The CAN DO Community Foundation welcomed Melissa Curto and Marybeth Hayden as new members of its Board of Directors for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

Melissa CurtoCurto is the Vice President of Ambulatory Services for Lehigh Valley Hospital–Hazleton. She previously served as the Director of Inpatient Therapy Services for the Greater Hazleton Health Alliance and was promoted to serve as Administrator of the Greater Hazleton Health and Wellness Center in 2014, following the alliance’s merger with the Lehigh Valley Health Network.

In addition to her service with the CAN DO Community Foundation, Curto has a history of volunteering her time to community agencies focusing on health needs and education.

Marybeth HaydenHayden is the president of Hazle-Wen Inc. and owns several Wendy’s franchises in northeastern Pennsylvania, including restaurants in Hazleton and Drums.

She currently serves on the Advisory Board for Miners Bank/Mid Penn Bank and her resume includes her volunteer efforts to organizations that serve the Greater Hazleton community.

The Foundation’s mission is to select projects that will benefit from conservation, preservation and reclamation of distressed landscape and historic and other locally significant buildings. “CPR – Breathing New Life into Our Community” is the foundation’s slogan, referring to its mission.   

The foundation supports worthwhile community projects that make a difference and improve the Greater Hazleton community.

Most recently, the Foundation joined CAN DO, it’s sister organization, in providing funding that will complete the now-named CAN DO Community Park at the corner of Broad and Laurel streets. Additionally, the Foundation has been assisting the Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress with several revitalization projects in the downtown, including: helping to fund the completion of Phase II renovations on the former Security Savings building that will become the home of the Hazleton Art League and participating in the repurposing of the former “bingo building” on Broad Street for the recently opened Hazleton LaunchBox facility.

Among the many projects the Foundation is currently supporting are the Ferrwood Camp, Sofia Coxe House in Drifton, the Freeland YMCA, the Greater Hazleton Historical Society on Wyoming Street and an adjoining downtown neighborhood residential Historic District Preservation Study.

With a focus on our youth, with an objective of nurturing and instilling interest in our community, the foundation has endowed scholarships to Penn State Hazleton and funds Junior Leadership scholarships to students from area high schools as well as “camperships” to Ferrwood Music Camp.

For more information on the foundation's accomplishments and activities, please visit its web site at www.candocommunityfoundation.com.