ESL Provides $7 Million in Grants in Third Quarter to Nonprofit Organizations throughout the Greater Rochester Region
The 105 grants will help support organizations providing critical services and programs for individuals and families throughout the community.
Rochester, NY — In the third quarter of 2024, ESL awarded 105 grants for a total of $7.4 million to local organizations providing critical services and programs to individuals and families.
“The programs and services provided by the nonprofit community in Greater Rochester are essential in strengthening our region,” said Maureen Wolfe, executive vice president /director, human resource and community impact, ESL Federal Credit Union. “ESL is proud to partner with these results-driven organizations who help individuals and families succeed in different areas of their lives.”
ESL and its Community Impact team partners with and reinvests in the community through philanthropic grants aligned with expanding individual opportunity through quality education and employment, building strong neighborhoods that are affordable and connected, and strengthening organizations. The team also works to share stories that highlight the positive, measurable outcomes of this important, benevolent work in the community.
“We are deeply grateful to ESL and their community Impact Grant for their generous support of our workforce development initiatives. This grant will empower us to expand opportunities, provide valuable training, and help individuals build the skills needed to succeed in today’s job market,’ said Juan G. Rivera Jr., director of workforce development, Ibero American Action League. “Together, we are driving positive change and strengthening our community’s economic future. So far, over 150 individuals have benefited from our program services and our client list continues to grow.”
A sample of the organizations that received grant commitments from ESL include:
Organization: Wayne County Action Program Inc
Project Title: The STEADY Work Youth Build Expansion Project
Grant Awarded: $750,000
Description: The Wayne County Action Program currently serves more than 410 at-risk youth by providing paid internships at more than 100 local businesses and industries within the Finger Lakes region. Funding will build upon their current success to sustain their current STEADY Work operations and growth and expand the program into more formal college and career opportunities for youth. ESL funding will help Wayne County Action Program leverage the funds to seek a $1,500,000 Department of Labor Youth Build Grant in 2025. This program will help improve participants' ability to secure and maintain long-term employment. he long-term goal is to increase the number of students feeding into this program each year while simultaneously diversifying the career pathways, enabling youth to discover lives filled with opportunity and hope.
Organization: The Center for Youth Services
Project Title: Monroe County Community Schools Support
Grant Awarded: $335,000
Description: In collaboration with Monroe BOCES II, East Irondequoit School District, Gates-Chili Central School District, Greece Central School District, Hilton School District, the Center for Youth will provide funds for student and family engagement opportunities, emergency family needs, and supervision and mentoring of new community schools staff members to support the holistic needs of students and families.
Organization: Ibero American Action League
Project Title: Workforce Development Enhancement at the Community Resource Center
Grant Awarded: $255,000
Description: The Ibero American Action League will increase the number of individuals and families it is able to serve at its Community Resource Center. Services and resources will help families who are participating in Ibero’s new workforce development program. Issues that will be addressed to help participants maintain and succeed at their place of employment include daycare, transportation, technological divide, workforce soft skills, heath prevention and/or health care emergencies, home repair emergencies.
Organization: Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Project Title: Creating Cradle to Career Systems Change in Geneva
Grant Awarded: $152,000
Description: Funding will support “Geneva 2030,” a collective impact entity committed to enhancing childhood development and education through community-wide improvements. The mission of the organization is to help every child thrive from cradle to career through data collection and analysis, community engagement, data-driven programming, and measurable outcomes.
Organization: Sodus Central School District
Project Title: Gathering to Dream & Learn: A Community Engagement through Placemaking (Community Schools initiative)
Grant Awarded: $47,900
Description: Wayne County Community Schools will expand its current space for learning by creating a campus approach that will provide options to meet the unique needs of families, support families with children ages birth to five, workforce development, and providing tutoring services. The newly expanded space will provide a one-stop approach that allows families and students to secure services and other support in their areas of need.
