We would like to thank Lockheed Martin Employees Federated Fund for their donation to support our Winter Coat Drive. Each year Rise Above Poverty purchases new winter coats for students in our school district to address the harsh winters of Central New York. This donation position us to continue to provide coats for those who lack this essential item during the winter month.

This week we visited Henninger High School. They contacted us to see if we could help them with some of needs of the community. Henninger have monthly events where they provide food from the Food Bank of CNY as well as a clothing ministry. They wanted to know if we could provide hygiene and clothing items to help students and their families. Because of your donations we were able to donate the following items:

30 new hoodies, 356 pairs of socks, 305 pairs of underwear, 60 bars of soap, 60 sticks of deodorant, 60 tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes and 450 feminine care products.

Again, we thank our generous and gracious community for all your help.

I am elated to announce that Rise Above Poverty was honored to receive the Gifford Foundation’s “What If” grant. This award will enhance our ability to equip and encourage students in our reading clinic to improve their literacy and achieve academic success with their reading proficiency. We are thankful to be awarded this grant and we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to help young people develop a love of reading in our program.

We appreciate the support of our community partners who Help Us, Help Others who experience poverty and homelessness in the Syracuse City School District.