Nonprofit focusing on food insecurity, homelessnessBy Stefan Yablonski With a budget of $5,541,924, Catholic Charities of Oswego County serves nearly 3,000 people annually.Originally founded in the 1930s as an adoption agency, Catholic Charities has evolved into a human service agency providing many valuable programs and services to children, families and individuals. It has a great variety of people come through its doors annually to either receive help — or to provide that help.The most prevalent needs in this calendar year have been housing and food insecurities.“Catholic Charities of Oswego County assists a multitude of families and individuals throughout Oswego County who are challenged by poverty,” said Mary-Margaret Pekow, CCOC executive director. “The two areas in which we have the most impact are through our food pantry and our thrift store.”From January 2024 through July 2024, 931 households (2,702 individuals) have been served in the food pantry, she said.“We have added 931 new pantry members during that time frame as well,” she added.In 2023, the food pantry served an average of 248 individuals each week.The pantry also assembles 50-60 homeless food bags each month; that means 600-720 bags of food going to the homeless annually. (more…) (more…)

Garrett Dunsmoor Memorial Foundation has awarded more than 50 grants to nonprofit organizations benefiting youth in communities in and around OswegoBy Stefan YablonskiThere are scores of foundations in Central New York.Some have been created for very poignant reasons. All strive to help others.“The Garrett Dunsmoor Memorial Foundation was established in 2019 after the sudden passing of our son, Garrett, in July 2018,” said Judith Queale-Dunsmoor, president of the foundation.Garrett graduated from Oswego High School in 2014 and graduated cum laude from St. Lawrence University in May 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric, communications and business.While there, he earned a place on the Liberty League All-Academic Team while playing two years of varsity football and four years of varsity lacrosse.“He was bright, hardworking, humble and caring with a smile that would light up every room. He was passionate about athletics, academics and social issues and had an incredible gift of connecting with people of all ages and backgrounds,” his mother said. “He especially loved working with kids and coaching youth sports and was very proud of his hometown. We have created the Garrett Dunsmoor Memorial Foundation to continue Garrett’s legacy of love, knowing that he would be happy and proud (more…)

CNY Community Foundation teams up with NBT Bank to provide low-interest bridge loans to nonprofits in need of cash The Central New York Community Foundation’s local impact investing program has closed on a $750,000 deal to secure a low interest line of credit for Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, Inc. (VLPCNY).The funding will help the organization continue its legal aid services until funding from state grant contracts are fulfilled.This will be the first project receiving funding from a new certificate of deposit (CD) funding program the Community Foundation has established in partnership with NBT Bank.VLPCNY is a nonprofit legal aid organization that engages the legal community in volunteer service to low-income community members throughout Central New York. Its volunteer panel consists of over 500 lawyers who serve more than 3,500 clients a year with civil law needs.The new agreement will allow the organization to continue funding legal aid and anti-poverty programming while awaiting reimbursement from state agencies such as the Department of State and the Department of Health for multiple executed contracts.“VLPCNY, like so many nonprofit organizations, receives most of its funding from New York state to provide critical services that that State has identified as essential to life,” said Sal (more…)