Several Chautauqua Region Community Foundation grants support programs for children throughout the county.

They include:

MEALS

Summer meal programs ensure that children receive nutritious food and are crucial for combating childhood hunger. The team at Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc plays a key role in providing nutritious meals during the summer months. Support from the foundation made meal delivery to summer youth sites possible.

EDUCATION

Libraries offer children a practical escape from less productive pastimes during the unstructured summer months. The foundation continued its partnership with the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System by supporting mini-grants to 17 member libraries to assist with the costs of supplies, materials and activities for summer reading programs.

DAY CAMP AND CAMPERSHIPS

The Community Support Group of Southwestern NY’s received support for their four-week summer recreation program for elementary aged youth. The program serves the communities of Mina, Clymer, and Findley Lake where childcare access is quite limited. The Relief Zone received support for their summer program, which offered full-day childcare and enrichment for school-age youth in Frewsburg and the surrounding area.

The Todd A. Town Memorial Fund made its first award in 2024 to support campers at the YMCA’s Camp Onyahsa. Other support for Camp Onyahsa came from the Spiro G. Bello Camp Scholarship Fund, Lyons Family Onyahsa Campership Fund, Chambers Family Campership Fund and Vincent R. Nalbone Memorial Fund.

OUTDOOR RECREATION

Parks and playgrounds offer essential opportunities for children to stay active and socialize beyond the structured environment of summer camps. The foundation supported improvements to the Eastside and Westside Overland Trails, which are seeing increased utilization. The Jackson Rohm Fund made its first award to Chautauqua Striders in support of their Youth Track and Field Development program. This support helps make the program more affordable for families. The Village of Celoron received a grant toward the cost of installation of the solid surface for its new playground at Lucille Ball Memorial Park.

The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation administers over 700 endowments in support of emerging community needs, charitable organizations and local students pursuing higher education. For more information visit www.crcfonline.org or contact Lisa Lynde, Donor Services Officer at 716-661-3390 or llynde@crcfonline.org.