Giving Voice | Fall 2024

G I V I N G VO I C E - FA L L 2024

A PUBLICATION OF THE CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FALL 2024

NORTH AREA MEALS ON WHEELS PG. 3 1

CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

CONTENTS

FALL 2024

02 | GIVING MATTERS

07 | COMMUNITY IMPACT

11 | GRANTEE STORY

New fundholder portal

$1,381,547 in grants distributed to 31 nonprofit organizations

Good Life Youth Foundation

03 | COVER STORY North Area Meals on Wheels 05 | DONOR STORY Sue Stred and Hal Husovsky

09 | GRANTING MATTERS New grants portal

13 | OUR PEOPLE

14 | UPCOMING DEADLINES

10 | WHAT’S HAPPENING

06 | VOICES RISING DOCUMENTARY Premiere recap

Members of our team stand with Clear Path for Veterans staff in front of their new Canine Mobile Unit Van. We provided the organization with a $50,000 Community Grant to outfit the van.

As we emerge from yet another election season, the divisions within our nation and region are becoming more evident.

Political and social issues have highlighted our differing perspectives, leading to an increasing sense of polarization.

These challenges, though difficult, also open the door for courageous conversations that can help us forge a path forward, rooted in respect and shared purpose.

At the Community Foundation, we recognize the need for unity during these uncertain times. Like many of you, we are aware of the divides that exist, but we also believe deeply in the power of community and collaboration to bridge those gaps. Healing often begins when we listen to one another, even through disagreement, and engage in open, respectful dialogue.

Our aim is to be a convener of good, helping bring people from all walks of life together to address the most pressing issues facing our region. Increasing workforce demands from new, incoming employers present an opportunity for us to lock arms, lean in and ensure there is room at the table for all. We believe that everyone — regardless of race, ability, sexual orientation, religion, gender, age, geographic location or background — deserves to be valued, and much of our work centers on ensuring that no one is left out or overlooked.

donors, we will continue to bring people together, advocate for inclusion, and inspire the change we wish to see.

Thank you for your continued trust and commitment to this work. Now, more than ever, we must stand united in our efforts to create a future where compassion and understanding lead the way.

With gratitude,

All of this is made possible through our shared commitment to kindness, empathy and mutual respect. Building a stronger, more connected community requires not only grand gestures but also the everyday acts of kindness and compassion that often go unseen. It is in these small, meaningful efforts — reaching out to a neighbor, offering help, or simply listening to someone’s story — that we begin to create a better, more caring world. Each of us can contribute to fostering an environment where everyone feels included and valued.

Together with your partnership, we can continue to be a force for good. Through strategic grantmaking, thoughtful community engagement, and the generosity of our

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MELANIE LITTLEJOHN President and CEO

G I V I N G VO I C E - FA L L 2024

GIVING MAT TERS

THE NEW MYGIVING PORTAL FOR FUNDHOLDERS IS LIVE! MyGiving is the Community Foundation’s new online fund management portal. It allows you to interact with your charitable funds via a secure, password-protected platform that’s mobile friendly and easy to use. If you have a fund at the Community Foundation, or are authorized to access information about a fund, you should have received an email on Oct. 9 with a link and instructions to set up your account in this new version of the portal.

PLEASE CONTACT DONORSUPPORT@CNYCF.ORG IF YOU NEED US TO RESEND THAT EMAIL TO YOU.

It is important that you set up your MyGiving account because it is how we will provide you with your annual fund statements moving forward and it gives you 24/7 secure access to information about your fund. Annual statements will be uploaded to the portal after the close of the calendar year, and we will notify you when they are available to view, save or print. The first 2024 calendar year statements will be uploaded in February 2025. Nonprofits that have agency funds with us will still have the option to request statements that coincide with their fiscal year-end reporting, beginning in 2025.

