GIVING VOICE - SPRING 2022
A PUBLICATION OF THE CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SPRING 2022
RISING ABOVE ADVERSITY PG. 3 1
CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION
CONTENTS 02
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GIVING MATTERS
COVER STORY
DONOR STORY
COMMUNITY IMPACT
GRANTING MATTERS
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Aligning Charitable Investments with Values
Rising Above Adversity
The Corinthian Club
$1,044,397 in Grants Distributed to 27 Nonprofit Organizations
Identifying Areas for Growth
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GRANTEE STORY
STAFF & BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS & DEADLINES
WHOLE ME Helps CNY Deaf Community Thrive
POINT OF VIEW In 2022, we’re marking the Community Foundation’s 95th year of service to the community. In 1927, men and women with vision and a commitment to civic engagement created what was then the Syracuse Foundation. We were founded as a vehicle for growing permanent charitable resources and sustaining local impact that makes this community a better place.
grantees and grant applicants to get their feedback on our work and how we can improve. We will also commission a series of targeted interviews and focus groups to complement this survey data. Taking note of the work of our foundation peers around the country, I believe that we have an opportunity to leverage our growing resources in new ways that can create positive community outcomes. Towards that end, we’ve engaged LOCUS Impact Investing, a national nonprofit advisor for foundations, to help us deploy our financial resources using other tools beyond grantmaking to support local impact.
This June we mark the conclusion of our current, five-year strategic plan. During that time, much has changed in the community, for our partners, neighbors and the Community Foundation. When we set off to implement our new plan back in 2017, we envisioned growth in both resources and impact. I find it inspiring to look back now at the planning documents, at the feedback and encouragement we received at the time, and the work of our staff and board to execute on our plans in the years since. I am grateful for our institutional progress over these last five years but know that there is so much more to do.
Data and measurement will continue to be core to our work. We’ve certainly had plenty of opportunities in recent years for data to motivate us to take action collectively. From the finding that Syracuse has the highest level of concentrated poverty among Black and Latino populations in the country, to the recent publication of census data demonstrating that Syracuse has the highest percentage of children in poverty in the nation – the data speaks loudly. I am heartened, though, from our experience that people with goodwill, resilience and a commitment to measurable outcomes can move needles in this community. We intend to continue to be a key part of that local movement going forward.
For us, this next year will be about strategic sharpening and discernment. Our staff and board will embark on a series of conversations and engagements to create our next strategic plan – which will take us through our 100th anniversary. We will engage the Center for Effective Philanthropy, a national nonprofit consultant, to survey our donors,
PETER A. DUNN President & CEO
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GIVING VOICE - SPRING 2022
GIVING MAT TERS
ALIGNING CHARITABLE INVESTMENTS WITH VALUES
When making personal investment decisions, many people choose funds that provide a social impact while helping them reach their financial goals. In the same way, the philanthropic sector is finding that investment choices are becoming another way for foundations to make a positive impact beyond their grantmaking programs. As we make intentional decisions related to the issues affecting our community, our board of directors decided to offer a Sustainable Responsible Impact (SRI) investment pool for our fundholders who want to generate a competitive market return while considering social and environmental benefits. New and existing fundholders can now choose either our main investment pool or the SRI pool for their fund. “The addition of the SRI investment pool is a meaningful next step in the evolution of our impact investing,” said Caragh Fahy, Finance Committee chair. “Donors can now choose the dual impact of supporting local charities with their grants while also investing in a portfolio that supports important values.” This strategy, which has grown significantly in the U.S. over the past few years, incorporates environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into the investment process. Many of our peer community foundations across the country have experienced strong growth in their SRI investments.
Our Finance Committee works with Crewcial Partners, our long-term investment consultant, to choose investments for the SRI pool that have positive social impacts in the areas identified by our board members. These areas are community, leadership, diversity, excellence, service, empathy, compassion, justice and respect. Crewcial Partners will identify funds to remove or include based on specific ESG factors, such as emphasis on environmental integrity, and diversity, equity and inclusion. The ESG factors are guided by the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which all United Nations member states adopted in 2015. The SDGs provide a collective roadmap to achieve a sustainable future for all the world. We capitalized our SRI investment pool with an existing field-of-interest fund that aligns with identified values: supporting the environment, outdoor parks and recreation areas; providing access for hunting and fishing; and other programs involving youth. We hope to grow our SRI investment pool over the next few years with support from existing and prospective fundholders. We also hope to deploy more of our permanent funds to align with the chosen values of this new investment pool.
