OLEAN, N.Y. — During each successive year that officials with the Dr. Lyle F. Renodin Foundation have prepared to provide grants for charitable programs and projects, they’ve noticed the need has continued to grow.
This year’s fall grant cycle for the non-profit organization has answered the growing need for help once again by providing 21 grants totaling to $37,000 to organizations in New York state and Pennsylvania.
Laura Whitford, president of the foundation and St. Elizabeth Mission Society in Allegany, said all of the recipients had requested about the same amount of funds and therefore received the same-sized grants.
“The Renodin Foundation continues to review more and more requests each grant cycle,” Whitford said. “This fall we received over $100,000 in requests, which included four organizations who were new to us.
“The needs are great in our community, and our board prioritizes grants to programs that provide some kind of benevolence — food, shelter, clothing, utilities assistance, transportation to medical appointments and brown bag lunches for kids on weekends.”
Others who include Mary Jo Black, chairman of Renodin, said the charitable purposes are carried out in a manner consistent with the tradition of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, who founded the organization. In addition, she said requests for monies “must show a connection to the mission of the Foundation and assist those who are poor, elderly or have mental or physical disabilities.”
It was noted that the awarded projects showed sustainability to live on long after the award period is over.
Grants were awarded to the following organizations:
• ACCORD Corporation – Flexible Assistance for Families, Belmont, N.Y.
• Allegany County Mental Health Association – Youth Compeer Program, Wellsville, N.Y.
• Bradford Hospital Foundation – Meals on Wheels at BRMC, Bradford, Pa.
• Cuba Cultural Center – Backpack Program, Cuba, N.Y.
• Destinations-Bradford – Emergency fuel for medical appointments, Bradford, Pa.
• Friendship Church of God in Christ (Mission Agape) – Brown bag lunches, school supplies, holiday food baskets and Christmas gifts for children, Friendship, N.Y.
• Futures Rehabilitation Center. – YMCA membership, Bradford, Pa.
• Genesis House of Olean – Mother and Baby Assistance — Olean, N.Y.
• Heritage Aflame Ministries — benevolence (rent, utilities, gas for employment search, school supplies, food, camperships), Cattaraugus & Allegany counties.
• Ischua Union Church — Fund for the Needy (utilities, medical, transportation, Christmas gifts, school supplies), Ischua, N.Y.
• Just Life Association – Temporary housing for those in need, Olean.
• Kevin Guest House – Guest lodging for patients and families traveling for medical care from Allegany, Cattaraugus and McKean counties, Buffalo, N.Y.
• Olean Food Pantry – Portable folding shopping carts, Olean.
• Olean General Hospital Foundation – Emergent needs of the poor, Olean.
• Rebuilding Together Olean Area – Wheelchair ramps – Olean.
• Saving Grace Outreach – benevolence (rent/utilities, baby supplies, medical needs/transportation, clothing and car seats), Cattaraugus, N.Y.
• Southern Tier Health Care System – Cribs for Kids Program, Olean.
• St. Bonaventure University – The Warming House – Purchase healthy food and cleaning/food service supplies, Olean.
• St. Vincent de Paul – Hope for the Needy (housing, utilities, clothing, food, prescriptions), Olean.
• YMCA of the Twin Tiers – Scholarship assistance for Olean YMCA child care and early learning programs, Olean.
• YWCA of Bradford – Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Program, Bradford.
