Legacy Foundation receives many more requests for grants annually than its endowment can support. The board of directors has developed a priority rating system that each director employs in making his or her decision on the quality of life impact of each potential grant. A consensus is reached on the most positive impact grants at the grant review meeting in the spring and fall.
Legacy Foundation also provides endowment funds for two award programs. One was established by Tompkins Trust Company to identify and reward excellence in volunteering within Tompkins County. The other was established by Tompkins Trust Company in the name of its former President and CEO, Raymond Van Houtte, to identify and reward outstanding teachers and other employees of Tompkins County schools. A separate awards committee makes the selection from nominated community members and the cash awards are made annually to be given to a deserving organization of the awardees choice.
Following are the grants approved and funds distributed in 2008:
CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILY
Cayuga Nature Center (CNC) (F&CS)
CNC has been actively managing a 120-acre property for 30 years, consisting of a main lodge, 5 miles of trails, indoor and outdoor animal exhibits, and a high and low ropes course. A team-building program is provided through its TEAM Challenge ropes course. This course has been a popular segment of CNC's offerings and recently passed a recertification and safety inspection. However, the certifiers recommended improvements and some maintenance. A $5,000 grant was approved to assist in the implementation of these recommendations for the ropes course.YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County
A grant of $5,000 was approved to contribute to a capital program to build a Wellness Center at the existing site. The program is designed to encourage youth and families to become more active in their lifestyles as a healthy way to prevent obesity and the many chronic diseases associated with it.Family and Children's Services (F&CS)
F&CS has announced a capital campaign to fund the consolidation of agency departments into one facility with resultant program efficiencies and cost savings. A grant of $30,000, payable over two years was approved to support this campaign.EDUCATION, ARTS, AND HUMANITIES
Kitchen Theatre Company (KTC)
KTC has presented 42 new plays and performance pieces during its 17 seasons, many of which have incorporated musical components. Its commitment to riskier work, new work and diverse theatrical approaches has earned a reputation of being the place to go when longing for the stimulating theater life of a larger city. A grant of $5,000 was approved as a contribution to the creation of the Underscoring the Future fund. This fund is established for the production of original music at KTC that will be used for commissioning composers, lyricists, and musicians, and underscoring of plays for future productions.Paleontological Research Institution (PRI)
John Gurche, the artist-in-residence at PRI is creating an exhibit of life sized sculptures of ancient humans to be ultimately used for a major new Smithsonian Institution exhibition on human evolution. His in process work will be done in the PRI lobby in an area especially established for public viewing. A grant of $3,000 was approved to purchase materials and accessories to be used to establish the selected site.Light in Winter (LIW)
A grant of $5,000 was approved to assist LIW to underwrite the performance, Memories of Now and the Future, two pieces written by the renowned composer Bruce Adolphe and performed by the Daedalus String Quartet and Marija Stroke. Securing underwriting funds for the various festival performances allows low ticket prices and in some cases free ticket offerings to broaden the base of local citizens' participation.Community School of Music & Art (CSMA)
A grant of $5,000 was approved to assist the organization to accomplish repairs to the building elevator. CSMA conducts its free offerings in a five-story building, three stories being used for its instruction and performances and two stories leased for commercial use. CSMA serves thousands of students, their families, and attendees of public events annually and employs 75 faculty members and staff.Hangar Theatre
The "A Hangar for All Seasons" capital campaign to completely renovate the facility was recently announced. A grant of $30,000 payable over two years was approved. With these renovations the theatre will become a year round facility providing new uses for students of all ages during their school terms. New uses for the community at large, after the summer theatre program, will also be developed and marketed.HEALTH AND PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Ithaca Health Alliance (IHA)
IHA operates the Ithaca Free Clinic that provides urgent health care services to the under an underinsured Tompkins County. The free clinic is a public service whose activities also include health education and a grants program to assist members with health care expenses. Since its inception in 2006 strong partnerships have been developed with Cayuga Medical Center, Planned Parenthood, County Mental Health Services and the Health Planning Council. A grant of $1,984 was approved to complete the cost of implementing Purified Protein Derivative tests, a new offering to screen patients for tuberculosis, diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus and toxoid immunizations.Challenge Industries
$10,000 was approved as a grant to partially fund a feasibility study to evaluate among several cost-saving alternative energy options to allow expansion of the Finger Lakes Fresh (FLF) operation. FLF began as a Hydroponics Greenhouse developed by Cornell University as a research project on the use of controlled environment technology to promote plant growth. Challenge became involved in 2002, took over management in 2005 and assumed full ownership in December 2006. The project has evolved into a successful business venture with annual retail sales of over $575,000.Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga (CCTT)
CCTT maintains a fund to provide emergency assistance to low-income citizens. Over $13,000 was available for 2007 and 2008 assistance that included utility payment help for those receiving utility shut-off notices. Assistance requests had increased significantly over this period jeopardizing the viability of the fund. $5,000 was granted to augment the fund through 2008.The New York Coalition for Healthy School Food.
