By Matthew Avitabile
SCHOHARIE COUNTY — The Schoharie County Community Foundation Fund is off the ground thanks to assistance from individual donors and businesses. We spoke to Marianne Younkheere about the foundation of the project.
Younkheere said that the genesis of the project began in 2021 and soon included a number of significant community leaders.
She said that this is her “passion project” and is in contact with the Otsego County Community Foundation. She said that the Otsego County partners have been "indispensable" and have been incredibly helpful.
The two counties are very similar demographically, making Otsego County a potential “perfect partner,” she said.
The Otsego County counterpart was founded in 2019 and has grown aggressively. The cooperation between the two is especially important after federal budget cuts.
“Schoharie County needs us now,” she added.
Younkheere said that Schoharie County is one of the few counties in the state without a community foundation. While technically under the Capital Region Community Foundation, the county hasn’t received any funding in recent years.
The creation of the new foundation is a significant opportunity, Younkheere added.
The Foundation now has a mini-grant program and has been communicating with a number of local non-profits. The program is meant to express that “we’re here and we’re here to stay.”
The main focus is to help the disadvantaged, Younkheere said, hoping to increase quality of life.
Grants can be administered to non-profits within or outside of Schoharie County, as long as all of the funding is used within Schoharie County.
“It’s all local. It’s all about Schoharie County,” she added.
The Foundation is seeking local participation, including volunteers and donors. The group has an advisory council including Dr. Marion Terenzio, Bill Federice, and Sarah Goodrich.
“We don’t have the resources to go it alone,” said Younkheere. This includes working with the Otsego County Community Foundation and promoting cooperation between different non-profits.
“It’s not just the grants,” said Younkheere, seeking to “move the needle on poverty” and act as a hub to assist a number of different organizations.
As the Foundation grows, the goal will be to help “all” non-profits within the county.
So far, there have been grants to SCCAP, Mustang Valley, and Literacy New York-Fulton, Montgomery, and Schoharie Counties.
There is an easy-to-apply process for residents and non-profits in Schoharie County, available online.
“I hope this will be generational,” said Younkheere.
Part of the effort is to help inform the public about the role of a community foundation, she added.
“It’s been so much fun,” she said.
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