United Tompkins Impact Fund

Awarded: $1,000

The BJM Enrichment Program is an after-school program that offers academic support and enrichment activities for elementary students, including homework help, tutoring, literacy support, and a broad range of clubs and creative projects. The program emphasizes creative exploration and community connection, engaging students in activities such as building with LEGOs, making arts and crafts with recycled materials, cooking, conducting science experiments, and playing in the gym or on the playground.

Awarded: $22,500

Catholic Charities Tompkins/Tioga provides many community services, including the Samaritan Center, which supports visitors with needs and/or crises in their lives and offers linkages to other or longer-term supports that aid in building self-sufficiency, and the A Place to Stay Program, which provides safe, supportive, short-term transitional housing for homeless single women in Tompkins County.

Awarded: $32,000

The Child Development Council provides services for families with young children and for child care providers in all municipalities of Tompkins and Cortland Counties. They provide support and capacity-building services to local childcare providers, as well as direct family support services to families with young children.

Awarded: $3,000

Civic Ensemble creates theater that explores and explodes the social, political, and cultural issues of our time. We bring audiences of different races, classes, and experiences together in a public forum on the American experiment. Programs include the ReEntry Theatre Program, a creative and supportive community for people who have experienced incarceration/court involvement, and the Youth Forum Theatre Troupe (YFTT), an out-of-school program for 7th-12th graders in Tompkins County, in which young people engage in meaningful and critical exploration of their lives and community through theater.

Awarded: $1,500

The Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) serves as a cultural cornerstone in Ithaca, providing accessible arts education and creative experiences for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Through music instruction, visual arts programming, and community partnerships, CSMA has fostered personal expression, lifelong learning, and cultural enrichment.

Awarded: $17,500

Downtown Ithaca Children’s Center (DICC) provides quality education and childcare to children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. Quality early childhood programming is an essential community support. DICC is committed to providing accessibility for children to grow and develop in a supportive learning environment while allowing their caregivers to remain in the workforce. They have and maintain a commitment to deconstruct negative stereotypes associated with race, class, ability, gender, language, and biases through strengths-based programming. Their classrooms and staff mirror the children and families they serve, to help everyone feel represented and create a sense of belonging.

Awarded: $1,000

Dryden Recreation offers recreational programs and events to the residents of the Town of Dryden. The Dryden Community Summer Camp offers a safe, fun, and affordable summer camp to the families in the community. The camp runs for a full day for six weeks and provides each camper with free breakfast, lunch, and snack.

Awarded: $2,000

Energy Warriors provides workforce development services to residents across Tompkins County, including classroom training and coursework for industry certifications for OSHA-10 General Industries, Building Science Principles, and Boot Camp for Weatherization Providers.

Awarded: $8,000

Enfield Community Council provides programming for families residing in the municipality of Enfield. Programming includes summer camp, after-school care, and enrichment activities for middle and high schoolers.

Awarded: $35,000

Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca offers high-quality, trauma-informed counseling, psychiatric care, and related mental health services to the people of Tompkins County through an extensive series of programs and services that cater to the varying needs of patients, from infants to those receiving end-of-life care.

Awarded: $2,500

Family Reading Partnership distributes new and gently used children’s books to grow the home libraries of all families in Tompkins County at as many access points as possible. Their indoor educational play place, The Nook, is an engaging play area, available at no cost for caregivers with infants and children 5 years old and below to talk, sing, read, and play together to build essential early pre-literacy skills.

Awarded: $5,000

Finger Lakes ReUse provides free essential home materials to Tompkins County households living below the ALICE threshold through the ReUse Materials Access Program (ReMAP). They also provide paid job skills training to Tompkins County residents with low-to-moderate income who face barriers to employment through the ReUse Skills and Employment Training (ReSET).