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PRAGYA S. MURPHY, MBA, CAP® Senior Philanthropic Advisor
To learn more about our new SRI pool, please contact: pmurphy@cnycf.org 315-883-5540
CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION
COVER STORY
RISING ABOVE ADVERSITY A Newfound Passion Emerges Underneath it All Everyone deserves a chance to meet their fullest potential, but on paper, it seemed as if Al-amin Muhammad wouldn’t get one. Born in South Side Chicago into a hardworking, low-income family, he was surrounded by gang culture from the very beginning. Now, with a newfound love of tending to flowers and people, Muhammad barely recognizes his previous self.
of hope, happiness and growth and inspired the creation of his Syracuse-based nonprofit, We Rise Above the Streets (Rise Above). The organization provides basic needs and helps low-income individuals build sustainable lives by breaking the cycles of homelessness and poverty that they, including Muhammad, face every day. Every day at Rise Above looks different. On a Saturday Muhammad hands out lunch and care packages at his Sandwich Saturdays program. The next day he might teach people who were formerly incarcerated how to garden or mentor people with drug or alcohol addictions. He’s also provided more than 9,000 lunches and 1,500 hats and gloves to local children.
“Looking back at my earlier years makes me feel like I was wearing a mask,” Muhammad said. “I have since discovered interests I never knew I had — like gardening. I feel relief when I look at flowers, particularly roses.” While incarcerated, Muhammad was in charge of the prison’s community garden. His new passion and skills fostered feelings
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GIVING VOICE - SPRING 2022
Over his first 30 years, Muhammad was in and out of prison, joined a number of gangs, experienced homelessness, was shot twice and pronounced dead once. He once faced a 20-year prison sentence for a drug charge. But finding a job and a place to live after prison would be the hardest hurdle he’d have to overcome. “It was really difficult transitioning back into life after I was released from prison and I was living on the street,” Muhammad said. “I wanted to go to school and get a job but I didn’t have time because my sole focus was on surviving.” Even in the face of adversity, Muhammad didn’t let his past decisions hold him back. A conversation with a fellow inmate and guidance from two mentors helped him turn his life around. Muhammad was encouraged to “take his mask off” to find his true identity. He earned his GED while incarcerated and began a path to Islam while later obtaining his associate degree. Those achievements helped open the door to a world where he could fulfill his hopes and dreams while helping others through Rise Above. “I had people who believed in me and empowered me to see the gifts that I had,” Muhammad said. “Without that support, I may not be where I am today. That’s the kind of support I want to provide for others facing disproportionate obstacles.”
term awareness outreach through its social channels and in-person interactions. Muhammad attributes efficiently running his organization and becoming a credible leader to TLC’s lessons. “You don’t often get an opportunity where you can build your own skills and relationships with others at the same time,” he said. “To become a leader that people want to follow, you have to have compassion, accept feedback and continue to push yourself to grow.” With his boots on the ground in local neighborhoods, Muhammad wants others to know that when you’re out in the field, you can save lives. He said that the people physically engaged in community issues can make the greatest change for people experiencing pain and suffering.
“I see a bright light at the end of the tunnel. I am looking forward to continuing my partnerships with other organizations and saving lives.” – AL-AMIN MUHAMMAD
Muhammad continues to challenge himself every day and think of new ways to grow his impact — and his beautiful roses.
In 2020, he joined The Leadership Classroom (TLC), a Community Foundation initiative, to advance his organization and increase its impact. The free, eight-month intensive training program helps create synergies between nonprofits to enhance program delivery and promote efficient use of limited financial and human resources. Upon completion, each team receives up to $3,500 to implement a community project. Rise Above used its grant to purchase equipment and supplies to help maximize its short- and long4
Pictured: Al-amin Muhammad and volunteers distribute clothing and hygiene packages to individuals experiencing homelessness during We Rise About the Streets’ Sandwich Saturday program.
CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION
DONOR STORY
THE CORINTHIAN CLUB A Legacy of Friendship and Progress
When Mary Ellen Reistrom was approached by a friend about joining the Syracuse Corinthian Club in 2006, she was already aware of its community contributions. Her mother, Carmella, spoke fondly of her time as a member in the 1960s. Mary Ellen joined the hospitality and finance committees and later became the last Corinthian Club president, serving from 2015 until 2022. As a former member and immediate past president, she feels a deep sense of camaraderie and warmth to her fellow “Corinthians,” as she calls them.
Above: Former members and past presidents of the Syracuse Corinthian Club gathered at the CNY Philanthropy Center.
Started at a time when women were often expected to focus primarily on their children and homes, the Corinthians also wanted intellectual stimulation and education. They prided themselves on aiding charitable, educational and welfare work while cultivating the minds and interests of women. “They were progressive, forward thinking and visionary,” Mary Ellen said. The club, along with the Corinthian Foundation, was formed in 1949 by a group of determined women who purchased the famous Barnes-Hiscock Mansion on James Street. They offered regular ballroom dancing, fashion shows, bridge clubs and lectures. They also hosted social events and fundraisers. Barbara Watkins, a member since 1995 and president along the way, remembered holidays at the mansion: “The club just sparkled at Christmas. It was extraordinary, just extraordinary.” Early on, members trained in first aid and managed Operation Bookshelf, which donated thousands of books and magazines to Syracuse residents. They started the Wagon Wheel Senior Center, which offered nutrition programs, activities and case management. The women also enjoyed hosting fundrais5
ers, including a carnival with tents, pony rides and game booths. Membership started with 631 women and peaked at just over 1,500 women in the 1950s. But as the times changed, so did the club’s membership numbers. Due to low funding and dwindling membership, the club decided last year to dissolve after having donated the mansion to the George and Rebecca Barnes Foundation in 2009. The Corinthians moved their remaining assets into the Corinthian Club Fund at the Community Foundation to continue the club’s legacy, which began with an “army of womanpower.” The fund will provide annual support for a Le Moyne College scholarship and The Women’s Fund of CNY. Upon hearing the news, Kate Michaels, current Women’s Fund chair, commented, “We are grateful to be a recipient of the Corinthian Club endowment. Through our grantmaking, we’ll make sure to carry on its legacy of giving and supporting women.” Even without their traditional club, the Corinthians will continue both their friendships and their legacy for many years to come.
GIVING VOICE - SPRING 2022
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Image 1: Barnes Residence- Italian Villa Photo, Pre-1890s
Images 2-3: The Barnes Hiscock Mansion, built in 1853 by George and Rebecca Barnes, became a center of civic-minded activity in our community. The pair’s youngest and only living child, Mary Elizabeth (Bessie), married Judge Frank Hiscock, founder of Hiscock Legal Aid Society. Photo credit: Photos courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association
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CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION
COMMUNITY IMPACT
In December and March, our board of directors approved $1,044,397 in grants to 27 nonprofit organizations through our Community Grantmaking program.
ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES
$25,000
$40,000
$45,000
CNY ARTS Purchase marketing materials that encourage attendance at its programs
REDHOUSE ARTS CENTER
SYRACUSE FILM CENTER
Support expenses for its 2021-22 MainStage Season
Launch a filmmaking training program for local youth
EDUCATION
$40,000
$20,000
$75,000
$39,896
$35,900
CNY LYME & TICKBORNE DISEASE ALLIANCE
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF CENTRAL UPSTATE NEW YORK
THE MILTON J. RUBENSTEIN MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ONONDAGA ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE
ON POINT FOR COLLEGE
Expand JA Inspire, a virtual work-readiness program that connects students with employers
Upgrade its Omnitheater, a digital theater and planetarium that allows virtual streaming
Expand its education program by hiring an education coordinator
Launch an environmental education program to engage youth in science adventures
