First and foremost: April is National Volunteer Month. We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the incredible commitment of our many dedicated volunteers, without whom none of the work we do would be possible. Our Board and committees are 100% volunteers, and we are immensely grateful to them for the gifts of their time, expertise, and encouragement.
Earlier this month, Board and staff members participated in a racial equity training presented by the Race Matters Institute. In this training, we learned about the Racial Equity Impact Analysis, a tool that can be applied to everything we do here at NCCF to foster greater equity in our operations. Individually and as an organization, we value diversity, inclusion, and equity. At the same time, we recognize that we have a long way to go and are committed to this ongoing work.
Spring is a busy time around the office at NCCF! As the end of the school year draws nearer, our Scholarship Coordinator, Victoria Howell-Siracuse, has been working diligently along with our Scholarship Committee to ensure everything is in order as the applications poured in over the past couple of months. This year, we will award six scholarships for the first time: the Michael DiPalma Scholarship, the Terry Frazier Sr, No One Fights Alone Scholarship, the Beatrice Price Memorial Scholarship, the Leon Price Memorial Scholarship, the Jeremy Dolce Memorial Scholarship, and the Bielat-Starwalt Family Scholarship.
The committees for our Service Learning Mini-Grants and Community Grants Programs and our Program Coordinator, Eileen Ardillo, have been meeting regularly, meticulously reviewing each application received. NCCF will announce the awards at the beginning of May.
Returning this year after being put on hold in 2020 is our BLOOM Front Yard Garden Recognition Project. Participants this year are Citizens for a Better Cassadaga, Imagine Forestville (with partners from Fredonia Garden Club), and the Lily Dale Environmental Committee. The BLOOM project encourages homeowners to contribute to the beautification of their neighborhood, community, and region. Committees representing these groups met this month to begin planning the rollout in their respective communities.
2021 also brings the return of the George B. Weaver, Jr. Footprints Award, awarded to members of our community, nominated by their peers, who lead the way in our community by way of their exemplary community service and philanthropy. The Footprints committee met earlier this month to review nominations, including those received last year. The winner will be announced next month, with the award presented during our Annual Meeting on June 14th.
The newest member of our staff, Community Engagement Coordinator Leslie Wille, has been immersed in the planning process of Give Big CHQ, our county’s only regional 24-hour online fundraising event. Hosted in collaboration with Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the event is an opportunity for the nonprofit organizations serving Chautauqua County to fundraise and engage with new and existing donors. This year’s event takes place on June 10th. Interested groups can register now through May 28th at GiveBigCHQ.org.
Our office was also the site of a tulip sale this month, with all proceeds benefiting Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care. NCCF sold sixty bouquets. We are glad to have been able to support their efforts.