The B’nai B’rith Gideon Foundation is proud to announce that they have awarded $300,000 in grants to support low-income rental housing and/or related social and recreational facilities and programs for low-income families and elderly individuals, and persons with disabilities.
The B’nai B’rith Gideon Foundation awarded grants to 15 nonprofit organizations, with the Community Foundation providing administrative and grantmaking support. This was the first time the two groups have worked together to award grants. They will continue working together in 2017 to expand their grantmaking with two rounds of awards—one in spring 2017, and another in fall 2017, with a total of $400,000 in funding expected for 2017.
Pre-application materials and guidelines for B’nai B’rith Gideon Foundation funding is available at www.cfgcr.org/upcominggrantdeadlines.php. Pre-applications for 2017 funding are due to the Community Foundation by April 5 or September 7.
“It was a joy making these grants,” said David Hollander, President, B’nai B’rith Gideon Foundation Board of Directors. “Funding from the B’nai B’rith Gideon Foundation will help seniors, homeless youth and families, people with chronic diseases or disabilities, and others live safer, healthier, fuller lives. It’s an honor to provide support for the organizations receiving grants in 2016, and we greatly look forward to our two grant cycles in 2017.”
“The Community Foundation is happy to have worked with the B’nai B’rith Gideon Foundation to award these grants,” said Jackie Mahoney, Vice President of Programs, the Community Foundation. “The Foundation has one overarching goal: to strengthen the greater Capital Region through philanthropy. Working with organizations like the B’nai B’rith Gideon Foundation to award grants to nonprofits helps us to achieve that goal, all while making our community a better place for some of our most vulnerable residents.”
PROGRAMS RECEIVING FUNDING:
- Alliance for Positive Health (formerly the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York): $10,000 for “Housing for Health.” This program supports stable and safe housing for clients, many of whom are living with HIV/AIDS, by providing security deposits and/or rental assistance.
- Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Housing Development Fund Corp., Inc.: $25,000 for facility improvements at Council Meadows, a senior living facility for low-income elderly adults, veterans, and people with disabilities.
- Chabad at Union College: $5,000 for “Shabbat to Share – Challah with Love.” Through this program, Union College students bring challah and good cheer each week to senior residents of Schenectady B’nai B’rith, housing for low-income and disabled seniors.
- Congregation Beth Emeth: $25,000 for “Connecting Our Seniors.” Funding for this program will provide seniors with transportation services for programming and religious services, volunteer training and activities, live-streaming for Shabbat services, and quarterly Shabbat dinners with clergy. Additionally, grant funds will be used to give holiday cards and care packages to more than 200 congregants aged 80 and over for the Jewish New Year in 2017.
- The Massry Residence at Daughters of Sarah: $25,000 for the Massry Residence Connectivity Project. This funding will cover the cost of installing wi-fi, allowing the organization to move to an electronic medical record system for residents, as well as buying and installing large-screen TVs for digital communication with residents, and upgrading the existing sound system to better serve residents who are hard-of-hearing.
- Daughters of Sarah Housing Foundation: $30,000 for the Massry Scholarship Fund. Funding will be included in The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc. Endowment Fund at Daughters of Sarah, which provides scholarships for monthly bills to qualified residents of the Massry Residence.
- Equinox, Inc.: $25,000 for Project Independence. Grant funds will be used to cover gaps in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding for rental costs for apartments for formerly homeless youth aged 16-21.
- Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless: $25,000 for the Permanent Supportive Housing Program. Funds will be used to expand case management services and support for formerly homeless people and families. Clients will receive case management services focused on long-term housing retention, stability, and self-sufficiency.
- Jewish Family Services of Northeastern New York: $10,000 for the Villages at Ohav Apartments. Grant funds will expand Neighborhood Naturally-Occurring Retirement Community services such as healthcare, friendly visiting, transportation, and case management to seniors living in Ohav Shalom Apartments.
- Maimonides Hebrew Day School: $20,000 for Better Together Senior Programs. This program provides friendly visiting services to seniors by Maimonides students. Grant funds will be used for curriculum development and implementation, program supervision, supplies, and travel costs.
- Palace Performing Arts Center/Cohoes Music Hall: $15,000 for Tuesdays at the Movies. Grant funds will provide weekly lunches at Cohoes Senior Center and matinee movie viewings at Cohoes Music Hall to more than 500 seniors from Ogden Mills, Cayuga Plaza, and McDonald Towers apartments.
- Robert and Dorothy Ludwig JCC of Schenectady: $25,000 for LEV: Learning, Enrichment and Volunteering for B’nai B’rith residents. Funding will be used for equipment and educational, social, volunteering, and community programs for Schenectady B’nai B’rith residents and people with disabilities in Schenectady County.
- Schenectady Inner City Ministry: $10,000 for security deposits for City of Schenectady residents. Funds will provide security deposits for 20-25 working Schenectady residents who need to move and who are not receiving public assistance.
- Sidney Albert Albany Jewish Community Center: $25,000 for Senior Adult Services. Grant funds will support and grow programs currently used by more than 4,000 seniors each year. Funds will help provide meals, social and fitness activities, outings, and respite care for caregivers.
- United Tenants of Albany: $25,000 for the Homeless Prevention Program. Funds will provide emergency rental assistance for low-income residents at risk of eviction, as well as housing counseling, case management, budget counseling, tenants’ rights information, mediation services, and more.