The Northern New York Community Foundation’s board of directors recently approved matching grants totaling $12,500 to two non-profit organizations providing services in St. Lawrence County.

The Community Foundation will award a $10,000 matching grant to St. Lawrence NYSARC to establish and build an endowment fund for the agency’s Dodge Pond Camp. The fund will be administered and stewarded by the Community Foundation. Dodge Pond Camp, a longtime program of St. Lawrence NYSARC, offers outdoor and camping experiences for children and youth with developmental disabilities. The two-week summer program provides activities such as swimming, hiking, fishing, boating and more. The endowment will serve as a permanent revenue source to support the camp in perpetuity. [Read more…]

The George R. Davis Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation will provide $10,000 in total grant support for seven projects in the Lowville area.  The geographic-specific fund serves as a permanent resource for projects that will enhance the quality of life in the village and town of Lowville in perpetuity.

This year, a $4,000 grant was awarded from the Davis Fund to the Lowville Lions Club in support of a collaborative effort with the village of Lowville on a beautification project on Dayan and South State streets. The project also includes the installation of a decorative clock.

The Foundation’s Board of Directors also approved a $2,500 grant to assist with the beautification project from the Michael Brown Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation. [Read more…]

The Dale Kenyon Community Fund of the Northern New York Community Foundation will award $5,000 in total grant funding to support three local non-profit organizations.

The geographic-specific fund was established in 2013 to be a permanent resource to assist non-profit agencies serving residents in the town of Clayton in perpetuity. This is the second series of grants from the fund since its inception.

“Geographic-specific giving has become an increasingly meaningful way to impact a defined region. These grants help make a real difference and we appreciate the opportunity to be part of that,” said Rande S. Richardson, Community Foundation executive director.

This year’s grant recipients are:

• Thousand Islands Emergency Rescue Service (TIERS) – $2,500 to help secure infrastructure that will protect the agency’s information technology at their new facility. The system will help preserve patient records, enhance building security and properly integrate a telecommunications system.
• Clayton Council of Churches Food Pantry (St. Mary’s Church) – $1,500 matching challenge grant to build community support for the pantry. Funding will help increase the supply of additional personal hygiene and paper products.
• Thousand Islands Young Leaders Organization (TIYLO) – $1,000 to assist with the construction and implementation of proper fencing around the community garden at the Thousand Islands Land Trust’s Zenda Farms Preserve.

[Read more…]

Sixty area high school students have received a Jefferson-Can Community Scholars Award for their freshman year at Jefferson Community College (JCC), 2015-16, thanks to the generosity of Stephen H. Can, JCC alumnus ’80. Mr. Can, in partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation and the JCC Foundation, has supported more than 180 JCC freshman students over their past three-year partnership.

In 2013 Mr. Can, the JCC Foundation and the Northern New York Community Foundation partnered to strengthen scholarship opportunities available to the region’s top high school students – the scholars program awards first-year tuition scholarships to students from Jefferson and Lewis counties who graduate in the top 15% of their respective classes. Since its inception in 2007 as the Jefferson-Can Scholars program, inclusive of this year’s class, over 450 students have attended JCC tuition free for their freshman year and over $1 million dollars has been invested in area students.  In addition, approximately 73 students will enroll this fall as Jefferson-Can Community Scholars.

In April, over 50 students gathered at the Italian American Club in Watertown, all of whom were greeted by Mr. Can and his wife, Pam as well as presenter Steve Fisher, retired General Brown coach, and his wife, Alice. Students shared their experiences as first-year students and discussed future plans at JCC and beyond. In total, over $120,000 was invested in this year’s class thanks to the partnership of Mr. Can, the JCC Foundation and the Community Foundation. The Jefferson-Can Community Scholars program will continue to be administered by the Northern New York Community Foundation.  [Read more…]

The Northern New York Community Foundation and WPBS-DT are partnering on a media project to feature individual stories about philanthropy and its meaningful presence in the North Country. The two organizations will soon launch the “Northern New York Community Podcast: Stories from the Heart of Our Community. The podcast will capture, present and archive audio interviews highlighting personal stories of community service and philanthropy in Northern New York. Community philanthropy has played a vital role in the growth, development and enrichment of villages, towns and cities in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. The podcast will be a platform to share the stories of people who have devoted their lives to giving back to their community.

“There is no better time than now to capture the essence of why people choose to go above and beyond for their communities. We think that it is our responsibility to make sure these stories are never forgotten and can be retold in their own voices to current and future generations,” said Rande S. Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We will strive not only to highlight what various individuals and families have done, but why they did it, how it affected the lives of others and their lives as well,” he said. [Read more…]