SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Central New York Community Foundation on Monday announced that it is awarding $683,035 in grants to nonprofit organizations in Onondaga and Madison counties.
Four of the funded projects will provide support services and education opportunities to Syracuse City School District students.
WCNY received a $26,708 grant to put 1,600 Syracuse City School District students through its Enterprise America program, which provides 30 hours of classroom curriculum followed by a hands-on simulated city experience at the WCNY headquarters on West Fayette Street, the foundation said in a news release.
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The group, called 100 Black Men of Syracuse, received $10,000 to implement Saturday Academy, a mentoring program that aims to help Syracuse City students understand the fundamental concepts of math, science, and language arts that they can then apply in school. Each Saturday program offers two one-hour academic sessions, lunch, and a mentoring or life-skills session for boys and girls in grades 5-8.
Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection will get $23,543 for its “Soaring Eagles” program at the Phoenix Center, which is designed to provide an educational experience outside of school walls that demonstrates they can achieve success as contributing members of society. Participating students will be asked to research issues faced by the community such as abandoned lots, homelessness, and decayed buildings, the foundation said.
Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways received $26,917 to expand its “Be a Friend First (BFF)” program to deliver school-day sessions to 1,800 Syracuse City School District girls in grades 4-8. The six one-hour sessions will provide them with tools they need to combat bullying and tips for interacting with people.
“These new educational and support programs are creative partnerships between the Syracuse City School District and nonprofits that will strengthen our local organizations while setting up our region’s children for success,” Peter Dunn, Community Foundation president and CEO, said in the release.
Additional grants
The Community Foundation also awarded grants to programs in the fields of arts and culture, education, environment and animals, and human services:
- Audubon New York received $30,000 to add a local coordinator who will oversee Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps’ environmental education and community engagement activities.
- Aurora of CNY was awarded $30,000 to train a specialized job-readiness coach and deaf interpreter who will work with refugees who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Contact Community Services received $30,000 to update the existing manual and support materials used by its crisis hotline volunteers and to add crisis chat volunteer training.
- CNY Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CNYSPCA) was slated to get $50,000 to renovate its large dog kennels to protect the safety of the dogs and visitors, control the spread of contagious diseases, and reduce mental stress on the animals.
- Fair Housing Council of CNY received $5,000 to increase awareness of its services in Madison County by conducting trainings and distributing marketing materials.
- Interfaith Works of Central New York was awarded $100,000 toward renovations and build-out of the agency’s new facility, which will house its refugee resettlement and support services under one roof.
- Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) received $40,000 to renovate its Science Shop, which is a main contributor to keeping admission prices to the educational museum affordable.
- Move Along was awarded $5,886 to promote available options for individuals with disabilities to engage in adaptive sports that can improve social skills, self-confidence and independence.
- Northern Onondaga Public Library received $5,000 to upgrade and make more accessible its LibraryFarm, a community garden, a portion of which provides food to North Syracuse food pantries.
- Oneida Public Library was awarded $100,000 toward the construction of a new facility that will better accommodate space for improved technology and automation, collection development, and additional parking.
- Onondaga County Department of Parks & Recreation received $50,000 toward the development of the Skä·noñh Great Law of Peace Center, located at the Sainte Marie Among the Iroquois museum on Onondaga Lake Parkway. It will feature interactive exhibits that showcase Native influence on the American way of life.
- Pet Partners of Syracuse was awarded $1,303 to recruit additional volunteer pet-therapy teams using community presentations and promotions.
- St. David’s Episcopal Church received $4,000 to facilitate diverse, community-wide conversations leading up to its Celebration of the Arts performance of Ragtime, which highlights issues of race, class, immigration and violence.
- The Samaritan Center was awarded $100,000 toward the build-out of a family dining area at its new location in the former St. John’s Church on State Street. The new dining area will serve as a place families can have meals together and as a center for family and child programming.
- Syracuse Habitat for Humanity received $35,000 to hire a Rehabilitation Construction Manager who will oversee its new program to rehabilitate vacant properties in the City of Syracuse.
- Willow Field Elementary PTO will obtain $7,000 to install a new children’s playground, which will be open to the general public, once complete.
Established in 1927, the Central New York Community Foundation says it is the largest charitable foundation in the region with assets of more than $172 million.