Be sure to bookmark the how-to page on our website, which provides step-by-step instructions for logging in, guidance for navigating the site and answers to frequently asked questions: CNYCF.ORG/MYGIVINGGUIDE

Our team is also ready to assist with any questions you might have as you explore this new system. Call our office at 315.422.9538 and ask for a member of the Philanthropic Services team or email us at: DONORSUPPORT@CNYCF.ORG

SOME HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: Fund Statements will now be published once a year, directly to your portal account.

Grant Recommendations from donor-advised funds are easier than ever with a streamlined grant request form, grant summary by organization, the ability to “copy” a previous grant to a charity (instead of re-entering all of the required information) and scheduling recurring grants from your fund to your favorite charities.

Donation Reports can be easily exported so you can see contributions you’ve made into your fund, and those made by others.

Mobile-Friendly Design means that you can view your account on various devices with ease.

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CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

“THEY COME, THEY DELIVER THE MEALS, THEY SIT AND WE CHITCHAT FOR A FEW MINUTES, ... IT’S THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY.”

PETER WONG

MEALS ON WHEELS DELIVERS NUTRITIOUS, PERSONAL INTERACTIONS 3

G I V I N G VO I C E - FA L L 2024

Pictured: Peter with his case manager and friend, Kate Carlson, at his home in Liverpool, N.Y.

Peter Wong has a standing appointment on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

That’s when a North Area Meals on Wheels driver stops by to deliver prepared lunches and dinners.

“They come, they deliver the meals, they sit and we chitchat for a few minutes,” he said.

“It’s the highlight of my day.”

Wong, 63, worked for 36 years in the airline industry, most recently in customer service for an airline at Syracuse’s Hancock International Airport. “My work was my life,” he said. In 2014, he fell ill, experiencing the first of five strokes that left him with multiple physical challenges. He now has vision problems, weakness on his left side and balance issues.

He wears a brace on his left ankle and uses a cane when he leaves the house.

“I can’t jump out of bed and go to the store and walk around,” he said. “It’s a horrible thing to lose your independence.”

The several changes that come with physical aging can often hinder a senior’s ability to function independently. In addition, many face age-related discrimination and bias, which can lead to feelings of isolation and create barriers to accessing quality healthcare. These challenges may result in seniors receiving lower-quality care or even discourage them from seeking the care they need altogether.

In recent years, Wong divorced, and his adult son and daughter moved away. A gregarious man born in Hong Kong, his isolation and limitations were further exacerbated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was so depressed, I was not eating,” he said. “I was down to one Tupperware of Jell-O a day, sometimes with fruit. I was losing weight and muscle.”

His declining condition alarmed caregivers.

They suggested Meals on Wheels, and he became a client in 2021. At first, he struggled to eat the meals daily. But now the deliveries are part of his routine.

“I had literally been by myself for so long,” he said. “But now knowing I have to be ready at 11 o’clock because Meals on Wheels will be here makes a huge difference.”

Meals on Wheels provides nutritious meals to about 500 clients a year in seven zip codes in northern Onondaga County. It operates with 12 paid staffers and upwards of 300 volunteers, who prepare food and drive 25 delivery routes. Meals are prepared to meet each individual clients’ needs; Wong is diabetic, so his food is low in sodium and sugar.

as transportation, nutrition services, mental health counseling, shopping services or home health aides. Wong loves to talk with volunteers about the day’s news headlines, and he looks forward to visits from his caseworker. “Just the physical interaction is huge,” he said.

He also makes a point of letting the Meals on Wheels kitchen staff know when they prepare something he especially likes. Recently that included a chocolate chip brownie muffin and “an incredible breaded pork chop”.

Wong looks forward to the human contact as much as the meals.

“It gives me a reason to get up,” he said. “It puts some order to my day. It gives me the ability to live a life.”

We provided Meals on Wheels with a $66,100 Community Grant to expand and upgrade its North Syracuse facility to add space for meal preparation and distribution.

“The expansion of our facility will greatly improve operational efficiency, reducing energy costs, allowing us to serve even more seniors,” said Randy LaMance, executive director of North Area Meals on Wheels. “We expect to double our client base over the next ten years.”