ENVIRONMENT & ANIMALS
$20,000
HEALTHCARE
$56,000
$77,000
$30,000
$24,500
CENTER FOR COURT INNOVATION
LORETTO
THE UPSTATE FOUNDATION
THE UPSTATE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
HUMAN SERVICES
TOWN OF NELSON Remediate erosion that threatens Blueberry Island, a small island in Tuscarora Lake
Hire two new community health advocates to build awareness about lead poisoning
Create a recruitment and training center to provide a space for vocational training and application assistance
$50,000
$23,000
$23,000
$30,000
ACCESSCNY
CLEAR PATH FOR VETERANS
COMMUNITY OPTIONS
CONSORTIUM FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Support dog training expenses for its Canine Program
Purchase a vehicle to help transport people to jobs and training sites
Provide Circle of Security Parenting and Intensive Home Visiting services
$65,000
$15,000
$50,000
INTERFAITH WORKS
Purchase a new wheelchair-accessible van to help transport people
$49,425 THE FIRST TEE — SYRACUSE
Fund the second year of its Pediatric Kidney Transplant and Chronic Kidney Disease Program nurse coordinator position
Support continued cancer research
$11,300 FIGHT FOR HEARTS Launch a new fitness program, Spinning Orange, to continue providing free virtual fitness classes for children
Create the Afghan Unmet Needs Fund to provide direct assistance to Afghan evacuees resettling in Syracuse
MADISON COUNTY CHILDREN’S CAMP
VOLUNTEER LAWYERS PROJECT
Build a boathouse to store water activity equipment to prevent deterioration
Fund the second year of its CNY Immigration Program
$30,000
$50,000
$24,376
$20,000
$75,000
LITERACYCNY
NEW YORK CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION
NORTHEAST HAWLEY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
PURPOSE FARM
YMCA OF GREATER SYRACUSE
Launch a program to promote civic engagement and education around the I-81 and Syracuse Surge infrastructure projects
Launch an economic development program for local minority/women-owned business enterprises
Build two overhanging decks to provide access to fishing opportunities for youth to engage with nature
PUBLIC & SOCIETAL BENEFIT
Provide paid internships for college students
Recruit and train 100 new volunteers for its adult literacy programs
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Rebuild its main barn after fire destroyed the previous structure
Replace windows and renovate its senior housing
GIVING VOICE - SPRING 2022
Pictured: Fight for Hearts, a Community Grant recipient
THESE GRANTS WERE MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING FUNDS. To learn more about these funds and many others that make our grantmaking possible, visit: CNYCF.ORG/FUNDS 8
Anonymous #34 Fund Shirley M. Aubrey Fund Charlotte & Donald Ball Fund Harry & Helen Barnes Jewell Fund Benji Fund Besse Family Fund Bilford Family Fund Charles F. Brannock Fund Shirley M. Brennan Fund William L. Broad Fund Kenneth P. & Charlotte C. Buckley Fund Cabasino Fund Patricia M. & Vincent H. Callahan Fund Philip R. & Elizabeth Chase Fund Clarke Family Fund Laurie J. & Dr. William R. Clark, Jr. Community Fund Solly & Belle Cohen Fund William & Sylvia Cohen Community Fund CNYCF Community Fund The Coon Fund Mary Frances Costello Fund J. Henry & Martha E. DeBoer Fund Alfred & Grace DiBella Fund John S. & Julia G. Dietz Fund Olga Dietz Turner Fund Divot’s Fund Mary Louise Dunn Fund #2 M. Harold Dwyer & Frances M. Dwyer Fund Margaret J. Early Fund Education Endowment Fund Harold & Marian Edwards & O. M. Edwards Co. Fund Carlton R. Estey Fund Alice M. Gaylord Trust Minnie O. Goodman Fund Frances E. & John S. Hancock Fund Carroll A. Hennessy Fund Anthony A. & Susan Henninger Memorial Fund Hills Family Fund I. A. Hotze Fund John H. & Mary P. Hughes Fund Iaconis, Iaconis & Baum Fund Martha A. & Eugene F. Keppler Fund Marjorie D. Kienzle Fund David Kilpatrick Memorial Fund Frances C. & Albert C. Knight Charitable Fund George & Luella Krahl Fund Ruth E. Krull Fund Alicia A. & George W. Lee Fund Lewis-Trinity Fund LFM Fund Maier Family Community Fund L.C. Maier Community Fund Gay D. Marsellus Fund John F. Marsellus Fund The Martha Fund Flora Mather Hosmer Fund Helen Hancock McClintock Fund Anne L. Messenger Community Fund James & Aileen Miller Charitable Fund H. Gillis & Letty M. Murray Fund Donald C. & Marion F. Newton Fund Peggy Ogden Community Fund Dorothy M. Olds Fund Carol W. & Emiel D. Palmer Fund P-D Family Fund John R. Pelkey Community Fund Theodore & Marjorie B. Pierson Fund Robert & Anne Pietrafesa Fund Robert A. & Winifred S. Pond Family Fund Brian Cole Retan Memorial Fund Dorothy Retan Irish Fund James A. & McDowell Smith Reynolds Fund Lettie H. Rohrig Field-of-Interest Fund Lawrence E. Root Fund Rosalind & Seymour Rudolph Fund Elizabeth Salisbury Brooks Fund Robert & Dorothy Salisbury Fund Helene C. Schroeder Fund Daniel & Jeanne Schwartz Fund Frederick B. & Laura B. Scott Fund Shuart Family Fund Frances Singer Hennessy Fund Winifred & DeVillo Sloan, Jr. Family Fund The Lee & Alice Smith Fund Syracuse Dispensary Fund Walter A. Thayer Fund Frances M. Thompson Fund Dr. Robert J. Vitkus Fund Donald & Hilda Watrous Fund Virginia Wendel Fund Carolyn V. West Fund Dorothy C. Witherill Fund The Witherill Fund Forrest H. Witmeyer Fund Arthur W. & Mabel P. Wrieden Memorial Fund
CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION
GRANTING MAT TERS
IDENTIFYING AREAS FOR GROWTH Famed football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
DANIELLE JOHNSON Senior Director, Grants and Programs
To learn more about the CEP Survey, please contact: djohnson@cnycf.org 315-883-5554
The Community Foundation knows that better community service comes not only from building on our strengths, but also from identifying where we need to improve. Through our grants, programs and initiatives, we are always striving to be an excellent resource for our nonprofit partners and the neighbors that they serve. Eight years ago, we engaged with The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP), a national nonprofit supporting the work of foundations across the country, to conduct a grantee and applicant perception survey. We hoped to receive candid feedback to help us identify areas for growth. The results did just that, reaffirming some themes and encouraging us to do better with others. Since then, many momentous changes have taken place in our community, with our nonprofit partners and within the Community Foundation. With this in mind, we decided to conduct another survey, and we need your help for it to have the most meaningful impact. If your organization has applied for a grant (awarded or not) from the Community Foundation in the past two years, you will receive a CEP survey this spring. The confidential and anonymous online questionnaire will touch on several themes, including our impact in the community; our interactions and communications with you; the application 9
and reporting processes; assistance beyond the grant; and diversity, equity and inclusion. CEP provides data, feedback, programs and insights to help individual donors and foundations improve their effectiveness at contributing to a better and more just world. CEP also puts the feedback in a comparative context, providing benchmarks from similar foundations. We encourage you to participate in this survey. Honest feedback from our partners helps us improve our processes and programs; it also contributes to building trust. A positive, trust-based relationship with our nonprofit partners is paramount to our mission and our work. If we are falling short of that, we want to know about it and how we can improve. While we welcome feedback at any time, we recognize that many of our partners have limited time or are not comfortable doing so. This survey is designed to be easy, convenient and confidential so you can share your thoughts freely and efficiently. We hope you will continue this journey of improvement with us. Above: The Joe Family Foundation for Disability Advocacy, a Black Equity & Excellence Fund grant recipient Photo credit: Ciara Studios
GIVING VOICE - SPRING 2022
W H A T ’S H A P P E N I N G
01 LEAD POISONING IN CNY: POST-PANDEMIC PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES EVENT Central New York residents have been the victims of lead poisoning for decades. On Jan. 26, 2022, we hosted a community discussion on the rate of childhood lead poisoning in the region. Chris Bolt, general manager of WAER, moderated the discussion, and has been covering issues around Syracuse lead poisoning since the 1990s. Panelists included community leaders, health professionals and activists who engaged in constructive dialogue on solutions to an issue that has affected many lives over the past 30 years.
02 FUNDING RECEIVED TO CONNECT RESIDENTS TO EXPANDED TAX CREDITS We recently received funding to help ensure that as many Syracuse families as possible sign up for expanded federal tax credit benefits. The EITC Funders Network provided us with $50,000 from its Community Outreach and Opportunity Fund to conduct hyperlocal, strategic outreach to residents. We also contributed a $50,000 local match towards this effort. The earned income tax credit and child tax credit help families with necessary expenses like household bills and food.
