The Northern New York Community Foundation’s LEAD Council recently awarded grants totaling $10,000 to two North Country school districts following their participation in the “LEAD Your School Challenge.”

The school-based project was developed by the LEAD Council, which is an advisory group of nearly 20 young professionals affiliated with the Community Foundation. The goal of competition was to cultivate and instill willingness in school students to volunteer in their community and learn more about the mission and services of local non-profit organizations. Each participating school was eligible for up to $10,000 in grant funding. LEAD awarded a $6,000 grant to South Jefferson and a $4,000 grant to Copenhagen for their efforts.

“One of the best outcomes of this student-driven initiative is our youth are educated about the meaning of community philanthropy and understand the important work of area non-profits,” said Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director. “These students have proven to be great collaborators and citizens that genuinely care about the communities where they live.”

At South Jefferson, students from across the high school and middle school created a project that either raised awareness or funds for five non-profit agencies in Jefferson County. They collaborated with organizations such as the Children’s Home of Jefferson County, Children’s Miracle Network, Credo Community Center, Hospice of Jefferson County and the Watertown Urban Mission. The students garnered the grant award based on their community impact, addressing specific local needs and engaging their peers.

“Our students’ eyes were opened to the needs of the community and they were eager to help out,” said Karen Denny, high school principal at South Jefferson. “Teaming up with non-profit organizations proved to be motivating and rewarding, which ultimately pushed the team to see the project to completion. The goal of promoting volunteerism and increasing awareness of the needs of various non-profits in our community was certainly achieved.”

Students at Copenhagen focused on raising awareness for mental health issues on campus and in the community. The students engaged two local non-profits – the Mental Health Association in Jefferson County and Transitional Living Services of Northern New York – in providing resources and exercises to educate their peers about the effects of mental health.

“The ‘LEAD Your School Challenge’ was a great opportunity for our students to pick a project that was meaningful to them and work to achieve their goals,” said Copenhagen superintendent Scott Connell. “What they learned about selflessness and giving back to their community are skills that will pay great dividends in their futures. Not just for them, but for the communities they live in.” [Read more…]

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…]