Community Works Campaign at Vassar College

Posted with permission from Reunite Migrant Families (2023 CW Grantee):

"I would like to thank you, all of Vassar's Community Works Committee, and the employees who contribute, for the very generous donations given to Reunite Migrant Families (Grannies Respond) this past year. The year flew by with many new challenges as well as many new opportunities.

When the 70+ men were bused up to the Red Roof Inn from NYC we were positioned to take the lead in a new coalition of organizations and places of worship we called Dutchess Welcoming. We provided clothing, hygiene items, bikes, chromebooks, and much more to help them get started here. We worked with other organizations, like Dutchess Outreach and Fareground, to provide good food when the contracting company's meals were substandard. We were able to provide resources like ENL and BOCES classes and transportation. (Vassar students and professors often attend the Saturday ENL classes which host students speaking quite a variety of languages.) Initial legal help has been provided through Bard college's Danielle Riou and her network of interns from Vassar, Bard and Marist. It's been very gratifying to watch as many of the men have thrived, getting jobs, drivers licenses and gone to classes at BOCES and DCC.

At the same time, many new immigrant families and individuals have been moving to Dutchess County, including from Ecuador, Venezuela and Ukraine. The pastors we work with have been incredibly busy trying to help so many who have arrived both traumatized and with almost nothing in hand. We have been so fortunate to be able to help with rent, medicine, food, clothing, hygiene products, transportation and more. Our growing network has supplied many donations of items and services as well.

I'm taking out the time to write this thank you because we would like the entire Vassar community to know how much we appreciate all the support that has been given to RMF over almost seven years now. We couldn't have done all that we have managed to do without it. The Community Works grant was the topping on the cake. Thank you.

All the best,
Valerie Carlisle
and the rest of Reunite Migrant Families"
https://www.granniesrespond.org/

Community Works will be accepting credit card contributions through the website and checks through the end of the year. It is not required to complete the pledge form if you are paying by check. Please make checks out to Vassar College, include "Community Works" on the memo line, and send to Community Works, Vassar College Box 144, 124 Raymond Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604. Visit communityworks.vassar.edu for more information.

The Payroll Deduction option to contribute to Community Works must be completed by December 18th. Instructions will be emailed Friday, December 15 to all Vassar employees.

If you are not sure if your payroll deduction request was successful, search “My flexible payments and deductions” in Workday. You will get a screen like the screenshot below. If you click on the report you should see your deduction request for Community Works. The amount due will be 0 because this will begin in January.

The 2023 Campaign is in full swing with a goal of $87,500, with $22,000 received to date. Please consider making a donation this holiday season and help us reach our goal! Visit the website today!

Community Works - Vassar College Community Works is Vassar’s annual giving campaign for local non-profit organizations. Funded by donations from employees, trustees, and students, Community Works has provided over $1 million in grants to over 50 different groups since its inception in 2001. Recipients are selected each year by an...

Community Works in action!

Thank you to the committee of the Vassar College Community Works for choosing Community Matters 2, Inc. as one of the recipient of funds donated by the faculty and staff. Shout out to all the other past and future recipients. We are beyond appreciative and value the relationship we have built. Thank you!!

Our final 2021 charity highlight is a small but impactful program that provides a creative outlet for Poughkeepsie and other local teens who want to find their voice through theater and acting. The Poughkeepsie Youth Theater is an especially important haven for students who are drawn to the theater arts in the absence of a theater program at their own schools.

Poughkeepsie Youth Theatre (PYT) Is a weekly, free after school program for young people ages 13-18 where participants play drama games, improvise scenes, learn to act on stage and create and perform original theatre. Reflecting on their world and what matters to them, participants engage in story-circles, create scenes, improvise them, and determine what has most meaning in devising their play. Operated by Family Services and supported by theatre professionals alongside Vassar College and Dutchess Community College drama students, participants rehearse and refine their work in preparation for a performance each spring where the PYT showcase their skills in a play that they have built together.

