The Gifford Newsletter

Winter 2020  |  Recognizing growth and capacity building in CNY

Banner Photo Credit: Daylight Blue Media

Meet Our New Board Members

It is our pleasure to welcome these talented individuals to our Board of Directors as we enter 2020. We would also like to recognize those leaving our board: Mayor Ben Walsh, M. Catherine Richardson, and Gwyn Mannion. We will miss them and are eternally grateful for their years of incredible service and dedication to our mission. Learn More

Maithreyee Dubé

Currently the Manager of Enrollment at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, Dubé has an impressive history of leadership and innovation throughout the educational sector.

Matt Gardner

Gardner has more than 12 years of experience in the accounting and financial sector. He cofounded his own company, Gardner & Caparelli, in 2016 and has played on active role on several nonprofit boards throughout the Syracuse area.

Jennifer Sanders

An Emmy nominated global journalist, news anchor, college professor, and documentary filmmaker, Sanders is passionate about helping and empowering people through visual storytelling. She is currently the morning news anchor for NewsChannel 9 WSYR-TV, the ABC affiliate in Syracuse.

Ryan York

York is an Investment Advisor Representative and Portfolio Manager who focuses on the unique needs of high net worth individuals and business owners. He started his own wealth management company after spending 8 years at a local regional broker dealer where he served as CEO for four years.

Truth, Justice, and the CNY Way

It is widely known that in criminal cases, an attorney will be provided for you if you cannot afford one. But what happens with civil cases? Many people do not realize that the protections offered by the Sixth Amendment only cover criminal proceedings, except in certain circumstances. People who are facing eviction, custody issues, or any one of a long list of potential civil cases can easily find themselves in great peril if they are not able to afford an attorney. This is where the Volunteer Lawyers Project of Onondaga County steps in.

Broadening Perspectives:

Capacity Building

Capacity building is an essential part of the Gifford Foundation’s mission and identity. While grantmaking is a form of capacity building all on its own, money cannot solve all problems – particularly internal ones. Our nonprofit community works tirelessly to serve our community; we see it as our role to help support them in that work. That is why we design programs and give grants to nonprofit organizations across CNY focusing on allowing them to build the skills necessary to plan for the future, make the most out of their resources, and identify their challenge areas.

A View Into NTL

In the fall of 2014, The Gifford Foundation decided to launch a brand new program born out of a frustration that many organizations’ boards did not reflect the populations they served. Furthermore, those same nonprofits often felt helpless when it came to enhancing diversity within their leadership structure. Gifford began to formulate a plan aimed at strengthening these committees and building their capacity, and launched Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders (NTL). As NTL enters its seventh year, we take a fresh look at the program’s purpose and progress.

Taking Animal Rescue To The Next Level

Helping Hounds Dog Rescue is having a moment. What began in 2009 as a few concerned volunteers pitching in to save a beagle and her puppies from being euthanized has turned into a mature nonprofit that is in the midst of constructing a state-of-the-art 9,000 square foot facility. Once opened, it will be one of the largest animal rescue centers of its kind in Syracuse. The story of how they arrived at this point reveals how a passion project can be leveraged into a self-sustaining organization that has a powerful impact within the community it serves.

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