Awarded: $27,000

Foodnet Meals on Wheels combats some of the biggest threats and barriers to healthy aging: food insecurity, the risk of malnutrition, and isolation. At a time when the U.S. average life expectancy is 79 years, Foodnet addresses these escalating problems daily through meal services. Foodnet Meals on Wheels provides comprehensive nutrition services to any Tompkins County resident who is 60 years old or older and, for food delivery, is homebound or unable to safely shop or cook nutritious meals for themselves, no matter their income level.

Awarded: $2,000

Free Science Workshop provides hands-on, no-barrier STEM learning and creative exploration for children, youth, and families across Tompkins County, with a strong focus on reaching communities with the greatest barriers to access.

Awarded: $10,000

Gadabout‘s core mission is to provide safe, reliable, accessible transportation to older adults and people with disabilities. Their services are unduplicated in the community, leaving no other option or mode of transportation for many of our riders. Gadabout utilizes a fleet of 26 lift-equipped vehicles operated by volunteer and paid staff to provide transportation to vulnerable populations facing transportation barriers within Tompkins County.

Awarded: $42,600

Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) provides comprehensive, year-round programming for youth, teens, adults, and seniors, addressing educational, recreational, social, and health-related needs. Some of their programming includes summer camp and after-school care for children, academic support, and enrichment activities for middle and high schoolers, job training programs for adults, and recreation activities for older adults.

Awarded: $4,500
The Groton Community Cupboard (GCC) works to provide fresh, sustainable food in the Groton and surrounding areas. Mobile food delivery is available to those who are unable to access the pantry due to illness, lack of transportation, or inability to drive or access pantry hours due to work.

Awarded: $3,000

Groton Recreation provides a wide range of inclusive recreational, educational, and community-building services designed to support residents of all ages, including youth and adult wellness programming and community events. Through the Groton Youth Services program, they provide enrichment activities for middle and high schoolers, and a summer camp for children ages 5-13.

Awarded: $20,000

Since 2006, Healthy Food For All (HFFA) has been making fresh, quality produce accessible to households with limited income through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) coupled with nutrition education and culinary resources. Every year, HFFA provides sustenance and stability for over 1,500 food-insecure youth and adults in Tompkins County, ensuring they have reliable weekly access to diverse, nutritious fruits and vegetables — grown locally and organically — that provide a cornerstone to good health.

Awarded: $10,000

The Continuum of Care (CoC), led by the Human Services Coalition, is a local planning network of over thirty public, private, and not-for-profit partners, including people with lived expertise collaborating to build and maintain a homeless response system in which homelessness is rare, brief, one-time, and equitable. Moreover, it aims to support a thriving system where all system stakeholders use data, evidence, and leading practices to drive program planning and resource allocation. The CoC network strives to address emergent conditions for people experiencing homelessness by quickly connecting them with services and housing. CoC staff serve people directly through Coordinated Entry (CE) and serve as the backbone of the homeless response system through convening, planning, educating stakeholders, and training.

Awarded: $4,500

Ithaca Children’s Garden provides nature-based childcare and youth development programming, including job readiness, serving children, teens, and families throughout Tompkins County.

Awarded: $17,500

Ithaca Community Childcare Center (IC3) provides developmentally appropriate care and early education for approximately 260 children daily, ages 8 weeks to 12 years, with intentional focus on supporting all domains of child development: social-emotional, cognitive, physical, and language. This holistic approach ensures children enter school ready to succeed and builds a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

Awarded: $2,000

The Ithaca Community Gardens is a not-for-profit membership organization devoted to furthering community food self-sufficiency in Tompkins County and surrounding areas. The Gardens are run on an all-volunteer basis and provide the means and education for people to grow healthy food, to overcome food insecurity, and participate in a food donation network.

Awarded: $36,000

The Ithaca Health Alliance provides unique health care services not readily duplicated by other service providers in the community through the operation of the Ithaca Free Clinic. The Ithaca Free Clinic provides free medical and integrated healthcare services to the uninsured, the underinsured, and those who cannot access healthcare locally. Anyone without health insurance can receive primary healthcare and therapeutic services at the Free Clinic. In an effort to provide a place of healing built on trust and respect for every patient seeking Free Clinic services, there is no need for testing, residency requirements, or a requirement to provide immigrant status. Free Clinic patients are community members who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford health insurance plans from the ACA Marketplace.

