA – December 15, 2025 – The Rice Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization with deep roots in the Hanover community, has announced the completion of its 2025 grant distributions, awarding vital funds to seventy nonprofit organizations. This annual initiative provides a significant boost to groups dedicated to improving education, health, and well-being across the region, continuing a multi-generational legacy of community support tied to the family behind Utz Snacks.

Founded in 2017, the foundation is financially supported by Mike and Jane Rice and Dylan and Stacie Lissette, representing the third and fourth generations of the iconic snack food family. Their work formalizes a long-standing tradition of giving back to the community that has been home to their family's enterprise for over a century.

Strengthening the Community’s Front Lines

The impact of the 2025 grants will be felt directly on the front lines of community service. The seventy recipient organizations were selected through a careful review process designed to identify initiatives with the greatest potential for positive change. While the full list of recipients is slated for publication on the foundation's website, this year's announcement highlighted several key partners whose work addresses some of the area's most pressing needs.

Among the beneficiaries is Ruth’s Harvest, a ministry of the Hanover Area Council of Churches that provides essential nourishment to children experiencing hunger, particularly over weekends and school breaks when school-provided meals are unavailable. Another major recipient, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, will use the funds to support its mission of ending hunger across a sprawling 27-county area. The grant aids their extensive network of food distribution, mobile pantries, and targeted programs for vulnerable populations.

New Hope Ministries, an organization offering a lifeline to families in crisis, was also a notable recipient. It provides a comprehensive suite of services including food assistance, housing and utility support, and job training programs. The grant from the Rice Family Foundation is crucial for both immediate relief and long-term stability.

“This generous support enables us not only to put nourishing food on the tables of families who are struggling, but also to strengthen the infrastructure that ensures our services remain strong and sustainable,” said Molly Helmstetter, Director of Development at New Hope Ministries. “We are grateful for partners like The Rice Family Foundation, whose commitment helps us reach more people at the very moment they need it most.”

A Legacy of Giving Beyond the Snack Aisle

The Rice Family Foundation represents the modern chapter in a long history of philanthropy connected to the Utz family. While the foundation itself was established in 2017, the family's commitment to the Hanover area is a core part of its identity. This dedication was significantly amplified in 2023 when the foundation integrated the Arlene Utz Hollinger Foundation.

Established in 1992 by the daughter of Utz founders Bill and Salie Utz, the Arlene Utz Hollinger Foundation had its own long-standing record of community support. The merger consolidated the philanthropic efforts of multiple generations under a single, more powerful entity. This strategic move streamlined operations and enhanced the foundation's capacity to make a substantial and coordinated impact, ensuring the family's legacy of giving would continue to evolve and grow.

This history anchors the foundation's work not just as a corporate social responsibility initiative, but as a deeply personal, multi-generational commitment to a specific place and its people. The focus on Hanover and its surrounding communities reflects a desire to reinvest in the region that fostered the family's business success.

A Strategic Approach to Philanthropy

The foundation’s model of distributing grants to a large number of diverse organizations—seventy this year, following seventy-eight in 2023—demonstrates a distinct strategic approach. By funding a wide array of groups, from grassroots initiatives to larger regional players, the foundation ensures its support permeates multiple layers of the community's social fabric. This method provides accessible funding for smaller nonprofits that might otherwise struggle to secure grants from larger, more complex institutions, thereby filling a critical gap in the regional philanthropic landscape.

This approach complements the work of larger entities like the York County Community Foundation, which often focuses on broader, county-wide strategic initiatives. The Rice Family Foundation’s direct-to-nonprofit model ensures that funds are quickly channeled to organizations providing immediate, tangible services in the core areas of health, education, and well-being.

The selection process is a testament to this strategic focus. According to the foundation, numerous applications are reviewed each year to ensure that grants are awarded to exceptional organizations poised to make a meaningful difference. This careful vetting process aims to maximize the return on every philanthropic dollar invested in the community.

Stacie Lissette, a Director of The Rice Family Foundation, underscored the philosophy behind their support. “We are honored that The Rice Family Foundation had the opportunity to stand behind these remarkable nonprofits,” she stated. “The difference they make in strengthening our community is uplifting, and we hope their dedication encourages others to join in offering support to those who need it most.”

As the funds are disbursed, these seventy organizations are now better equipped to face the challenges ahead, from stocking food pantry shelves to providing educational programs for at-risk youth. For countless individuals and families in Central Pennsylvania, this annual injection of support provides not just resources, but a powerful affirmation of community solidarity and hope.