03 $150,000 GRANT RECEIVED TO EXPAND LEAD POISONING PREVENTION EFFORTS Our LeadSafeCNY initiative received a second grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation to put towards the cost of replacing exterior doors and windows in rental units for low-income people in Syracuse. The $150,000 grant will allow the initiative to expand its reach citywide. The renovations are paid for by nonprofit housing and community development organization Home HeadQuarters at no cost to property owners through a deferred loan. The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation initially funded this effort in 2021 with a $300,000 grant that resulted in the replacement of 299 windows and 48 doors in 43 affordable rental units. Home HeadQuarters estimates that the new funding will support removal of significant lead hazards from an additional 78 affordable rental units.
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CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION
GRANTEE STORY
WHOLE ME HELPS CNY DEAF COMMUNITY THRIVE Joelene Orlando shares a simple concept to illustrate life as a deaf person. “Imagine watching a movie with the sound off,” the executive director of WHOLE ME said. “The deaf and hardof-hearing community needs the right tools to understand what’s going on, participate in conversation and advocate for themselves.”
Above: Joelene Orlando (bottom right), WHOLE ME advocates, students and their parents enjoy a cookout during WHOLE ME’s Family Day Event.
Since 2003, WHOLE ME has provided tools, advocacy and education to the estimated 1,500 people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and their families in Central New York. Starting as an afterschool program for children, the agency headquartered on James Street provides American Sign Language instruction, workforce development, college support, care coordination services, assistive technology training and community awareness events. It also offers a fee-for-service interpreting referral program. “We try to encourage deaf people to see how successful they can be,” Orlando said.
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“If I have the right tools, I can be successful at my job and in my life.” Orlando joined WHOLE ME in 2017 as associate director and shifted to executive director in May 2021, succeeding founding director Christine Kovar. A Community Foundation grant supported the agency’s leadership transition, during which Kovar mentored Orlando for six months. “There often isn’t resources for nonprofits to use for onboarding new staff,” said Orlando. “The funding allowed for a mentoring period that helped ease my transition, which limited disruption.”
GIVING VOICE - SPRING 2022
The staff of 12 - of whom 10 are deaf, including Orlando - advocate for reasonable accommodations for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Orlando points to the ASL interpreters at local and national news conferences about COVID-19 as an example of how organizations should include the deaf community. “That was so important,” she said. “deaf people need to know what’s happening in emergencies.” WHOLE ME’s advocates help coordinate Individualized Education Programs for students, connect families with specialists like speech pathologists and audiologists,
and educate people about how to get assistive equipment. They also encourage families to learn ASL as quickly as possible. “Language acquisition is key,” Orlando said. “Once you have access to language, you have access to everything else. Without it you can’t thrive.” An interpreter accompanies Orlando to community and networking events, highlighting awareness of communication access needs in the deaf community. WHOLE ME also collaborates with agencies, including a Families First program for 12
children with autism. In addition, a program with the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office teaches deputies how to approach and talk to people who are deaf. The sheriffs work directly with the deaf community to ensure they are using methods that will help keep everyone safe. Orlando has witnessed increasing support for people with disabilities and more efforts to provide accommodations over the years. “It’s about time,” she said. “We still need to see more accessibility in Central New York.”
CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION
STAFF & BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS STAFF PROMOTIONS
JAN LANE
DANA LYONS-CANTY
PRAGYA MURPHY
AHMEED TURNER
Lane was promoted to Senior Philanthropic Advisor
Lyons-Canty was promoted to Scholarship and Student Support Officer, Say Yes Syracuse
Murphy was promoted to Senior Philanthropic Advisor
Turner was promoted to Vice President, Scholarships and Student Support and Executive Director, Say Yes Syracuse
NEW STAFF HIRE
NEW BOARD MEMBERS
COLBY CYRUS
LISA DUNN ALFORD
MARTIN A. SCHWAB
The Central New York Community Foundation has hired Colby Cyrus as Program Manager. His role is to assist with the development, implementation and monitoring of grantmaking and programs. He works with the Community Foundation’s Community Grant program and affiliate funds. Colby, who speaks both French and Arabic, was previously employed at InterFaith Works and has experience in international development, advocacy and survey research. He received his master’s degree in international relations from Syracuse University in 2019.
