Eleven Nonprofits Will Share Funding to Strengthen Quality of Life Across the Region
WATERTOWN — A mental health awareness campaign, improved access to swimming lessons, and nutritious foods for a teen culinary program are just three of 11 initiatives that will receive a share of $20,000 in grant funding from the LEAD Council of the Northern New York Community Foundation.
A recent series of LEAD Impact Grant Program awards will support 11 tri-county nonprofit organizations. After thoughtful evaluation of nearly three-dozen applications for funding, Council members sought to address current community needs while supporting a wide breadth of organizations whose work improves the quality of life in Northern New York.
“The LEAD Council is proud to announce the 11 recipients of this year’s Impact Grant Program,” said Anna Platz, LEAD Council Chair. “The programs and initiatives proposed by this year’s awardees will address a broad range of needs within our communities, including everyone from our youngest community members to older adults.”
The following tri-county nonprofit organizations were awarded LEAD Impact Grant Program funding:
- Adams Free Library — $3,000 to help introduce a “Mental Health Matters” program that will engage adults, children and families in mental health awareness and build strategies for a supportive community. The library also plans to present a Mental Health and Wellness Fair. Grant funding will ensure successful execution of the initiative.
- Northern TRIBS Swimming, Massena — $2,700 to improve access to its Learn to Swim programs for second graders across St. Lawrence County. Grant funding will enable month-long lessons to second graders with financial need in seven different St. Lawrence County communities.
- Children’s Home of Jefferson County — $2,500 to help purchase healthy and nutritious foods for a culinary program at its SoZo Teen Center in Watertown. At least 20 teens help prepare a meal for the center five nights a week. The activity forges the strongest bonds between peers and builds confidence in the teens preparing the meals while educating teens about essential life skills. Grant funding will expand meal offerings and strengthen the experience for participating teens.
- Thousand Islands Arts Center, Clayton — $2,500 to expand its after-school arts and summer youth programs. The after-school program operates eight weeks in the spring and fall, while the summer youth camp runs eight weekly camps for children ages 5 to 10. Funding will help with promotion and material costs.
- Arc Jefferson-St. Lawrence Foundation — $2,500 to enhance and expand its therapy equipment and gross motor areas on the outdoor playground at the Bright Beginnings Early Learning Center, Watertown, which includes daycare, early intervention, clinical therapies, and an integrated preschool for children of all abilities. Participants range from 18 months to 5 years old.
- Gwen’s Food Pantry, LaFargeville — $2,000 to help bolster its inventory of food and toiletries to help individuals and families during the winter season. In early 2023, the pantry assisted about 40 families; today, that number has doubled. It also supports five-day meal plans for Town of Orleans residents in need.
- Frontier Housing Corporation, Dexter — $1,900 to develop effective outreach materials for homeowners the organization serves through its Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation program. Frontier Housing helps income-eligible homeowners in nine Jefferson County townships — Brownville, Hounsfield, Henderson, Lyme, Adams, Ellisburg, Rodman, Lorraine, and Worth — make homes safe and energy efficient.
- Canton Day Care Center — $1,400 to help the center augment its book collection and materials focused on early childhood literacy. New books and play-based materials will help center staff encourage children between the ages of 18 months and 4 years old to develop a love for reading and learning that will enhance their overall development. Approximately 80 children, from infants to school-age, are enrolled at the center.
- Church & Community Program Church of Canton — $500 to help secure locally sourced goods and bolster to the local economy and agriculture industry. The organization offers a food pantry, thrift store, senior meals, and more to seven different St. Lawrence County communities. More than 500 people were served in late summer and patrons have steadily increased through the winter. The organization strives to gather local meat, fruit, and vegetables from local farmers to serve their consumers.
- Encompass Recreation — $500 to support efforts to expand access to one-to-one and smaller group swim lessons for youth with high-support needs, in partnership with the Watertown Family YMCA. The YMCA plans to present five, 8-week swim sessions where five exceptional youth can receive lessons and learn essential water safety skills.
- South Jeff Backpack Program — $500 to acquire essential inventory and support operations as they evaluate their current scale. The organization operates solely on charitable contributions with food secured through the Food Bank of Central New York. Grant funding will help offset a recent decrease in charitable contributions.
The LEAD Council is an advisory committee of young professionals empowered to make meaningful investments in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties through community grants and volunteerism. The Council was pleased to consider a diverse group of worthy community projects and ultimately award support to nonprofits with a wide range of missions.
The LEAD Council and its grant program are supported through the thoughtful generosity of the Hyde-Stone Charitable Foundation of the Northern New York Community Foundation, Carthage Savings and Loan Association, Morgia Wealth Management, and donors to the Community Foundation’s Friends of the Foundation Annual Community Betterment Fund.
About the LEAD Council
The LEAD Council was chartered in 2014 as advisory committee of the Northern New York Community Foundation empowered to identify and address strategic needs in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. The Council is comprised of 12 young professionals who live and work in the tri-county area with an interest in enhancing the quality of life for all in the North Country. LEAD is an acronym that reflects four important guiding principles of the Community Foundation’s work: Leadership, Engagement, Access, and Direction.
The Council works to gain a deeper understanding of community needs, issues, and the nonprofit sector to augment the Community Foundation’s mission and work. Since its inception, the LEAD Council has developed several creative initiatives to benefit the community and region. Strategic efforts include its “LEADing the Way” volunteer program, enhancements to child care and early childhood development programs, hyperlocal support for anti-poverty initiatives, community giving challenges, and building philanthropic values in the region’s schools through student-led projects.
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.