In addition to delivering nutritious food and well checks, Meals on Wheels provides case management to help with needs such 4

Pictured: Peter and Kate stand on the front steps of his home

CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

Pictured: Sue and Hal stand in the backyard of their home in Fayetteville, N.Y.

DONOR STORY

COUPLE SHARES ‘RHAPSODY IN BLUE’ — AND GREEN Sue Stred and Hal Husovsky Their first date was a Doobie Brothers concert at Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati while they were in medical school. On the last day of their honeymoon, they enjoyed an outdoor music festival that featured Al Jarreau, George Benson, Herbie Hancock and Maynard Ferguson. They spent their 40th anniversary at the Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour concert at The Amp. Music plays in their home all the time.

Sometimes it’s Mahler, sometimes it’s the The Who, sometimes it’s “The Blues Brothers” soundtrack.

So it took Harold L. Husovsky, M.D., and Susan E. Stred, M.D., just a few minutes to come up with a name for their donor-advised fund at the Central New York Community Foundation: Rhapsody in Green. “‘Rhapsody in Blue’ is my favorite composition ever, and George Gershwin my favorite composer,” said Stred, a lifelong singer. Husovsky loves Gershwin’s piece as well.

It didn’t take much longer for the DeWitt couple, both of who are physicians retired from SUNY Upstate Medical University, to realize that their donor-advised fund perfectly suited their current needs and their future philanthropic legacy after Husovsky attended a Community Foundation program about giving options. “I am not well-versed in economic affairs. The logic sounded too good

to be true, except it wasn’t,” Husovsky said. “It fit right into our lifestyle. It fit into our life plan.”

the greatest needs of the Central New York community.

“It sounded like a good idea to facilitate annual donations to the same beneficiary organizations,” he continued. “It just makes it easier. We do not have to write the checks, which is one less thing to do.”

The couple frequently looked at each other and smiled at each other as they spoke.

At one point in the interview, Husovsky kissed Stred on the cheek. Throughout the interview they referred to musical styles and performances including Motown, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy Joel and 1970s oldies.

Husovsky played cello and upright bass in junior high. In college, he developed a huge fascination with jazz. “Now I like practically everything,” he said. He has served on the board of CNY Jazz Arts Foundation.

Stred has been singing since she was 9. While in college and medical school, that was pretty much restricted to singing along with records in her dorm room. She now sings with the Syracuse Pops Chorus and has been singing with the Syracuse University Oratorio Society for over 30 years. She also served on the board of the former Syracuse Symphony.

Stred and Husovsky established their fund at the Community Foundation in 2013. When they pass away, the Community Foundation will disperse the remaining balance of their fund evenly among charities that reflect their charitable interests — including The Syracuse Orchestra, CNY Jazz Arts Foundation and On Point for College. They also have named the Community Foundation as a beneficiary in their wills to support our Community Fund, which provides funding to address

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“We’re retired physicians with no children and no expensive hobbies,” Husovsky said.

“We have been very lucky and blessed in life. Making donations was something we’ve always done.”

Stred grew up with that tradition, too. “In my family, that was front and center,” she said. “My father was on the board of the local United Way and worked for nonprofits.

Philanthropy was big.”

They said they are heartened to watch how the Community Foundation “is moving forward for equity and diversity.” “We knew we could leave a portion of our estate to the Community Foundation to do what they reason is best for the community,” said Stred.

“We are reassured that capable people will manage this when we’re gone,” she added.

G I V I N G VO I C E - FA L L 2024

LEADSAFECNY

VOICES RISING DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES

Those interested in watching the documentary or learning more information about LeadSafeCNY can visit: CNYCF.ORG/VOICESRISING

On Friday, Sept. 6, we premiered a short film produced by Black Cub Productions that documents our first participatory budgeting project, held in support of the LeadSafeCNY initiative. The film is a compelling documentary highlighting the transformative power of community engagement through participatory budgeting to address the injustice of childhood lead poisoning in Syracuse.

