$50,000 in Grant Funding Awarded to Strengthen Quality of Life
WATERTOWN — The Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation has awarded $50,000 to five nonprofit organizations in St. Lawrence County to strengthen the quality of life.
The Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund was established through a bequest from Dr. Badenhausen, a St. Lawrence County resident and retired physician who passed away in 2018 at age 83. Dr. Badenhausen believed in the strength of community and was a passionate advocate for the people and places in the region she loved and called home. This charitable fund forever continues her legacy of caring for others while thoughtfully perpetuating her interests and passions in responsible ways with a geographic-specific focus on improving the quality of life in St. Lawrence County.
“It is so meaningful to see Dr. Badenhausen continue to make a difference for the people of St. Lawrence County, touching various aspects of life. The enduring value of her generosity continues to provide a diverse range of grants, and knowing this will continue in perpetuity is such a wonderful way to celebrate her life,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We hope in future years to see continued interest among organizations striving to enhance the quality of life in the region.”
Grant funding is awarded annually to qualified nonprofit organizations whose missions and efforts align with the Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund objectives. The Community Foundation’s board of directors recently approved the following awards:
- Brasher-Stockholm Recreation Commission — $25,000 to expand amenities and complete property improvements at the Tri-Town Community Center. Funding will support a new family friendly walking trail that will loop the property, a playground border, and a new slide for older children.
- St. Lawrence County Arts Council — $10,000 to support the Council’s second North Country Arts Festival this fall. More than 5,000 people are expected to attend the countywide event that will take place in multiple locations across the county. Grant funding will support artist fees, housing, and a marketing campaign.
- North Country Children’s Museum — $5,000 to help the museum complete an interactive kids stage that SUNY Potsdam theater students will staff. Programming will include weekend drop-in performances, theater classes and camps. Funding will increase access to the arts and cultural education for children 12 and younger in the county.
- Orchestra of Northern New York — $5,000 to support the Orchestra’s partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute LINK UP Program. Funding will help students in grades three, four, and five discover the enjoyment of music while learning the fundamentals of performance.
- St. Lawrence County Historical Association — $5,000 to create new, interactive children’s exhibits featuring videos and workshops focused on the history of St. Lawrence County’s indigenous peoples. Funding will support guest speakers for special workshops, as well as technology for digital exhibits.
Applications for 2022 funding from the Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen Legacy Fund will be accepted this fall with up to $50,000 available. Grant support is available to qualified organizations whose missions and efforts align with the fund’s charitable purposes.
About Dr. D. Susan Badenhausen
Dr. Badenhausen made the North Country her home in 1975 following years of medical education and service as a research professional and physician. She quickly grew to cherish the region’s people as friends, serving all to whom she provided medical care with dignity and respect. “Dr. Susan,” as she was known to her many patients and friends, grew up on Staten Island, New York, and graduated from Connecticut College, New London, in 1957. In 1971, she earned a Doctor of Medicine from the Boston University School of Medicine, after several years working as a research professional at Columbia University. Shortly after she settled in St. Lawrence County, Dr. Badenhausen established a medical practice with her partner, Joann M. Spatafora.
Dr. Badenhausen’s contributions to health care in St. Lawrence County are extensive: She was the physician director for the Potsdam Nursing Home; a physician for Sunmount Residential Center in Massena; school physician for Parishville-Hopkinton Central School; a public health officer for the towns of Brasher, Stockholm, Hopkinton, and Lawrence; served on the St. Lawrence County Board of Health; and a longtime member of the Canton-Potsdam Hospital medical staff.
She maintained a keen interest in the health and well-being of her community, advocating for access to culture and education. Dr. Badenhausen remained one of the few physicians anywhere who still made house calls, even in the middle of a North Country winter. Her black leather medical bag was always packed and ready in her Brasher Falls home.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.