Terri Krueger

The around-the-clock helper

Jason Klaiber

When it comes to helping out in her community, there has been no off switch for Terri Krueger. Matched with her desire to see communication between local schools and the CanTeen of Central New York, it was Krueger’s around-the-clock devotion that led her to campaign for spots on both the Town of Cicero Youth Board and the school board of the North Syracuse Central School District.

Upon securing those seats at the table, she has been dedicated to convening the supervised teen center’s Friends group with guidance counselors and principals on a monthly basis, thus allowing all parties to keep abreast of the social-emotional issues that students may be experiencing.

“We’re finding that when we communicate together, we’re catching the kids who may have some concerns and getting them the attention that they need,” Krueger said. “It could be anything from homework struggles that are bogging kids down to depression symptoms and questions related to peer pressure and drug use.”

Throughout the year, the Cicero Town Youth Board is the entity that assists the CanTeen with not only daily operations but also the drawing of attention to services the CanTeen offers to local teens.

Efforts on Krueger’s part in driving attention to the CanTeen have included her sponsorship of a free ice cream social for roughly 300 Cicero kids as well as a community holiday event in 2019 that allowed area small business owners to set up booths at no cost.

For the latter event, Krueger sent out a message encouraging townspeople to stop by and shop from an assortment of makeups, scented candles, totes, candies and various other items. She also sold coffee and water inexpensively the day of, with all of those proceeds going to the CanTeen, which runs entirely on donations and grants.

The after-school hangout on State Route 31 gives high school and junior high school kids a place where they can grab a bite, shoot some pool, play ping-pong and unwind.

“It’s also a safe space for kids to express whatever it is they might be going through,” Krueger said.

During her own teenage years, Krueger experienced a form of homelessness due to circumstances out of her control. For these reasons, she found herself devoted to working with the Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse as an adult in an effort to advocate for individuals and families who have found themselves in difficult circumstances.

Through the decades, Krueger has served meals and participated in several Rescue Mission Alliance committees, including the Ride & Run For the Rescue, the yearly fundraiser that includes a 5K walk/ run and races on a cycling course stretching for 62 miles.

In 2019, Krueger was honored by the Rescue Mission Alliance when she was awarded the Hope Award for Community Service, an individual recognition bestowed annually at the Hope Awards, a ceremony that spotlights the achievements of men and women who have overcome homelessness and gone on to accomplish lifechanging achievements.

“It’s a bring-your-tissues dinner,” Krueger said. “It’s pretty wonderful to hear these success stories.”

As a Top of the Table qualifier with Million Dollar Round Table— a global association of premier life insurance and financial services professionals—Krueger was instrumental in receiving two Qualityof-Life grants totaling $12,000 for the Rescue Mission Alliance.

The first grant amounting to $5,000 was for a kitchen renovation so that the nonprofit can feed a greater numberi of underserved, food-insecure people day to day.

The state-of-the-art kitchen would also train visitors to build up their cooking skills and other employable qualities, and it would be laid out in a way that more easily allows families to sit and eat together rather than at different tables.

The $7,000 grant was for a youth center established by the Rescue Mission Alliance that was built to accommodate homeless teens.

The 10-bed shelter is treated as an alternative to couch surfing or nights spent on friends’ porches for those in Onondaga County ages 12 to 17 and as an affirming environment for LGBTQIA+ individuals in particular.

Overall, the committee for the Million Dollar Round Table Foundation divvies up about $1.6 million every year after evaluating over 150 grants.

Alongside business development coach Sarah Ioele, Krueger founded the Women's Mastermind Networking Group, an inviteonly consortium that makes it its mission to empower women to reach their greatest potential.

The members are sought out for their integrity, leadership, kindness and philanthropic attitude among other attributes, while their meetings promote positive language in an effort to eliminate “negative commentary.”

Krueger has also had involvement with the Vera House-supported Elder Justice Committee and the International Fire and Iron Motorcycle Club on top of serving as the treasurer and then the vice president of the Plank Road Chamber of Commerce.

Though she no longer volunteers actively with PAWS of CNY, for which she brought her certified therapy dog, Gemma, to hospitals, libraries and schools, she still brings the Schipperke-King Charles Spaniel mix to her own office at Krueger Financial Advisors LLC, the company she started in 2018.

The namesake firm she owns on Brewerton Road in Mattydale serves individual families and businesses in and outside of New York State with retirement income planning, asset management, disability insurance, life insurance, estate planning, healthcare and other services.

Krueger is currently working on obtaining the ChFC or Chartered Financial Consultant destination from the American College of Financial Services and is a Registered Investment Advisor (or RIA) in several states. She first entered the banking and insurance business in 1988, and she has been immersed in the investment world since 2007. SWM