Nearly 300 attendees met on the outdoor plaza of the Everson Museum of Art on the warm summer evening to enjoy food trucks, music and informational tables before viewing Voices Rising: Syracuse’s Fight Against Lead Poisoning.

In 2022, we held our first participatory budgeting project, which is a community engagement tool that gives residents the power to decide how to allocate funding through a process of democratic deliberation and decision-making.

Filming took place during the project’s nine months of convening, during which Syracuse residents, community leaders and nonprofit organizations designed solutions to increase childhood lead testing. A total of 165 resident delegates participated in the planning sessions.

This culminated in a citywide one-day vote in May 2023 to determine which project we would support with a $150,000 grant.

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We believe it is our responsibility as a community leader to protect and nurture local children, who will carry forth the legacy of Central New York for the benefit of future generations. That is why we are committed to eradicating lead poisoning in Central New York and why this documentary is so important — it captures the resilience and determination of Syracuse residents as they took collective action to stop this injustice to move the community towards a safer future. While recognizing the need for substantial additional resources, the documentary emphasizes giving the community a voice in shaping their future and driving impactful, sustainable change.

CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

COMMUNITY IMPACT In June, our board of directors approved $1,381,547 in grants to 31 nonprofit organizations through our Community Grantmaking program

ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES

EDUCATION

ENVIRONMENT & ANIMALS

$35,000

$50,000

$1,470

$43,200

$24,200

EVERSON MUSEUM OF ART

OTISCO LAKE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

REDHOUSE ARTS CENTER

STONE QUARRY HILL ART PARK

Host programs, events, artist talks and classes about the decline of print journalism

ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION Install environmental controls throughout its building

Hold three summer concerts featuring local artists

Purchase an LED marquee to enhance visibility of events

Renovate the Artist Lodge’s garage and the Dorothy Riester House and Studio

$20,000

$37,170

$30,000 ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION

ERIE CANAL MUSEUM

JOWONIO SCHOOL

Hire an education & visitor service coordinator

Purchase two vans that can accommodate car seats and mobility devices

$80,000

$150,000

$24,000

$88,375

CORTLAND COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

FINGER LAKES LAND TRUST

NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY

RUFFED GROUSE SOCIETY

Purchase 98 acres of land to help conserve the quality of the drinking water in the city of Syracuse

Expand the Next Generation of Conservationists Program for Onondaga and Cayuga county students

Improve habitat health in a forest block across southern Onondaga and northern Cortland counties

Purchase an aquatic vegetation harvester to remove invasive species in local lakes

HEALTHCARE

HUMAN SERVICES

$27,700

Expand the English for Medical Professions preparation course

THE READING LEAGUE Grow the Professional Development SchoolBased Partnership Program

$75,000 TOWN OF GRANBY Create the town’s first public park

$50,000 TOWN OF RICHLAND Build a new park at Fireman’s Pond and expand the Hamlet Park

$5,910

$50,000

$16,000

$76,800

$58,400

13THIRTY CANCER CONNECT

JUSTICE INNOVATION

SAGE UPSTATE Host a trauma-informed breath work workshop program for LGBTQIA+ adults

VILLAGE BIRTH INTERNATIONAL

Launch a four-session program addressing the sexual health of young adults with cancer

Support the Westside Community First overdose prevention and harm reduction program

THE UPSTATE FOUNDATION Hire a pediatric mental health nurse practitioner

Expand its perinatal health and doula programs for refugees and New Americans

$50,000

$40,000

$15,000

$60,000

$38,261

DEAF NEW AMERICANS ADVOCACY

GIRL SCOUTS OF NYPENN PATHWAYS

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

JOSEPH’S HOUSE FOR WOMEN

JUBILEE HOMES OF SYRACUSE

Purchase farming supplies to help empower farmers who are deaf through agriculture

Support the Beyond Program, which provides support for LGBTQIA+ youth and their caregivers and families

Replace the roof of its building on West Genesee Street

Replace the roof of its building on Court Street

Provide farm supplies and stipends for youth participating in the Urban Delights Community Learning Farm

$66,100

$55,000

$15,000

$24,000

$44,100

PEACE, INC.

