Reading can be a fundamental tool to prepare and accelerate a child’s academic performance. That’s why the Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County (LCOC) brought Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) to Central New York in May 2010. What started as a small seed blossomed into thousands of children and families around the county now practicing early literacy lessons. When families register
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August is Black Philanthropy Month! We asked our donors how they came to be philanthropists. Here’s what Joe Lee had to say: How did you come to be charitable? Were there influences in your life that got you started? My 30+ year career in public media has given me a unique perspective on community need and community service. Working at public radio
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The power of the arts goes beyond providing culture, entertainment, and enjoyment. It is also a useful tool for educational purposes. The Rev Theatre Company (formerly Merry-Go-Round Playhouse), or The Rev, found a way to take its arts programming on the road to use the creativity and artistry of theatre to educate youth all over New York State. The Rev
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Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, dropping children off at daycare was an everyday activity for many parents. As daycares began to close, healthcare workers and essential employees were in need of immediate childcare more than ever. The Haven at Skanda (Skanda), a nonprofit organization located in Cazenovia that pairs rescue animals with children in need of support, quickly responded by
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Vera House was about a week from its annual White Ribbon Walk when the coronavirus pandemic upended plans for its fundraising and domestic and sexual violence awareness campaign. By March 12 Central New York businesses and schools were shutting down, and Vera House moved its monthlong campaign online to prevent spreading the novel coronavirus. As organizations canceled events and businesses
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When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many Central New York residents stepped up to the plate to help in creative ways, even those who do not live here permanently. In late March, thirteen sorority chapters of the Panhellenic Council at Syracuse University joined forces to raise money for those impacted by COVID-19 by using a unique fundraising strategy. The Panhellenic Council
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We asked our donor-advised fundholders why they chose to give to the COVID-19 Community Support Fund during this crisis. Here’s what the Borer Family had to say: What inspired you to give during this crisis? We wanted to give back to our community and help those in need, especially those on the front lines. We had been making donations here
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When Ra Har Met, a graduating senior from the Public Service Leadership Academy at Fowler High School, heard that the Northside Learning Center (NSLC) was assembling a team of volunteers in response to COVID-19, he quickly got in touch with its executive director, Mark Cass. Cass wanted to make sure that the families near their facility had both food and information
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When one of Central New York’s long-time school teachers passed away last year, her estate named the Central New York Community Foundation the recipient of nearly $300,000 to serve our community’s greatest needs. Caroline Palmer, known to her many relatives as Aunt Carol, made everyone feel special and worthy of her attention. Whether it was a family member, one of
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In response to needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust donated $10,000 to the Greater Pulaski Community Endowment Fund (“Pulaski Fund”), bringing the fund’s total available grantmaking dollars to nearly $40,000 this year. “The Greater Pulaski community is eternally grateful to the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust for its extremely generous donation to the Greater
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