Though Vassar college is located in Dutchess County, we have many employees, Alumnae/i and Emeriti that live or have ties just across the river in Ulster County and we wanted to support those communities as well in 2021.

With that in mind we have selected the Family of Woodstock - a multi-program human service agency providing emergency and crisis services throughout Ulster County. Founded in 1970, they run one of the oldest continuously operating 24-hour-a-day emergency switchboards in the country, which is county-wide and toll free, as well as operating numerous walk-in centers and emergency shelters in Woodstock, New Paltz, Ellenville and Kingston. They provide a broad network of individuals, paid and volunteer, whose mission is to provide confidential and fully accessible crisis intervention, information, prevention, and support services to address the needs of individuals and families in crisis throughout Ulster County. In addition to assisting individuals, Family of Woodstock continually seeks to improve the quality of life in their community by addressing gaps in services and by advocating for more comprehensive, effective, culturally appropriate and humane responses to people’s needs.

https://www.familyofwoodstockinc.org/

The committee is also happy to support this new local charity in 2021 - Dutchess County Pride Center.

“This is so exciting and we do so appreciate it. As a 100% volunteer run organization, all donations go directly towards providing services for the community and I am so excited about what we can create with these funds.”

Dutchess County Pride Center is a safe place for members of the LGBTQ+ community in Dutchess County, including LGBTQ+ youth, young adults and their families, and allies to feel comfortable and free to express themselves. Their goal is to support, educate and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, including LGBTQ+ youth and their families, through outreach, support groups and social events.

http://www.dutchesspridecenter.org

One of our ten selected charities to support this year is the Brielle Grace Cancer Foundation, a small local charity, serves those diagnosed with breast cancer by providing financial support for breast cancer patients’ medical bills, funds mammograms for early breast cancer detection and donates to New York research facilities. The Foundation provides services to local recipients through fundraising events, donations and grants. The Foundation’s mission is to save lives and was founded by Dawn Fortis, a two-time cancer survivor. She has a vision to save one life at a time and to help create a breast cancer free world.

“On behalf of the Brielle Grace Breast Cancer Foundation’s President Dawn Fortis and our Board of Directors, we are honored to be a recipient of funds from the 2021 Vassar Community Works Program.

We would like to thank you and all the members of the Community Works Campaign Committee at Vassar College for selecting our Foundation this year. By supporting local non-profit organizations each year, Vassar College has shown its commitment to making our community a better place.”

https://www.briellegracebreastcancerfoundation.com/homemission

Getting back to our 2021 Community Works recipients...

With a firm belief in human resilience, Exodus Transitional Community delivers innovative programming tailored to adults and youth affected by the justice system, and advocates for a society in which all can achieve social, economic, and spiritual well-being. In their 20+ years of work and advocacy, they have proudly supported more than 10,000 people affected by the criminal justice system, advocating for their rights, collaborating with them on skill-building, and placing these resilient, hard-working, talented individuals in jobs all over New York State. Exodus works locally through offices in both Poughkeepsie and Newburgh.

https://www.etcny.org/

Exodus Transitional Community With a firm belief in human resilience, we deliver innovative programming tailored to adults and youth affected by the justice system, and advocate for a society in which all can achieve social, economic, and spiritual well-being.

Our sincerest thanks to the Vassar community for their generosity this season - on December 18 at 3:30 pm we made our goal - $80,120 and 225 donors!

The Community Works Committee set the fundraising goal higher than usual this year because, even though it has been a difficult year for everyone, we knew that our broader community needed our support more than ever.

We had confidence the Vassar community would step up to meet that need, and you did in spectacular fashion - THANK YOU!

We will still accept one time donations into 2021 - if you didn't have a chance to donate this year please consider joining Vassar employees, Almunae/i, and Emeriti in supporting our local charities!
https://pages.vassar.edu/communityworks/make-a-contribution/

2021 Contribution Form :: Community Works After the deadline, employees may still make a one-time contribution via debit or credit card. For more information, email [email protected].

