BUFFALO, N.Y., March 5, 2020 ─ Catholic Charities of Buffalo has been named a first-round grantee of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, receiving a total of $1,743,204 from the foundation to establish or expand three programs focusing on aspects of education and training.
The foundation awarded nearly $150 million across New York
State in its first round of grants for health improvement and well-being
initiatives for low-income and underserved communities.
Catholic Charities’ grants provide for the continuation and
expansion of the In-School Social Work program, and the establishment of the
CORE (Creating Opportunities and Restoring Equity) and Nutrition~Simply Said
programs.
“Through the
generosity of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, we’ll be able to serve
distinct, in-need populations in our community while removing barriers to
achieving health and wholeness. We will help young students who need additional
support and guidance to achieve their fullest potential, help individuals to
avoid recidivism through re-entry services, and teach community members the
benefits of nutrition education and shopping on a budget,” said Deacon Steve
Schumer, Catholic Charities president and CEO. “We are deeply grateful and
excited for the positive impact we will make together in Western New York.”
“We are honored to
support such a wide range of organizations doing critically important work to
improve the lives of New York's most vulnerable communities,” said Alfred F.
Kelly, Jr., chief executive officer of Visa and chair of the Mother Cabrini
Health Foundation Board.
The In-School Social Work program received $413,000 to
continue the program, which had been previously funded through Fidelis Care;
and $637,905 to expand the program into more Catholic schools across Western
New York. For 15 years the program has provided school-based character
development and clinical social work services to students who display a need.
With the new funding, the In-School Social Work program will support students
in 21 schools and is on track to be in 25 schools by the end of this school
year. This is an increase of 11 schools over the prior 14 schools served.
The agency also received $514,029 to establish the CORE
(Creating Opportunities and Restoring Equity) program, which assists those who
have been involved in the criminal justice system by offering temporary
transitional employment to qualified candidates, along with job coaching and
career development. The program created seven staff positions within the agency
and has served 20 individuals since its inception in October 2019. Catholic
Charities’ CORE provides many of the re-entry services for Peaceprints of
Western New York’s Project Blue program, which was established at the same time
last year.
Last, Catholic Charities received $178,468 to create a basic
nutrition education program. Nutrition~Simply Said offers community members
hands-on learning about healthy eating, shopping on a budget, and nutritious
cooking through a series of trainings. Participants receive a free book of
healthy recipes and a reusable grocery bag. Trainings, which are underway at
Catholic Charities’ food pantries, are free and open to the public.
For more information on Catholic Charities or any of the
programs listed above, please visit www.ccwny.org.