This coalition designed a healthy school food pilot program for implementation at the Beverly J. Martin Elementary School. The program provides free fresh fruits and vegetables as an alternative to unhealthy competitive foods as snacks during the school day. The hope is that a successful experience will lead to replication in other schools and ultimately the elimination of unhealthy snack food in the educational environment. A grant of $5,000 was approved to assist in this project's implementation.Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service (SPCS)
A grant of $5,600 was approved to replace the outdated information system software that supports the Crisisline operations. This new web-based system allows immediate and more sophisticated links to agency confidential information and real-time links to referral information.CloseToHome Productions
This organization creates documentary films. They were contracted by Hospicare and Palliative Services of Tompkins County to create a film titled Comfort and Dignity: The Hospice Movement in the U.S. A $4,000 grant was approved to apply to the filing and editing of the documentary.Hospicare and Palliative Services of Tompkins County
A grant of $10,000 was approved to partially fund a project to replace furniture and furnishing for patient rooms, the common areas used by family members and general facility space. The hospice residence opened in 1995 offering six private patient rooms and an accompanying common area for family members. For over ten years the residence has been almost constantly filled to capacity.Human Services Coalition Health Planning Council
"Gettting Serious about Asthma Control for Youth" is a program being piloted in several area schools. A $5,000 grant was approved to assist in extending the impact of this program through the 2008/2009 school years.Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes (CRCFL)
CRCFL, formerly the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance, has changed names and its mission to provide support programs for individuals with any cancer. Programs include self-care and prevention, early detection screening, support for persons in treatment and survivorship issues. $10,000 was granted to partially fund the establishment of a new survivorship issues program.TST BOCES
Health and wellness was identified as a top priority for employees by a team of employees who completed a professional development planning process. This precipitated the development of an employee Walking Program. A grant of $1,200 was approved to purchase pedometers to be furnished to participants in the program.Beechtree Care Center
A three phase project named "Dining at Home" was identified to redecorate the resident dining room and lounge to provide a homelike comfortable environment for the residents and for community based support groups who utilize the home. A grant of $4,000 was approved to partially fund Phase one of this project.The Advocacy Center of Tompkins County
This is a crime victim's agency, which provides a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, counseling, transportation and accompaniment support to other services. A grant of $5,000 was approved to partially fund the replacement of a telephone system for office operations and hotline services.COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT
Coddington Road Community Center (CRCC)
CRCC was incorporated as a community center in 1949 and effectively used as such for many years. After some years of disuse, in 1980, it was redeveloped as a childcare facility. It is now a center licensed for 48 children in the pre-school and school-age programs. The summer camp program provides outdoor education and recreation for nearly 100 youths per day and is the only county program that offers a per-day-rate. A summer job-training program is operated for 15-20 teens. The parking lot, playgrounds, pavilions and porta-johns are available to the public and are used by numerous youth and adult sports teams throughout the year. A grant of $4,000 was approved to contribute to a capital campaign to upgrade the outdoor facility space and equipment.The Ladies Union Benevolent Society (LUBS)
A $5,000 grant was approved to partially fund the replacement of the McGraw House roof deck. McGraw House was constructed in 1971 with funds raised by LUBS and a HUD grant. It has 105 studio and one-bedroom apartments housing 110 senior residents. The 5,500 square foot roof deck and its gardens are essential quality of life elements for the residents.Human Services Coalition (HSC)
A grant of $4,000 was approved to partially fund the HSC "2-1-1 Tompkins" awareness program. The program is a telephone call-in system that provides callers with information referral to food resources, legal services, health care, housing assistance, health insurance programs, youth services, senior programs, services for people with disabilities, mental health counseling, transportation, consumer information, financial assistance, day care, recreation, alcohol and substance abuse services, volunteer opportunities and other community services.
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