Community Foundation Awards $506,837 in Community Grants

Syracuse, NY (December 19, 2011) - The Central New York Community Foundation awarded $506,837 in grants to 21 charitable organizations in Onondaga and Madison Counties from its unrestricted and field of interest funds.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse, in partnership with the Salvation Army, received $54,104 to deploy research-based teen services focused on youth development and job readiness skills at two Club locations.

CenterState CEO received $20,000 to assist in the production of the Metropolitan Business Plan in collaboration with the Brookings Institution and regional partners. The plan will address economic development and community revitalization, including concerns of low employment growth, high poverty rates in the center city and low median household income in the area.

CONTACT Community Services received $30,000 to furnish and purchase technology for its new headquarters, which will provide safe, accessible and comfortable rooms conducive to effective training of people with diverse learning styles and physical needs.

CORA Foundation received $5,000 to support In our View: A Community Perspective, a project that will recruit residents of Syracuse’s Northside neighborhood to become documentary photographers and tell their stories, culminating in an exhibition at the ArtRage Gallery.

Everson Museum received $50,000 to provide a catalog of exhibitions, educational programs and equipment for TONY2012, a community-wide biennial exhibition featuring local artists and partners.

Jewish Home of Central New York received $13,000 to implement the Project upBEAT program to build teamwork and lower stress among long-term caregivers. This grant was funded by the Carriage House Foundation Fund.

Madison Hall Association in Morrisville received $20,000 to enhance access to the building for special events and group gatherings. A number of improvements will be made, including a new staircase, lighting, and the installation of signage at the rear entrance.

Most Holy Rosary School received $2,673 to enhance its literacy program with the purchase of a leveled literacy intervention kit for third graders.

Oneida Community Mansion House received $20,000 for the restoration and painting of the building’s exterior. These improvements will prevent further deterioration, water leakage and damage to the interior of the building.

Open Hand Theater received $11,000 to partner with area communities and artists to design puppets and performances that showcase diversity.

PEACE, Inc. received $40,000 to conduct structural renovations on the DeFrancisco Eastwood Community Center, which houses senior services and other programs.

Prevention Network received $19,200 to expand its underage drinking prevention programming with the implementation of Honor the Code, aimed to reduce alcohol and drug use among high school athletes by offering public awareness, education and recognition about how important it is to follow their codes of conduct.

Syracuse City School District Adult Education received $40,000 to enhance the Points of Entry project by providing innovative supports and incentives that assist newly released justice center inmates with the transition to continuing education and vocational training.

Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School received $25,000 to upgrade the biology laboratory room which will help students in grades 8-12 expand their knowledge in zoology and environmental science. The space is also used for science and math fairs, Olympiads and other STEM competitions.

Syracuse Children’s Chorus received $15,000 in support of its Visions for Peace Spring Concert. The event is being designed in collaboration with Imagine Syracuse’s Young Musicians Project, and will bring together a diverse group of peers around the subject of peace.

Syracuse Stage received $34,900 to support the Arts Emerging education program, which will provide free tickets to the award-winning musical Caroline, or Change. Students will work with local musicians and artists to explore the impact of music on their cultural identity.

The Salvation Army received $31,710 to develop an effective anti-gang strategy for the Syracuse area on behalf of the Community Intervention Committee, which is a subcommittee of Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods and New York State’s Operation Impact Task Force. The collaborative project will include primary data collection, community perception research and the pooling of community resources.

Toomey Residential received $10,500 to renovate a bathroom in the Allen Street Agency Boarding Home, a youth foster care home accommodating teenage boys who have been separated from their families and community due to mental health or emotional difficulties.

Visions for Change received $45,000 to assist families in creating their own personal paths out of poverty by expanding the Circles program. The addition of a Circles Coach will assist more individuals in gaining financial stability by learning to take leadership roles in their lives and in their community.

YMCA of Greater Syracuse received $10,000 to expand the Downtown Writer’s Center programming, which provides new and established writers with the opportunity to take workshops, meet peers and encounter new writing on a regular basis.

YWCA Syracuse & Onondaga County received $9,750 to expand to an integrated online development and client tracking database. The database will be made available to other nonprofits in the community who are seeking to increase diversity on their boards.

The Central New York Community Foundation has served Central New York for 85 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards more than $5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.