SALVATION ARMY OF SYRACUSE

SMOKEY HOLLOW COMMUNITY

Replace the roof of its building on West Genesee Street

Hire a strategic development consultant to help with fundraising

SYRACUSE NORTHEAST COMMUNITY CENTER

NORTH AREA MEALS ON WHEELS Expand its facility to add space for meal preparation and distribution

Support the Early Childhood Career Pathways Program

$30,861 WOMEN’S OPPORTUNITY CENTER Hire a personal assistance navigator to help women who experience abuse

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Grow the Food Foundations Program health awareness efforts

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Pictured: Everson Museum

THESE GRANTS WERE MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING FUNDS 5forCNY Fund Anonymous #33 Fund Anonymous #34 Fund Shirley M. Aubrey Fund Ellen T. & David R. Bacon Fund Charlotte & Donald Ball Fund William D. Barnet Memorial Scholarship Fund Peter & Barbara Baum Fund Benji Fund Besse Family Fund Bilford Family Fund Borer Family Fund for Education 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 Carriage House Foundation 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 Mary Frances Costello Fund DeBenedictis Community Fund Alfred & Grace DiBella Fund John S. & Julia G. Dietz Fund Olga Dietz Turner Fund DMC Memorial Fund M. Harold Dwyer & Frances M. Dwyer Fund Margaret J. Early Fund Education Endowment Fund Steven A. Endieveri Memorial Fund Carlton R. Estey Fund John M. & Mary L. Gallinger Fund Alice M. Gaylord Trust Minnie O. Goodman Fund

Viola M. Hall Fund Frances E. & John S. Hancock Fund Carroll A. Hennessy Fund Anthony A. & Susan Henninger Memorial Fund Hills Family Fund I. A. Hotze Fund Iaconis, Iaconis & Baum Fund Leo & Natalie Jivoff Fund Robert H. Kemper & Norma E. Kemper Charitable Foundation Martha A. & Eugene F. Keppler Fund Marjorie D. Kienzle Fund David Kilpatrick Memorial Fund Faith T. Knapp Memorial Fund Frances C. & Albert C. Knight Charitable Fund George & Luella Krahl Fund Ruth E. Krull Fund Alicia A. & George W. Lee Fund Leonard Family Endowment Martha, Gracia & Robert Leopold Fund LFM Fund Maier Family Community Fund L.C. Maier Community Fund Candace & John Marsellus Community Fund Gay D. Marsellus Fund John F. Marsellus Fund Flora Mather Hosmer Fund Helen Hancock McClintock Fund Lucy McLean Community Fund Anne L. Messenger Community Fund James & Aileen Miller Charitable Fund Pauline M. Monz 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 8

To learn more about these funds and many others that make our grantmaking possible, visit: CNYCF.ORG/FUNDS

Robert & Anne Pietrafesa Fund Robert A. & Winifred S. Pond Family Fund Maggie & Roger Reid Fund Brian Cole Retan Memorial Fund Dorothy Retan Irish Fund James A. & McDowell Smith Reynolds Fund Lawrence E. Root Fund Rosalind & Seymour Rudolph Fund Elizabeth Salisbury Brooks Fund Robert & Dorothy Salisbury Fund Durston Sanford & Doris Sanford Fund Helene C. Schroeder Fund Daniel & Jeanne Schwartz Fund Frederick B. & Laura B. Scott Fund Dorothy R. Shoudy Memorial Hearing Impaired Fund Shuart Family Fund Adelaide Louise Silvia Community Fund Virginia C. Simons & Dr. C. Adele Brown Fund Frances Singer Hennessy Fund Winifred & DeVillo Sloan, Jr. Family Fund The Lee & Alice Smith Fund Spanfelner Fund Syracuse Dispensary Fund Walter A. Thayer Fund Frances M. Thompson Fund William & Mary L. Thorpe Charitable Fund Dr. Robert J. Vitkus Fund Donald & Hilda Watrous Fund Virginia Wendel Fund Carolyn V. West Fund Westminster Presbyterian Northside Concerns Fund John Winter Family Fund Dorothy C. Witherill Fund The Witherill Fund Forrest H. Witmeyer Fund Arthur W. & Mabel P. Wrieden Memorial Fund Peter Zerebny Community Fund

CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

GRANTING MAT TERS

HEY NONPROFITS, HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT OUR NEW CNYCF GRANTS PORTAL? IT’S LIVE!

All applicants must register in the new portal before submitting an application. You can register now or wait until you are ready to start your first application. Even if you already had a profile in our previous grants portal prior to July 15, 2024, you will need to create a new account.

If you or someone at your organization has already registered your organization in the new portal on or after July 15, 2024, do not create a new account. Please contact our Community Investment Team at grants@cnycf.org if you need the login information.

Some opportunities require meeting with staff before you can apply. For a full list of our funding opportunities visit: CNYCF.ORG/RECEIVE

CNYCF Grants Portal is the Community Foundation’s new online grants portal. It gives you access to a listing of open funding opportunities, and any funding requests currently in progress, still requiring action, or awaiting a decision.

To learn more and create an account on the new portal, visit: CNYCF.ORG/GRANTSPORTAL

Our next community grants deadline is Feb. 28, 2025. Questions? Email us at: GRANTS@CNYCF.ORG

SOME HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: All grant applications are now conveniently located in one place.

Users can save their progress, return to applications later, and benefit from an autosave feature.

Grantees can easily track the payout status of their grants.

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G I V I N G VO I C E - FA L L 2024

W H A T ’S H A P P E N I N G

Black Girls Don’t Get Love

01 ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION TO BLACK EQUITY & EXCELLENCE

02 IMPACT INVESTMENT DEAL OPENS NEW LINE OF CREDIT FOR LOCAL LEGAL AID

In August, we announced our commitment of an additional $1 million to our Black Equity & Excellence Fund (BE&E). BE&E is designed to support community-based projects that promote self-sufficiency and address the physical and economic conditions that impact the quality of life for Black residents. Since its inception in 2020, BE&E has distributed 95 grants totaling more than $1.6 million, and it has welcomed nearly 200 first-time applicants to the Community Foundation. To date, 234 grant applications have been received.

Our local impact investing program recently closed on a $750,000 deal to secure a low interest line of credit for Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, Inc. The funding will allow the organization to continue its legal aid services until funding from state grant contracts are fulfilled. This was the first project to receive funding from a new Certificate of Deposit (CD) funding program we established in partnership with NBT Bank.

04 TORNADO EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPORT Our hearts remain with our friends and neighbors in Canastota and Rome who were impacted by the devastating storms during the summer. In Canastota, which is within our five-county service area, we worked to provide immediate emergency response funding to organizations that were helping residents in need. In August, we provided a grant from our Community Response Fund to support the Rome Community Foundation’s emergency relief efforts.

03 SOFTWARE TRANSITION Over the past year our staff worked diligently to facilitate the migration of our databases to a newly integrated software. Our new online MyGiving portal for fundholders and our new grants portal for grant applicants provide exciting new features to better serve our community.

See page 2 for more information about MyGiving and page 9 for more information about our grants portal.

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CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

GRANTEE STORY

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR MAKING WAVES IN HIP-HOP Good Life Youth Foundation

Pictured: Azory Infinite sits in the music recording studio at Good Life Youth Foundation

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G I V I N G VO I C E - FA L L 2024

Pictured: Participants of the HipHoppreneurship program in the media studio at Good Life Youth Foundation

Sixteen-year-old Azory Infinite hopes to one day make music that is as vast and singular as his last name.

