Grant Awarded to Symphoria
for Education Program
A total of $355,568 awarded
to nonprofits in Madison and Onondaga counties.
June 24, 2014 – The
Central New York Community Foundation awarded an $18,000 grant to Symphoria to
bring 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. 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, making it an
engaging program to bring to the middle school audience. Students in the Chittenango,
West Genesee, and Fabius-Pompey School Districts, along with a fourth district
that is being identified, will experience this dynamic program.
Sound of Nature
combines nature-inspired music with educational and interactive components tailored
to the environment and climate of Central New York. The program provides
teachers with classroom activities that expand upon elements witnessed during
the performance. In addition, a video produced by SUNY ESF faculty members will
explain to students the science connected to the nature-themed music they had
just heard.
“A core value of the
symphony is to demystify and enhance access to live orchestral music –
especially for young people,” said Catherine Underhill, Symphoria Managing
Director. “By creating the context for young people to have a positive
experience with live orchestral music, we aim to illustrate the value of live
performance and build the audience of the future, without which orchestras
cannot survive.”
This project is an
expanded version of a pilot program launched by Symphoria during the 2013
school year in the LaFayette and Liverpool school districts. This year’s
program content and classroom activities were designed with input received from
the music educators that participated previously.
Symphoria aims to engage
and inspire the Central New York Community through orchestral and ensemble
performances, as well as education and outreach initiatives. The orchestra is
comprised of more than 50 musicians. By the completion of its first year, it
had acquired approximately 1,300 season subscribers and more than 34,000 in
overall attendance.
“Community outreach is a
vital piece of Symphoria’s mission as it seeks to build new and lasting
connections within the region,” said Peter Dunn, Community Foundation President
and CEO. “We are happy to support this program to help share music and
knowledge with our community’s youngest residents.”
The Community Foundation
also awarded additional grants to programs in the fields of arts & culture,
education, environment, health, human services and civic affairs:
American Farmland Trust received $15,000
to establish the Local Agriculture and
Land Leadership Institute to educate local farm owners and community
leaders on the land use and economic development issues that impact
agriculture.
American Red Cross of Central New York received $20,000
to implement its Community Resilience
Strategy, designed to increase civic participation in emergency
preparedness.
Children’s Consortium received $39,459
to expand its Nurturing Parenting
program, which assists drug-dependent parents with developing self-awareness,
empathy, family communication and disciplinary alternatives.
Farmers Market Federation received $5,000
to establish the Mohawk Valley Farmers
Market Managers Alliance, which will work to educate managers on market
development, community relationship building, marketing skills and techniques
for improving sales and profitability.
Frank H. Hiscock Legal Aid Society received $35,000
to purchase new computers as they install a web-based case and document
management system that will centralize data pertaining to its free legal
services cases.
Image Initiative received $5,000 to conduct
strategic planning in an effort to identify opportunities to increase the
organization’s capacity to mentor at-risk young women.
Learning Disabilities of CNY received $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 received $20,500 to purchase
a truck that will transport its expanded youth volunteer force to ongoing
conservation activities, including tree planting and maintenance of green
infrastructure sites.
PEACE, Inc.
received $30,000 to purchase
snowplow equipment for winter maintenance of its parking lots, frequented daily
by those utilizing its childcare, mentoring, nutrition, financial, housing and
family resource services.
Rescue Mission Alliance received $100,000
to expand its emergency shelter in Syracuse, addressing a growing need for
overnight services that provide a safe and secure alternative for the homeless.
Skaneateles Library Association received $10,366
toward a kiosk that will be part of a satellite station at the Skaneateles
YMCA, which will allow library card holders to pick up and drop off books from
the Onondaga County Public Library catalogue.
Town of DeRuyter received $5,000 to install a
gazebo to be used for community events at the Genevieve D. Stanley Civic
Center.
Westcott Community Center received $12,243
to upgrade its computer lab, which is utilized by its after-school, tutoring,
adult learning, literacy and senior training programs.
These grants were funded
by the Community Foundation’s unrestricted and field-of-interest funds.
About the Central New York Community Foundation
Established in 1927, the
Central New York Community Foundation encourages local philanthropy by
supporting the growth of permanent charitable endowments for the betterment of
the region. The Community Foundation is the largest charitable foundation
in the region with assets of more than $172 million. It awarded $9.5 million in
grants last year to nonprofit organizations and since its inception has
invested nearly $130 million in the community. The Community Foundation serves
as the steward of charitable legacies for individuals, families and businesses
through the administration of nearly 650 funds. The organization also serves as
a civic leader, convener and sponsor of special initiatives designed to
strengthen local nonprofits and address the region’s most pressing challenges.