Our next Community Works recipient shares our committee's value of supporting and celebrating "Community".

Community Matters 2, Inc., aka CM2, was formed in 2018 to initiate communal growth by organizing events and establishing programs with local organizations for residents and youth with common goals that sparks community engagement. CM2 believes in order for a community to thrive, people must work together and be the change or improvement they are asking for. They connect local Poughkeepsie organizations through food drives, park clean ups, open gyms and clinics as well as through community celebrations of local businesses and community groups.

“On behalf of everyone at Community Matters 2, Inc. we would like to say thank you to [the committee], the staff and Vassar College. We truly appreciate you all.”
https://www.communitymatters2.org/

Frequently our Vassar colleagues nominate charities for Community Works because they are personally involved as volunteers and see the good and important work the charity does first hand. That is certainly the case with the NY Chapter of Alternatives to Violence Project:

“As a volunteer for AVP at the Bedford Hills Women's Correctional Facility (and Sing Sing Correctional Facility many years ago), I can personally attest to how these women and men greatly appreciate and benefit from training in non-violence, communication and becoming part of an AVP community that is committed to positive and transformative change. Indeed, these individuals become active as community mentors, role models and supporters for one another in good times (celebrating any hopeful or positive news) and also when they are struggling (for a myriad number of reasons, including with their mental health). Now with COVID restrictions on outside visitors they, more than ever, rely on each other for support.

Once again, thank you for all the work you are doing on this committee, and for including AVP-NY Chapter in this year's list of recipients for the Community Works campaign.”

Alternatives to Violence Project is an association of community, school and prison-based groups offering experiential workshops in personal growth, community development and creative conflict management. Founded in prison and developed from the real life experiences of prisoners, AVP encourages every person’s innate power to positively transform first themselves and then the world we live in. Through their local chapter, AVP brings together diverse groups of people in the Mid-Hudson region to build Dr. King’s nonviolent “beloved community”, creating a more peaceful and equitable world.

https://avpusa.org/

Because Covid has exposed the urgent need to address the digital divide in our community, our next initiative funded through this year's Community Works campaign is the Poughkeepsie Community WiFi Project - led by local non-profit, Nubian Directions II.

“Fantastic! Wonderful News! Our thanks to the Vassar employee that nominated us, the employee committee that chose us, and the 2021 Vassar Community Works program for granting us the funds. We are grateful and humbled by the generosity of Vassar employee donors. Thank you.”

This project endeavors to provide free Wi-Fi access to “unconnected” City of Poughkeepsie residents through a local WiFi mesh network that is community owned and supported. This WiFi mesh network will aid in closing the socio-economic digital divide while building a technology inclusive community in this critical time. Local city residents and Poughkeepsie City School District students currently can access free WiFi/internet access already installed in a variety of locations throughout the city of Poughkeepsie and the expansion of this project will increase that access across the city.

http://nubiandirections.org/index.html

Nubian Directions II Inc Nubian Directions II, Inc. is the premier agency for developing workforce skills for youth and adults. We provide technology training, work readiness skills and educational support services for youth and adults to enhance workforce skills. Complete Feature List

In this year of unprecedented struggle and hardship, our next 2021 charity recipient responds directly to our neighbors in need.

The Dutchess Outreach Emergency Relief Program works on a daily basis with families and individuals who are facing various emergencies in their lives. From not being able to afford vital medication in order to remain healthy to facing imminent danger of utility shut-off, Dutchess Outreach provides relief in the way of one-time grants of financial assistance on a case by case basis.

Last year the emergency fund distributed over $33,000 to 266 families, including 86 children, for rent, utility payment and medication expenses.

The Vassar College Community Works employee charitable giving fund drive will end on December 18th! Your donation goes to support ten local charities that we will highlight over the next two weeks.

First up, the Victim Services program of Family Services in Poughkeepsie.