“I WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT NO ONE ON THIS PLANET HAS MADE BEFORE, ... I WANT MY NAME TO BE REMEMBERED AND FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW I MADE SOMETHING NEW AND THAT I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO DO IT.” Infinite is one of the “unexpected entrepreneurs” currently participating in the Good Life Youth Foundation’s (Good Life) HipHop-preneurship program. The program uses hip-hop, music, entrepreneurial education and culture to engage youth living in under-resourced neighborhoods through interactive workshops, boot camps and learning opportunities.

Growing up in the Bronx, Hasan Stephens, founder of Good Life, was acutely aware of the risks associated with living in a highpoverty neighborhood. With schools largely funded by property taxes, children living in those neighborhoods often lack access to quality education and resources. When their ability to succeed is undermined, they face increased rates of violence, incarceration or even death.

engage youth in a relatable way, ultimately providing them the tools they need to succeed in both their personal and professional lives.”

The yearlong program, designed for youth ages 13-24, culminates in a summer intensive where budding entrepreneurs gain hands-on experience in nine business sectors. This includes areas like music, content creation, marketing, cosmetology, lawn care and more.

For instance, Infinite spends his time in a “mock” professional music recording studio and has the chance to mow lawns and learn about lawn maintenance.

Throughout the school year, as participants narrow their focus on a preferred sector, they engage in intensive workshops on financial literacy, leadership and project management.

With guidance from Good Life mentors, they also develop a mock business plan which they have the opportunity to pitch at the end of the year.

Winning proposals receive startup funding to bring their ideas to life — opening the door to future opportunities for youth like Infinite.

“People thought I was going to end up in the street, but I’ve turned out to be the complete opposite.”

For 10 years, Good Life has designed anti-poverty and mentorship programs for Black and Latino youth living in low-income or under-resourced neighborhoods around Syracuse. We provided the organization with a $50,000 grant from our Anti-Poverty Initiative Fund for HipHop-preneurship to continue making opportunities accessible for youth, like Infinite.

Infinite recently listened to some of the first music he created and says he’s gotten “insanely better” with guidance from Good Life mentors. He has advice for those that might be interested in joining the program: “It doesn’t hurt to try,” he said. “Whether it’s for music, photography or content creation. You might be the best person here. You might see things that normal people don’t see. You might find a mentor. So why not just give it a shot?”

“My personal opinion is if I live in the trenches and you grew up in a mansion, the only problem is the environment,” he said. “The HipHop-preneurship program has given me mentors, materials and skills that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

To combat these systems, Stephens launched HipHop-preneurship, a program designed to break the cycles of poverty and combat systemic disparities by using hip-hop culture as a tool for understanding, identity, purpose and entrepreneurship.

Growing up, Infinite said he was surrounded by a lot of examples of “what not to do.” He’s seen the personal impacts of gun violence and crime — but he won’t let his circumstances hold him back. Through the support of extended family, he’s been able to beat the odds by using common sense.

“During the first three years of our program, none of our participants were arrested,” said Stephens. “Incorporating hip-hop helps

“I surround myself with people who are also focused and motivated to create better lives for themselves and their families,” he said.

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Pictured: Azory Infinite and other HipHop-preneurship participants in the recording studio

CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION

OUR PEOPLE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

New Staff Members LEILA MOGHADASI

DERARETU ABUBEKER

Communications Associate

Scholarships & Student Success Manager

Moghadasi was hired as communications associate. She is a recent graduate of Syracuse University, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in writing, rhetoric and composition. In her role, Moghadasi provides communications support to attract and deepen relationships with nonprofit organizations, scholarship seekers and civic leaders. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, Moghadasi worked at the Moroccan Institute of Policy Analysis in Rabat, Morocco. She is deeply committed to amplifying the voices of community members across Central New York.

Abubeker was hired as scholarships & student success manager. She is passionate about helping the community where she grew up and is eager to continue supporting students through their post-secondary planning journeys. In her role, Abubeker provides information and support to students, families, community partners and schools while helping to manage our various scholarships.

