The Glens Falls Foundation has awarded $180,000 in grants to three community organizations for new efforts to fight intergenerational poverty and help families in crisis in Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties.
The first-ever Critical Community Needs grants were awarded to the Open Door Mission, Crandall Public Library, and the Family Service Association.
The Glens Falls Foundation, established in 1939, customarily provides smaller grants in response to applications from local non-profit organizations, civic groups and schools for community-oriented programs.
In 2014, the foundation created the Critical Community Needs grant program and proactively solicited proposals from local non-profits to address poverty and families in crisis.
Officials said nearly one in five children in Warren and Washington counties lives in poverty. Of even greater concern, 41 percent of the households that are led by women and where children are present in Washington County fall below the poverty line as do 36 percent of the households led by women with children in Warren County and 26 percent in Saratoga County.
“Poverty, long-term unemployment and homelessness affect thousands of people in our community, and these challenges are spreading from one generation to the next,” said Donna Perkett, chairwoman of the foundation Distribution Committee. “We want to support the local agencies and organizations that are on the front lines every day, helping individuals and families as they struggle to get out and stay out of poverty and build a better life. We asked local non-profit organizations to come up with innovative, collaborative approaches, and they have done so.
“Our help is a start, but only that. We hope this will be an ongoing community effort supported by other foundations, businesses and charitable groups.”
Initially, the Glens Falls Foundation planned to award a single $60,000 grant but found the proposed programs so compelling it ultimately decided to award $60,000 to each of the three applicants:
• The Open Door Mission, which serves more than 20,000 meals annually and operates an emergency shelter for homeless people, will receive $60,000 to support a broad expansion of its outreach programs and its facilities.
• Crandall Public Library will receive $60,000 to create the first local, centralized community information resource, including a web portal and database, to connect people in poverty or without jobs with the services, training and support they need.
• The Family Service Association of Glens Falls will receive $60,000 to develop a new educational and long-term support program to help struggling families achieve economic independence and move out of poverty by collaborating with Adirondack Samaritan Counseling Center, schools, and businesses in our communities.
Kim Cook, director of the Open Door, said the foundation “has followed a very diligent process. They clearly understand that addressing poverty in our community requires close collaboration from all sectors.”
Kim Sopczyk, executive director of the Family Service Association, said moving families out of poverty is the first step to helping others in the community. “On behalf of our Board and myself, I would like to thank The Glens Falls Foundation for believing in our programs, in our families and in our communities.”
Kathleen U. Naftaly, director of Crandall Public Library, said access to timely, accurate, in-depth, local information allows individuals and families in generational poverty or situational crisis to discover pathways to help. “The information portal we will create will benefit public- and private-sector agencies, religious organizations, healthcare providers, educational institutions and caring individuals as a guide to connect with each other to serve those in need. We thank the Glens Falls Foundation for their insight into the importance of making connections among the various sectors of our community that are addressing these issues.”