Yates relief fund awards $106,035

YATES COUNTY-The Yates Community Endowment's Emergency Relief Fund, launched in early May, has distributed 23 grants totaling $106,035 to nonprofit organizations supporting residents and businesses adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Launched in early May, the fund has raised more than $140,000 so far with contributions from individuals, businesses, family foundations, and organizations. Every dollar raised is being distributed to nonprofits providing critical services.
The Emergency Relief Fund is focused on supporting immediate and urgent needs, recovery as nonprofits return to normal operations, and resiliency relief to help nonprofits most crucial to communities' ability to thrive. Since grant applications opened eight weeks ago, a committee has been meeting weekly to review the newest requests for funding.
"With each passing week, the depth of the needs in our communities continues to be eye-opening," says Ann McMullen, a member of the Yates Community Endowment Advisory Board and co-chair of the committee reviewing grants. "This crisis is affecting every person, every organization, and every business, and we are trying to do what we can to support the essential services that people need."
The Yates Community Endowment's relief efforts are not finished. Grant applications from nonprofits continue to be submitted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications can be made by logging into the Community Foundation's grant portal, which can be found at https://bit.ly/YatesRelief.
More importantly, contributions to the Emergency Relief Fund are still needed, particularly as agencies in Yates County reopen and adapt to new ways of working. Donations can be made online using a credit card at www.racf.org/YatesRelief or mail a check payable to Yates Emergency Relief Fund, c/o Yates Community Endowment, 500 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607.
The recipients of grants from the Emergency Relief Fund so far are:
• Arts Center of Yates County ($5,000).
• Catholic Charities Community Services ($5,000).
• Cornell Cooperative Extension-Yates County ($5,000).
• Dundee Central School District ($5,000).
• Dundee Children's Center ($5,000) -- Supports this nonprofit organization that provides child care and nursery school services.
• Dundee Library ($1,935).
• Finger Lakes Health Foundation ($3,000).
• Finger Lakes Museum ($5,000).
• Finger Lakes Economic Development Center of Yates County ($2,500).
• Friendship House of Middlesex, Inc. ($7,500).
• Legal Assistance of Western New York ($5,000).
• The Living Well ($15,000).
• Mozaic, formerly Arc of Yates and Arc of Seneca Cayuga ($10,000).
• Penn Yan Central School District Family Support Services ($5,000).
• Penn Yan Public Library ($6,100).
• ProAction of Steuben and Yates, Inc. ($7,500).
• Rainbow Junction Ltd. ($5,000).
• Yates Cultural & Recreational Resources, Inc. ($5,000).
The Yates Community Endowment is under the guidance of an all-volunteer, all-local Advisory Board. Since its beginning in 2011, Yates Community Endowment has distributed more than $600,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations serving Yates County.