Before joining the Community Foundation, she served as a program manager and tutor counselor, guiding young people through career exploration, college applications and entrepreneurial development.

Out & About

Challenger Baseball Superfield of Dreams at Carrier Park

Light a Candle for Literacy Parade and Children’s Book Festival

STEAM at Dr. King Elementary School

CNY Pride Festival and Parade Indigenous People’s Day Festival

Essential Conceptions Consulting’s The Power of Sisterhood Conference

2024 Annual Report Arrival

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United Way Day of Caring at the Mary Nelson Youth Center

UPCOMING DEADLINES

GRANT DEADLINES FEBRUARY 28, 2025

Community Grants APRIL 11, 2025

Cayuga Community Fund MAY 16, 2025

Greater Pulaski Community Endowment Fund JUNE 13, 2025

Women’s Fund JUNE 27, 2025

Black Equity & Excellence JULY 18, 2025

Oswego County Community Foundation AUGUST 4, 2025

The Leadership Classroom (TLC) 14

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SYRACUSE, NY PERMIT NO. 1352

CNY PHILANTHROPY CENTER 431 EAST FAYETTE STREET SUITE 100 SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 13202 315.422.9538 If you do not wish to continue receiving our mailings, please email us at: info@cnycf.org.

PRESIDENT & CEO

DEVELOPMENT

SCHOLARSHIPS AND STUDENT SUCCESS

MELANIE LITTLEJOHN, MBA

THOMAS M. GRIFFITH, AEP®, CAP®, CHFC® Vice President of Development

COMMUNICATIONS

ELIZABETH GAGNÉ Philanthropic Services Officer

AHMEED H. TURNER Vice President of Scholarships & Student Success; Executive Director of Say Yes Syracuse

KATRINA M. CROCKER Vice President of Communications JULIET R. MALOFF Senior Communications Officer LEILA R. MOGHADASI Communications Associate CORY SCHAD Senior Events & Communications Manager

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FRANK M. RIDZI, PHD Vice President of Community Investment DARRELL D. BUCKINGHAM Program Officer COLBY CYRUS, CAPM Senior Program Manager ELISIA GONZALEZ Grants Manager DANIELLE M. JOHNSON Senior Director of Grants and Programs KANISCHA MILLER Program Associate QIANA WILLIAMS Program Officer

TORI HART Philanthropic Services Officer

DERARETU ABUBEKER Scholarships & Student Success Manager

JAN L. LANE, CAP® Senior Philanthropic Advisor

BOARD MEMBERS

MONICA M. MERANTE, CAP® Senior Director of Philanthropic Services

JAIME ALICEA

PRAGYA S. MURPHY, CAP®, MBA Senior Philanthropic & Impact Investment Advisor

LISA D. ALFORD

CATHERINE BERTINI WILLIAM H. BROWER III MARTIN T. DURKIN, JR. STEPHEN D. FOURNIER

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

SUSAN FURTNEY, MPH , FACHE

KIMBERLY P. SADOWSKI, CPA Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

LISA S. GERMAIN

GERIANNE P. CORRADINO, SHRM-CP Human Resources & Operations Officer

BEA GONZÁLEZ MARK S. HALL

TERRI M. EVANS Administrative Associate

DR. WARREN HILTON

DANA C. FIEL Finance Manager

LEYLA Z. MORGILLO, CFP®

JENNY E. GREEN Senior Information Systems Officer

REBECCA BRONFEIN RAPHAEL

ELIZABETH T. HARTMAN, CPA Senior Director of Finance

JOSEPH LAZZARO, CFP®, CLU®

DUANE B. OWENS

KEVIN E. SCHWAB MARTIN A. SCHWAB, ESQ.

DAVONA LAWRENCE Finance Associate

KATHLEEN L. WIESE

DANA E. LYONS-CANTY Special Projects Officer

GENERAL COUNSEL

YEISHA NÚÑEZ-DENSON Accountant

A PUBLICATION OF THE CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

MARY ANNE CODY, ESQ.