Local Agencies Will Benefit From $5,000 in Donor-Supported Grant Awards
CLAYTON — The Northern New York Community Foundation recently presented five St. Lawrence River-area community food pantries with $5,000 from its COVID-19 Community Support Fund to strengthen critical food inventories. These agencies were expected to receive proceeds from this year’s “Punkin’ Chunkin” event in the Village of Clayton, as they have in past years. The event, however, was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Foundation’s COVID-19 Community Support Fund, which was created to provide support for essential needs during the public health pandemic, will allocate five $1,000 grants to food pantries impacted by the cancellation of the annual event in Clayton. Grant recipients are:
- Alexandria Bay Community Food Pantry, 315-486-9322
- Cape Vincent Food Pantry, 315-654-2438
- Clayton Council of Churches Food Pantry, 315-686-4809
- Gwen’s Food Pantry, LaFargeville, 315-658-4796
- Theresa Food Pantry, 315-628-1902
Last week, the Community Foundation joined representatives from each pantry at the Clayton Pavilion on James Street for a brief grant presentation. They included: Susan Stoughtenger, Alexandria Bay Food Pantry; Donna Chatterton, Gwen’s Food Pantry; Greg Parmes, Theresa Food Pantry; Carolyne Heckmann, Clayton Council of Churches Food Pantry; and Rebecca Dowling, Cape Vincent Food Pantry.
The Community Foundation established its Community Support Fund in March with an initial $50,000 in funding to address immediate challenges across Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties that emerged in the wake of the pandemic. The fund continues to grow thanks to many generous gifts from individual donors, families, and corporate and community partners.
Grants from the COVID-19 Community Support Fund were awarded to help food pantries and Foundation partner agencies in the early stages of the pandemic. As the region’s needs evolve, the fund continues to offer key support to nonprofits that provide critical and essential services to help our neighbors in need.
Contact Kraig Everard, Community Foundation director of stewardship and programs, kraig@nnycf.org or 315-782-7110, to learn more about the COVID-19 Community Support Fund. Foundation staff evaluates requests on a consistent and frequent basis. Visit www.nnycf.org/home/covid19/ for complete details.
To help extend the reach of the effort and join other supporters, make a gift to: Northern New York Community Foundation COVID-19 Community Support Fund, 131 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601. Secure online giving is available at www.nnycf.org.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.