Awarded: $8,000

The Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS) Minor Repair Program helps homeowners age in place and continue living independently by providing health and safety repairs that prevent small problems from becoming larger, expensive ones. The labor and materials for repairs are provided free of charge. In addition to assisting seniors and persons with disabilities, INHS extends the program to homeowners who are housing-cost burdened, or, as defined by United Way, asset-limited, income-restrained, and employed (ALICE).

Awarded: $8,000

Ithaca Welcomes Refugees walks alongside refugees and immigrants who are resettling in Tompkins County, New York. Whether finding a place to live, enrolling in English classes, or rebuilding community, they help newcomers navigate unfamiliar systems and environments, providing needed support.

Awarded: $2,000

Lansing Lunchbox‘s mission is to combat hunger and food insecurity by providing nutritious foods to kids in our community so they can grow, learn, and thrive. Their work supports the physical, mental, social, and academic well-being of students in the Lansing Central School District.

Awarded: $4,000

LawNY is a law firm for poor and low-income people. Law NY provides free assistance and representation in civil cases, and there is no cost for any of the services they provide. Law NY believes that everyone has the right to equal justice regardless of the ability to pay. The Ithaca office has been in business for over fifty years and serves all of Tompkins County.

Awarded: $2,000

Lifelong enhances the overall mental, physical, emotional, and financial well-being of older adults in the community. Lifelong provides services and programs at its centrally located building in downtown Ithaca, at sites throughout Tompkins County, and virtually. Offered programs include Lifelong Learning classes, social activities, and a free tax preparation program.

Awarded: $10,000

Loaves and Fishes of Tompkins County provides a place for free meals, hospitality, companionship, and advocacy for those in need, regardless of their faith, beliefs, or circumstances. Loaves and Fishes has served Tompkins County residents in need for over 40 years, and it’s the only community kitchen in Tompkins County. They’re open Monday through Friday year-round, including holidays.

Awarded: $9,000

Mental Health Association in Tompkins County (MHATC) provides free, peer-led mental health and recovery services to residents of Tompkins County, including the City of Ithaca and surrounding rural communities. Services are delivered at our downtown Ithaca office, in local courts and community settings, and virtually when needed.

Awarded: $1,500

Mutual Aid Tompkins coordinates and stocks the Blue Food Sharing Cabinets found throughout the county.

Awarded: $2,500

The Newfield Kitchen Cupboard food pantry provides supplemental food and personal care items at no cost to patrons and serves a local community with many residents having limited financial resources.

Awarded: $1,900

Newfield Public Library plays a vital role as a connector and the hub of the Newfield community by providing free, high-quality programs, materials, and services for all ages in a safe, welcoming space. To address the economic needs of our community, all of our services are free or very low-cost.

Awarded: $2,500

Newfield Recreation offers a wide variety of programming to the community. The Newfield Summer Day Camp offers low-cost, high-quality daycare for children of a community that is consistently at or near the bottom of Tompkins County’s economic demographics and at the top of families in need of a structured, safe, and consistent environment for their children.

Awarded: $3,000

Open Doors English (ODE) provides adult English language classes at multiple proficiency levels, conversation partner programming, small-group tutoring, and individualized student services support. Their Student Services staff assists students with accessing healthcare, housing, employment resources, education pathways, and other community support.

Awarded: $1,500

Service in Unity provides recovery-ready, supportive employment for individuals in all forms of recovery in Tompkins County through a grassroots, community-based model built in direct collaboration with treatment providers, community organizations, and local employers.

Awarded: $25,000

The Learning Web provides a continuum of services and supports to help youth and young adults move steadily toward a positive adulthood through its three programs: Youth Exploration, Life Skills Prevention, and Youth Outreach.

