Community Foundation announces grant to Symphoria for multi-media orchestra program at four local middle schools

SYRACUSE — The Central New York Community Foundation recently awarded an $18,000 grant to Symphoria to bring what it says is an innovative multi-media orchestra program to four local middle schools. This is the Community Foundation’s first community grant to Symphoria, which was established in 2013 to serve as the region’s new source for orchestral music entertainment and education.

Reductions in public education funding have led to fewer opportunities for students to experience the arts through traditional field trips, according to a news release from the foundation. In response to these dynamics, Symphoria is taking its talent on the road to host in-school presentations that connect students with live musical performance.

Symphoria’s Sound of Nature program includes multimedia elements and encourages audience participation. Middle-school students in the Chittenango, West Genesee, and Fabius-Pompey school districts, along with a fourth district that is yet to be named, will experience this program, the news release stated.

Symphoria is comprised of more than 50 musicians. By the completion of its first year, it had acquired about 1,300 season subscribers and more than 34,000 in overall attendance, according to the release.

“Community outreach is a vital piece of Symphoria’s mission as it seeks to build new and lasting connections within the region,” Peter Dunn, Community Foundation president and CEO, said. “We are happy to support this program to help share music and knowledge with our community’s youngest residents.”

The Community Foundation also awarded the following grants to other area programs in the fields of arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services, and civic affairs:

• American Farmland Trust received $15,000 to establish the Local Agriculture and Land Leadership Institute.
• American Red Cross of Central New York received $20,000 to implement its Community Resilience Strategy.
• Farmers Market Federation was allocated $5,000 to establish the Mohawk Valley Farmers Market Managers Alliance.
• Frank H. Hiscock Legal Aid Society received $35,000 to purchase new computers as they install a web-based case and document management system.
• Learning Disabilities of CNY was provided $20,000 to improve client service by installing a new telephone system.
• Matthew 25 Farm received $20,000 to purchase farm equipment that will increase its yield of fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution at Central New York food pantries and soup kitchens.
• Onondaga Earth Corps obtained $20,500 to purchase a truck to transport its expanded youth-volunteer force to ongoing conservation activities.
• Rescue Mission Alliance received $100,000 to expand its emergency shelter in Syracuse, to address a growing need for overnight services.
• Skaneateles Library Association was given $10,366 toward a kiosk that will be part of a satellite station at the Skaneateles YMCA allowing library cardholders to pick up and drop off books from the Onondaga County Public Library catalogue.
• Westcott Community Center received $12,243 to upgrade its computer lab utilized for several training programs.

These grants were funded by the Community Foundation’s unrestricted and field-of-interest funds.

Established in 1927, the Central New York Community Foundation says it encourages local philanthropy by supporting the growth of permanent charitable endowments for the betterment of the region. It says it is the largest charitable foundation in the region with assets of more than $172 million.