“Thank you for this very heartening and gratifying news. We are quite appreciative of all of the many ways that you, Dr. Bradley, the students and employees of the Vassar community support the work of Family Services. Greatly Appreciated!”

Family Services provides 24/7 support to Hudson Valley residents who are victims of violence and other crimes. Family Services offers support through three multidisciplinary and victim-centered Crisis Service programs that empower survivors and their families: Universal Response to Domestic Violence (URDV), Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and Center for Victim Safety and Support (CVSS). They are recognized leaders in the community’s response to domestic violence and sexual assault, helping victims understand they are not alone, their safety is a priority, and they have options. Their person centered approach supports survivors’ rights, dignity, healing and self-determination.

Make your donation through payroll deduction, one time credit card payment or mail a check using the form at this site: https://communityworks.vassar.edu/

On this Giving Tuesday, please consider a donation to Vassar’s own Community Works, which supports 10 local nonprofits selected by College employees. https://communityworks.vassar.edu/

Community Works - Vassar College Community Works is Vassar’s annual giving campaign for local non-profit organizations. Funded by donations from employees, trustees, and students, Community Works has provided over $1 million in grants to over 50 different groups since its inception in 2001. Recipients are selected each year by an...

2020 Community Works Campaign Kicks Off - Employees Can Make a Real Impact on the Community As the region faces multiple challenges during the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and social injustice, supporting Vassar’s Community Works campaign is more important than ever.

Congrats to our raffle winners and a huge thank you to our raffle donors, BurgerFi, Three Arts, Style by Noemy, Barber Haus, Bardavon, Bon Apetit, All Shook Up, College Bookstore, Tomato Cafe, Essie’s, Bounce, HalfTime, Arlington Liquors, and Adams FairAcre Farms. ❤️

Our next charity is the the Ulster Immigrant Defense Network. Based in Kingston and working regionally with many community partners such as Nobody Leaves Mid Hudson, the Rural and Migrant Ministry, and numerous regional faith communities, the UIDN provides a network of safety and support to immigrants, regardless of status.

They help with:
Household needs including food, clothing, furniture, school supplies, and emergency financial aid; Know-your-rights information; Referrals to legal support and social services; Community education and advocacy; Safe spaces and sanctuary; Rapid response to ICE actions; Information and support to schools, students, and families; Transportation and/or accompaniment for health care and school-related appointments, court appearances, ICE check-ins, and other official meetings.

UIDN will use the grant from Community Works to continue its varied services to our undocumented neighbors and the asylum seekers who have arrived in the mid-Hudson region. They have been expanding their after school program for immigrant children and will use some of this grant money for supplies for this program. They will also access these funds to facilitate transportation to and from Immigration Court at Federal Plaza, NYC and the ICE office in the Bronx and in some cases the money will be used to pay for bond to gain the release of detainees.

https://www.facebook.com/UlsterIDN/

https://communityworks.vassar.edu/

The Ulster Immigrant Defense Network – Because We All Belong

Community Works is pleased to include the Poughkeepsie Teen Closet as one of our grant recipients for 2020!

Currently located in the Poughkeepsie High and Middle Schools, Teen Closet recognizes that the teen years can be a challenging time for any young person, especially for those in families facing financial difficulties. Teen Closet relies on the generosity of community donors and a partnership with the Poughkeepsie City School District to provide personal hygiene products, undergarments, winter essentials, and emergency food relief so that every student in the City of Poughkeepsie can come to school feeling healthy, secure, confident and ready to learn.

The Vassar Community Works grant will allow Teen Closet to expand its outreach, which has been primarily focused on Poughkeepsie High School, to the Poughkeepsie Middle School and the PACE Academy. Teen Closet will also be able to provide more regular assistance to our homeless student population and to our school nurses by supplying them hygiene products and essential clothing items for student use.

Thank you for you generous donation for our raffles. This would make a great gift anytime. Be sure to make your donation to be entered into the raffle. This yummy bucket could be yours!
https://communityworks.vassar.edu