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LEAD Council Holiday Giving Fund Awards Nearly $7,000
to Brighten the Season Across the Region
Published: December 22, 2023
at 07:00 p.m.
By: Press Release from NNY Community Foundation
LEAD Council Holiday Giving Fund Awards Nearly $7,000
to Brighten the Season Across the Region
Young Professionals Boost Community Initiatives in
Three Counties
 WATERTOWN — The Northern New
York Community Foundation’s LEAD Council will award $6,738 through its
Holiday Giving Fund to three programs that make the holidays special for
Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence County residents.
The advisory
committee of young professionals established the LEAD Holiday Giving Fund
at the Community Foundation in 2020 to help brighten the season for
tri-county residents in need. Between generous gifts to the fund and a
matching commitment from the Community Foundation, three nonprofits that
manage holiday programs will each receive $2,246 in support to strengthen
their efforts. They include:
Christmas Crusade
for Kids — Led by Tunes 92.5/104.5 FM Intrepid Broadcasting, Watertown, this initiative
provides holiday gifts to children and families across Northern New York.
The effort is a collaboration with the Community Action Planning Council of
Jefferson County, Watertown Urban Mission, the Salvation Army Watertown
Corps, Catholic Charities, and Toys for Tots.
Potsdam Holiday
Fund — This nonprofit provides annual support to St. Lawrence County
individuals and families in need with gifts, food baskets, and winter
clothing. Funding from this matching challenge will strengthen the
organization’s voucher program this year.
Christmas Sharing
Holiday Assistance — This program of the Lowville Food Pantry distributes
gifts, toys, food boxes, and more to children, families, and seniors in
need across Lewis County.
A portion of the
award to the Lowville Christmas Sharing Program will help the food pantry
purchase traditional boxes of cereal for families in need, an item that had
been in short supply. Council members purchased and distributed more than
200 boxes of cereal last weekend with US Foods also providing a cereal donation
curated by LEAD members.
“The year-end
holiday initiative has become one of LEAD’s most meaningful and tangible
efforts,” said Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director.
“This matching opportunity has significant reach and the generosity from
donors who participate is an important lift for children and families
across the North Country. The Community Foundation is grateful to have such
devoted young professionals represent our mission across the region
throughout the year.”
Tim Sweeney,
TUNES 92.5/104.5 FM Intrepid Broadcasting vice president, said support from
the LEAD Holiday Giving Fund is the “angel atop the tree” for the Christmas
Crusade for Kids and will extend its giving to dozens more local families.
“We are grateful
for the heartfelt compassion of all who helped their neighbors this holiday
season as well as the leadership of the Community Foundation and its LEAD
Council,” Mr. Sweeney said. “The generosity of so many will help bring joy
to more than 1,000 families. North Country residents came through in a very
special way to support the 16th Annual ‘Christmas Crusade for Kids.’”
As essential
needs across the region evolve, LEAD members continue to prioritize
additional support to help vulnerable individuals, children, and families
through these well-established initiatives.
“On behalf of the
LEAD Council, thank you to our communities and partners for another
successful Holiday Giving Challenge,” Council Chair Anna Platz said. “We
look forward to this event every year. It’s a unique opportunity to support
Christmas Crusade for Kids, the Potsdam Holiday Fund, and the Lowville
Christmas Sharing Program that make the holidays much more special for our
neighbors in need. The Challenge is truly a complement to the meaningful
work these organizations do each day.”
The Community
Foundation’s LEAD Council is comprised of 13 young professionals who live
and work in Northern New York. LEAD was created to engage and empower the
next generation of community leaders in meaningful and strategic work in
collaboration with the Northern New York Community Foundation.
The LEAD Council
program and experience is made possible through the generosity of the Hyde-Stone
Charitable Foundation of the Northern New York Community Foundation, Carthage
Savings and Loan Association, Morgia Wealth Management, and
donors to the Friends of the Foundation Annual Community Betterment Fund.
Contact Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director, 315-782-7110,
or max@nnycf.org, to learn more about how LEAD and its work.
PHOTO: Mike Hanno,
left, Lowville Food Pantry, accepts a gift of 200 boxes of cereal from LEAD
Council Chair Anna Platz
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.
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