The Learning Web prioritizes academic support, career preparation, job search aid, housing, recreation programming, support services, transportation, and family support. Secondarily (but still very critically), they help youth identify (and often accompany them to) needed services for childcare, language assistance, healthcare, legal aid, and tutoring.

Awarded: $7,000

Tompkins Learning Partners (TLP) serves adults who live or work in Tompkins County and who have English language or literacy needs. Students seek to improve their ability to speak English, read, write, do math, or use computers. Many have goals to improve or gain employment, obtain a High School Equivalency, become American citizens, or simply gain skills to navigate independently in the community. Students in TLP’s program test at the low (beginner or basic) to intermediate (4-9th grade) literacy levels. They range from ages 18-80+, represent both urban and rural parts of the county, are typically under-resourced, and face multiple barriers in addition to literacy.

Awarded: $1,500

Trumansburg After School Program (TASP) provides an inclusive, high-quality after-school child care using a STEAM-themed model. The program serves children in the Towns of Ulysses, Enfield, and Ithaca. Providing tuition assistance helps families with short-term financial aid during family situations and provides scholarships to help low-income families attend TASP.

Awarded: $3,000

The mission of the Trumansburg Food Pantry is to distribute free food to anyone who is struggling to provide food for themselves or their families. Food pantry volunteers also connect individuals and families with resources and provide guidance and support as they navigate systems.

Awarded: $3,000

Ultimate Reentry Opportunity Initiative (URO) is a community-rooted reentry and systemic change initiative dedicated to supporting individuals impacted by incarceration throughout Tompkins County, providing both direct support and community-wide initiatives focused on health, employment, housing, and public safety transformation.

Awarded: $2,000

Ulysses Recreation Department provides a variety of youth-focused programs designed to promote physical activity, skill development, and positive social engagement for children in grades K-6 in the Ulysses/Trumansburg community, including a full-day summer day camp for families of the community for six weeks during the summer.

Awarded: $2,000

Ulysses Youth Services Department offers Positive Youth Development programming serving youth in grades 5-8 (ages ~10-14), primarily for youth who may not be actively engaged in youth sports or other school-sponsored or fee-based activities. Programming for high school-age youth is geared toward meeting youth where they are and providing support for whatever is coming next in their lives. The goal of the Youth Employment Program is to encourage and foster first-time/early workers and provide them with workforce development skills necessary to be successful, empowered, and safe as they enter the work world.

Awarded: $1,500

The Varna Community Association (VCA) exists to enhance the quality of life in and around Varna, provide for wholesome recreational and educational activities, and act as a provider of food and basic needs supplies through their food cabinet.

Awarded: $6,000

The mission of Village at Ithaca centers on delivering comprehensive support and responsive services to dismantle systemic barriers impeding the scholastic achievements of students of color, students with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ people, those from low-income backgrounds, and other marginalized students within the county. Engaging with these student populations to identify and address their specific needs on both a micro and macro level, the Village at Ithaca advocates for the rectification of discriminatory policies and practices within educational institutions while providing support to youth and families as they try to navigate these challenges.

Awarded: $3,000

The Women’s Opportunity Center (WOC) addresses the interconnected challenges that undermine women’s health, emotional well-being, and economic stability in our community. Their approach is holistic and trauma‑sensitive, combining basic-needs support with workforce readiness and personal development so women can move from crisis to confidence.

Awarded: $22,000

The YMCA of Ithaca & Tompkins County operates within three core focus areas: Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility. These areas aim to foster a stronger, healthier, and more inclusive community. In the realm of Youth Development, they recognize the community’s needs and the importance of providing essential life skills to children and ensuring their holistic development. In the domain of Healthy Living, the YMCA prioritizes the well-being of all community members, including older adults. In the area of Social Responsibility, they strive to ensure equitable access to YMCA services and programs.