Noah Goodling

Fenton History Center Executive Director Noah Goodling is stepping down this week.

City Council member and Fenton History Center Board Member Marie Carrubba told City Council on Monday that Goodling has taken another job within Chautauqua County, “It was with deep regret that the board accepted his resignation about a month ago but this is his last week and they’ll be holding an open house for him on Friday to acknowledge his accomplishments over the past four years. He’s really turned the Fenton around and got it in a much better financial position. And he was very dedicated, very committed, and put a lot of time and energy into the Fenton.”

Goodling said he has taken a position as Project Director for the Capacity Lab, “Which is a brand new initiative. It’s being conducted by the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the United Ways from the north and south part of the county, the Sheldon Foundation, and the Winifred Crawford Dibert Foundation. And basically it’s an initiative to strengthen the non-profit sector across Chautauqua County.”

Goodling said one of the projects he’s most proud of following his four years at the Fenton include making the center more accessible, “Opening up the ADA accessible entry at the end of 2019, that was a huge improvement, I think, to let people know that anybody no matter what your capacity to walk or move is… if you want to come see our programs or see our seasonal exhibits we’re open to you.”

He added the opening of the LGBTQ+ exhibit earlier this year was a major step forward in representing that community’s voice and including them as part of the center’s historical archives.

Jamestown Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker said there will be Spanish translators on hand at the clinic. JPS, the County, United Way of Southern Chautauqua County, G-Health Enterprises and local Hispanic pastors had all collaborated to create videos to reach the Spanish-speaking population in Chautauqua County.

To view the videos, visit jpsny.org/vaccine.

For those wishing to register for the clinic ahead of time, you can call 1-866-604-6789.

Both organizations are gathering information on anticipated needs by non-profit organizations, and will provide community volunteer coordination to meet those needs.  

• If you are an individual that needs help and don’t know where to go;
• If you would like to Volunteer to provide help;
• If you are an organization that needs to find volunteers.

Please call United Way of Southern Chautauqua County at (716) 483-1561 for South County Needs. Please call United Way of Northern Chautauqua County at (716) 366-5424 for North County needs.

The staff will assist you in a timely fashion and will work hand in hand with our local agencies to coordinate all immediate community and individual needs. 

The meeting was hosted by the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County and focused on residents offering ideas and input on what strategies to use over the long-term to reduce poverty in the area.

The city of Jamestown was given a $1 million grant last year as part of the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative, with the United Way serving as the lead agency on how to allocate the grant funding.

United Way executive Director Tory Irgang recently told WRFA that once the public input has been collected, it will be used to come up with a final plan on how to apply the money, which will be released later this spring or during the summer.

The Center for Governmental Research – a consulting firm out of Rochester – is assisting the United Way in the effort to create and finalize the plan.

JAMESTOWN – A community meeting on how to apply $1 million in state funding toward the fight against poverty is being hosted by the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County later this week.

The community input session on how to spend the recently awarded Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative grant will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. this Wednesday at the St. Susan Center, located at 31 Water St.

United Way of Southern Chautauqua County executive director Tory Irgang says anyone who has ideas or input on how to reduce poverty in the city is being invited to attend. The input will be used to help come up with a spending plan for the grant.

For more information on the meeting or if you want to offer input but can’t attend the meeting, you can call the United Way at 483-1561.

In southern Chautauqua County organizers ask residents to help once again this year by leaving a bag at their mailbox for their letter carrier to pick up. All non-perishable items are accepted, with the exception of glass jars.

The items will be collected during normal mail delivery and then dropped off by each letter carrier to the Salvation Army in Jamestown.

Last year’s effort generated 74.4 million pounds of donated food across the nation and an impressive 7,000 pounds in this community.