Support will continue Thanksgiving meal tradition and aid purchase of new van
WATERTOWN — The Northern New York Community Foundation is pleased to announce a total of $19,000 in grant funding for the Salvation Army Watertown Corps. Of that, $4,000 is to provide for the annual Thanksgiving Day meal open to all community members in need at the State Street facility.
The support is made possible thanks to the generosity of Community Foundation donors who give to the Community Support Fund and the Friends of the Foundation Community Betterment Annual Fund. A portion of the funding is also supported by the LaVerne R. VanDeWall Jr. Legacy Fund and the Allen L. and Martha M. Smith Community Fund.
“We are grateful for all the ways the Salvation Army helps support our community and are pleased to assist in making their important work possible,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director. “We have a long history of partnership and, more than ever, together with our donors, we want to do all we can to better equip them to make a difference in lives each and every day.”
The Community Foundation recently learned that the Salvation Army lost its lead sponsor to purchase Thanksgiving turkeys for its Watertown holiday meal. Grant funding will cover the entire estimated cost for the main dinner entrée. In 2024, more than 1,200 individuals were served a hot Thanksgiving meal at the Salvation Army’s Watertown facility.
“The Salvation Army thanks the Community Foundation so much for providing support to make our annual Thanksgiving Day meal possible. Last year, by delivery, take-out, or eat-in, we served around 1,200 meals,” Salvation Army Watertown Corps Captain Josh Morales said. “With growing financial hardships that many in our community face, we expect that number will be far exceeded. That means more turkey and all the fixings are needed and, in turn, more money being poured out. The Community Foundation has helped us feed the hungry in Jefferson County in a very tangible way. For that, we say thank you.”
Community Foundation grant funding totaling $15,000 will help the Salvation Army Watertown Corps replace an aging 12-passenger van that it has maintained for at least 10 years.
The local team leads some of the most important programs in the community that meet basic human needs for disadvantaged citizens in Watertown and surrounding communities.
The Watertown Corps relies on its van to execute vital programs, including a food pantry and soup kitchen, temporary winter shelter, disaster relief, individual and family case management, year-round activities for children, and more. Along with food distribution, the van is also used to transport holiday gifts and contributions, youth to summer camps and field trips, and to provide direct service to consumers.
However, the vehicle is no longer safe and rife with maintenance issues and leadership has grown increasingly concerned about safety heading into the colder months.
A replacement van is about $70,000. Community Foundation funding will close the gap between money the organization has raised and the cost of a new vehicle.
“We provide many different services, the overwhelming majority of which require transportation. Whether it’s picking up food donations, driving children to camp, picking up toys or bellringers, none of what we do can happen without a 12-passenger van,” Capt. Morales said. “This grant for a new van helps us main-tain staff and passenger safety, as our current van faces many maintenance issues. The new van will allow us to continue to effectively serve our community and put more money into our pantry and lunch programs. Thank you, again to the Community Foundation for all its support, and for making our dream a reality.”
Over the last five years, the Salvation Army of Watertown has become a stable and reliable nonprofit leader in providing support to citizens with critical needs. The impact numbers are remarkable: 300 to 400 people served each Thursday through a free food giveaway program; more than 200 people through their regular food support programs; more than 300 families and 3,000 children assisted during the holidays.
To learn more about contributing to the Community Foundation’s Community Support Fund that benefits the region’s food pantries and programs in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, contact the Community Foundation at 315-782-7110, or info@nnycf.org.
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.