Lisa is the executive director of ACR Health and formerly served as commissioner of the Department of Adult and Long-Term Care Services for Onondaga County where she held multiple leadership roles during her tenure. She has served on several nonprofit councils and boards including our Grants and Community Initiatives Committee, the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, the American Heart Association, Elmcrest Children’s Center, The Women’s Fund of CNY and more. Lisa is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Martin is a trusts and estates and tax attorney at Bond, Schoeneck & King. A graduate of Syracuse and Clarkson Universities, he has served on several nonprofit boards and committees, including the Estate Planning Council of Central New York, Hospice of CNY (both operating and Foundation boards), Child Care Solutions, and The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County. He has also served in advisory capacities to CNYCF, the Upstate Foundation, Enable, and Francis House.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & DEADLINES Join us for our exciting events and workshops this year! To register, visit: CNYCF.ORG/EVENTS
GRANT DEADLINES JUNE 15, 2022
Women’s Fund of Central New York JULY 8, 2022
Black Equity & Excellence Fund JULY 8, 2022
The Leadership Classroom (TLC) JULY 8, 2022
LeadUp CNY JULY 15, 2022
Oswego County Community Foundation OCTOBER 7, 2022
Community Grants
EVENTS JUNE 16, 2022
Community Event
Storytime: Legacy Workshop SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 | 9-11:30 A.M.
Nonprofit Event
N.E.W.S. | Planned Giving And Endowments OCTOBER 6, 2022 | 8-10 A.M.
Advisor Event
Annual Professional Advisor Continuing Education Seminar | Featuring Christopher R. Hoyt, JD
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If you do not wish to continue receiving our mailings, please email us at: info@cnycf.org.
BOARD MEMBERS
PRESIDENT & CEO
CATHERINE BERTINI
PETER A. DUNN
WILLIAM H. BROWER, III KARIN SLOAN DELANEY, ESQ. CARAGH D. FAHY, CFP
®
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
STEPHEN D. FOURNIER
ELIZABETH T. HARTMAN, CPA
KATE FELDMEIER FRANZ
Controller
MARK A. FULLER, CPA
KYMBERLE BENDERSKI
Accountant
SUSAN FURTNEY, MPH LEE GAT TA, CLU
®,
CHFC ® ,
AEP ®
CAROLYN D. GERAKOPOULOS BEA GONZÁLEZ DAREN C. JAIME JOSEPH LAZZARO, CFP ® , CLU ® LARRY R. LEATHERMAN
GERIANNE P. CORRADINO
CAERESA RICHARDSON, PMP KEVIN E. SCHWAB
Senior Director, Grants and Programs
DARRELL D. BUCKINGHAM
Program Officer
QIANA WILLIAMS
Program Officer
COLBY CYRUS
Program Manager
ELISIA GONZALEZ
Program Associate
Senior Manager of Business Operations
DANA FIEL
Senior Finance Associate
DAVONA LAWRENCE
Finance Associate
TERRI M. EVANS
Administrative Associate
EMAD RAHIM, D.M., PMP®, CSM® REBECCA BRONFEIN RAPHAEL
FRANK M. RIDZI, PHD
Vice President, Community Investment
DANIELLE M. JOHNSON
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION KIMBERLY P. SADOWSKI, CPA
DANIEL J. FISHER
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
COMMUNICATIONS KATRINA M. CROCKER
Vice President, Communications
JULIET R. MALOFF
Communications Officer
DARA M. HARPER
DEVELOPMENT THOMAS M. GRIFFITH, AEP ® , CAP ® , CHFC ®
Vice President, Development
MONICA M. MERANTE, CAP ®
Senior Director, Philanthropic Services
Events & Communications Manager
SCHOLARSHIPS AND STUDENT SUPPORT AHMEED H. TURNER
JAN L. LANE, CAP ®
Vice President, Scholarships and Student Support; Executive Director, Say Yes Syracuse
PRAGYA S. MURPHY, MBA, CAP ®
Scholarship and Student Support Officer, Say Yes Syracuse
GENERAL COUNSEL
Senior Philanthropic Advisor
MARY ANNE CODY, ESQ.
Senior Philanthropic Advisor
JENNY E. GREEN
Philanthropic Services Officer
A PUBLICATION OF THE CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
DANA E. LYONS-CANTY