The Charles R. Wood Foundation is accepting grant applications from IRS approved 501(c)3 organizations whose projects or programs assist children, healthcare or the arts in the Lake George Region and surrounding areas. Eligible applicants are invited to visit www.charlesrwoodfoundation.com to submit online applications by April 1, 2023, for consideration at the spring meeting of Trustees or by September 1, 2023, for consideration at the fall meeting.
Over the past five years, the Foundation has awarded nearly $9.7 million dollars to charitable organizations in the Capital Region, North Country, and western Vermont. “We are so pleased to be able to invest in so many worthwhile projects. From the smallest soup kitchens to the larger capital projects, we are committed to investing in children, healthcare and the arts in our geographical focus area,” states Charlene Wood, Chair and Trustee. The foundation’s Special Healthcare initiative aims to improve the overall health of the population in the region and will continue to accept collaborative applications from organizations serving Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Warren, and Washington counties.
Charles R. Wood established the Foundation that bears his name in 1978 to provide assistance in areas of special need in the Lake George Region and surrounding areas. Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations with an emphasis on programs for children, healthcare and the arts. Mr. Wood, founder of Storytown, USA, the present-day Great Escape Theme Park, and co-founder with the actor Paul Newman of the Double H Hole in the Woods Camp for critically ill children, along with numerous other endeavors and businesses in the area, died in September of 2004 and left the majority of his estate to the Charles R. Wood Foundation.
The following grants to area non-profit organizations totaling over $2.3 million were awarded in 2022:
• $300,000 to Albany Medical Center for Glens Falls Hospital’s Crisis Stabilization Unit Relocation and Expansion
• $300,000 to the Double H – Hole In The Woods Ranch, Inc., for the 30th Anniversary Capital Campaign
• $175,000 to Dollywood Foundation for the Imagination Library Program in the New York counties of Essex, Clinton, Franklin and Hamilton
• $150,000 to Emblemhealth Foundation, Inc. for EmblemHealth Health@Work serving Fulton, Saratoga, Warren, Washington, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, and Hamilton counties
• $125,000 to Albany Medical Center for the Palliative Care Program Fund
• $100,000 to United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc. for the YMCA of Plattsburgh, Inc.
• $100,000 to Canton-Potsdam Hospital for Emergency Department Expansion
• $100,000 to Childrens Museum at Saratoga for the Theatre Exhibition
• $89,000 to the YMCA of Saratoga County for creating an Intergenerational Community Hub dedicated to health and wellness
• $50,000 to Habitat for Humanity International, Inc., for the Lawrence Street Project, Glens Falls
• $50,000 to Joint Council for Economic Opportunity of Clinton & Franklin for a cargo truck for JCEO Food Assistance Programs
• $50,000 to The Hyde Collection Trust for security upgrades
• $50,000 to St. Johns Episcopal Church in Johnstown for Building Renovations
• $40,000 to Tannery Pond Center for Arts Education & Community Gatherings in North Creek for lighting and digital projector
• $40,000 to Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center, Inc. for SPAC School of the Arts – Advancing IDEA in Arts Education
• $30,000 to North Country Health and Wellness, Inc., in Peru for Youth Sports and Nutrition Program
• $25,000 to the Open Door in Glens Falls for Life Path Program: Health, Wellness and Nutrition
• $25,000 to AdkAction Org, Inc. for Farm Fresh Nutrition for our Adirondack Neighbors
• $20,000 to Special Olympics New York, Inc. for Lake George Region Young Athletes Program Expansion
• $20,000 to Center For Disability Services, Inc. for Prospect School Flooring Renovation
• $16,500 to Ticonderoga Central School District for Ticonderoga Area Backpack Program
• $15,000 to North Country Childrens Museum for Kids Stage Theater
• $13,000 to Adirondack Theatre Festival, Inc. for ATF Capital Improvements – 50 Elm St. Office Building, Glens Falls
• $13,000 to Moreau Emergency Squad, Inc. for AED Field Deployment
• $12,000 to United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc. for The ALICE Project
• $12,000 to Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra, Inc. for Glens Falls Symphony Children’s Concerts 2023
• $10,125 to Park Theater Foundation, Inc., Glens Falls, for Music & Tech Education
• $10,000 to Rebuilding Together-Saratoga County for Repairs for Low-Income Families with Children in Warren & Washington Counties
• $10,000 to West Glens Falls Fire Company No 1, Inc. for AED Replacement
• $10,000 to Wesley Health Care Center, Inc., Saratoga Springs, for Life Enrichment through Purposeful Play
• $10,000 to NYSARC, Inc. – Saratoga County Chapter for Therapeutic Equipment of Beko Carlo Floor Lifts and Manual Wheelchairs
• $10,000 to Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area for No More Learning Gap Camp
• $10,000 to Wildwood Programs, Inc. for Camp Wildwood: Accessibility for Students with Complex Needs in Latham
• $10,000 to Glens Falls Area Youth Center, Inc. for Health and Wellness Program
• $10,000 to PTA New York Congress for Glens Falls City School District Backpack Program
• $10,000 to Rise Housing and Support Services, Inc. for Housing is Healthcare – Community Residence Rehabilitation in Saratoga Springs, NY
• $8,000 to Pride of Ticonderoga, Inc. for Youth Ice Rink Recreation Anchor Project
• $7,500 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks, Inc. for COVID-19 Mitigation: Combating the Mental Health Crisis
• $6,000 to Empire State College Foundation, Inc. for scholarships for 3 local students enrolled in School of Nursing and Allied Health
• $5,483.50 to Home Made Theater, Inc., in Saratoga Springs for multi-venue operations readiness
• $5,000 to Saratoga Center for the Family for Mental Health Wellness Support for Children & Families
• $5,000 to Girls on the Run Capital Region for Capital Region – Northern Territory Expansion
• $5,000 to Mercy Care for the Adirondacks, Inc., for Age-friendly Communities in the Tri-Lakes Region of the Adirondacks
• $5,000 to Mechanicville Area Community Services Center, Inc. for MACSC Afterschool Reboot
• $5,000 to Lake George Region Women for WIN, Inc., for Hygiene Kits for Kids
• $5,000 to Historic Salem Courthouse Preservation Association, Inc. for Lunch, Learn & Play – Post COVID-19 Expanded Outreach Free Summer Youth Program
• $5,000 to Upper Valley Haven, Inc. for The Haven’s Children’s Services Program in White River Junction
• $5,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region, Inc. for Expanding Mentoring Programs to Address the Youth Mental Health Crisis
• $5,000 to Civic Center of Moreau, Inc. for Teen Center, Bulldog Zone
• $5,000 to Camp Abilities Saratoga, Inc. for 2 local campers to attend Sports Camp
• $5,000 to Lake George Opera Festival Association, Inc. for Opera Saratoga Summer Festival
• $5,000 to Lake George Music Festival for Time for Three in Lake George
• $5,000 to Caroga Arts Collective, Inc. for Sherman’s Centennial Campaign matching grant
• $5,000 to Adirondack Folk School, Inc. for Blacksmith shop expansion and winterization
In addition, $69,130 was granted in smaller denominations to benefit various other regional not-for-profit organizations.
The Charles R. Wood Foundation also recognizes the increased challenges of food insecurity resulting from the pandemic, especially in the North Country. Funding of nearly $200,000 was provided to pantries and school backpack programs in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Fulton, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties of New York and Bennington, Rutland and Windsor counties of Vermont.
Information about the online grant application process can be obtained online at www.charlesrwoodfoundation.com