COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AWARDS $348,439 IN COMMUNITY GRANTS

June 25, 2013, (Syracuse, NY) - The Central New York Community Foundation awarded $348,439 in grants to 16 charitable organizations in Onondaga and Madison counties from its unrestricted and field‑of‑interest funds.

Cazenovia Area Community Development Association received $10,344 to install informational kiosks and trail signage along the Greater Cazenovia recreational trail system. This is part of a larger effort to increase awareness of the trail system and promote Cazenovia as a recreational destination.

Cazenovia Community Preschool received $34,140 towards renovations at its new, expanded facility for the 40-year-old organization.

Chenango Nursery School received $7,000 to purchase materials and equipment for use in an outdoor infant play space.

Crouse Health Foundation received $50,000 to purchase a Tomosynthesis 3-D mammography machine to help increase the rate of breast cancer detection in Onondaga County. The machine utilizes advanced, high-resolution technology that can help detect cancer sooner than conventional 2-D mammography.

Disabled American Veterans Transportation Network received $29,000 to replace two vehicles used to provide free transportation to veterans unable to get to the Syracuse Veterans Affairs Medical Center for treatment. In 2012, the Network provided nearly 24,000 rides, covering almost 500,000 miles, to veterans seeking medical treatment.

Fiver Children's Foundation received $23,000 to expand its year-round youth support and development programs at its camp in Madison County, including the expansion of community events, college workshops, health programs and transportation for participants to make college visits. The agency’s programming provides children who are living in poverty with positive experiences and role-models, giving them the skills to make healthy life decisions and avoid risky behaviors.

Greater Syracuse Tenants Network received $10,345 to update its landlord training manual. The organization’s landlord training workshops are aimed at reducing the number of housing code or other violations at rental properties, ultimately leading to fewer instances of landlord abandonment of rental properties. 

Jubilee Homes of Syracuse, Inc. received $35,703 for energy efficiency upgrades and renovations at its new office on Syracuse’s Southside. The consolidation of community development and neighborhood revitalization services at one location will help the organization reduce overall operational costs.

Open Figure Drawing Inc. received $2,200 to purchase a state-of-the-art portable lighting system to be used during weekly drawing sessions on- and off-site.

Orenda Springs Experiential Learning Center received $3,500 to purchase and install a teepee to be used as an element of its experiential learning program.

Redhouse Arts Center, Inc. received $25,000 to convert an existing rehearsal space into a LAB Theater, a “black box” style theatre that provides a public performance space for educational programming. The new space will be used for community experiential learning opportunities in professional theater.

Syracuse Jewish Family Service received $30,000 to launch CNY PEARLS, a collaborative, community-based program that offers a series of home visits by trained counselors to help seniors overcome depression and improve their overall quality of life. This grant was funded by the Carriage House Foundation Fund.

Syracuse University/Light Work Visual Studies received $20,907 to add sound and amplification capabilities to the video projection system used for the Urban Video Project (UVP). UVP presents artistic works and popular films through outdoor exhibits that project on the outside wall of the Everson Museum.

Syracuse University/601 Tully St. received $15,000 to develop and pilot an art-based curriculum designed to increase the nutritional awareness and health of children at Seymour School, located on the Near Westside. To encourage children to make healthy choices about the food they eat, a Nature Matching System will be introduced in the curriculum, culminating in the creation of a large-scale mural at the school.

Vera House, Inc. received $40,000 to install a new roof on its main shelter building, which provides emergency housing to victims of domestic violence.

Whole Me, Inc. received $12,300 to purchase kitchen supplies that will be used to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing youth with the independent life skills needed to prepare their own food and adopt healthy eating habits.

Established in 1927, the Central New York Community Foundation encourages local philanthropy by supporting the growth of a permanent charitable endowment for the betterment of the region.  The Community Foundation is the largest charitable foundation in the region with assets of more than $143 million. It awarded $8.3 million in grants last year to nonprofit organizations and since its inception has invested more than $120 million in the community. The Community Foundation serves as the steward of charitable legacies for individuals, families and corporations through the administration of more than 600 funds. The organization also serves as a civic leader, convener and sponsor of special initiatives designed to strengthen nonprofits that address the region’s most pressing challenges. For more information, visit www.cnycf.org.

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