Gebbie Foundation CEO Greg Edwards addresses Jamestown City Council (November 7, 2022)

The executive directors of the Community Foundation and Gebbie Foundation made pleas to Jamestown City Council to move forward with American Rescue Plan funding.

Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Executive Director Tory Irgang, speaking to Council, reminded them how CRCF helped compile the community feedback from public information sessions held in 2021 on how to use the ARPA funds.

She said it’s easy to adopt a “scarcity mindset,” “A time when partnerships and collaborations can be mistaken as weakness. However, we have proven in this community what can happen when we have an abundance mindset. We work through public, private partnerships every day to achieve tremendous results. And I encourage each of you to lean into that shared experience by aligning the remaining ARPA funding with community-based projects that have significant leveraging opportunities.”

Irgang said projects that had been evaluated and awarded other funding from government and philanthropic sources should be considered, “Projects that provide infrastructure and programming for children and young adults, projects that yield measurable results, deliver significant community benefit, and address challenges that are multi-faceted. As we know all too well in philanthropy, our needs are always greater than our resources, but we can meet so many more needs when we collaborate and work together.”

Gebbie Foundation CEO Greg Edwards said the city has been very successful at finding partners in its mission over the last 20 years, “Over the last 20 years, many times not-for-profits have willingly stepped up and the public-private entities have stepped up because they had seen how valuable our joint mission was and invested dramatically in trying to impact the future of the city in ways we could spend a great deal of time tonight celebrating this partnership between the city and these entities.”

Edwards encouraged funding for TheZone project at the Northwest Arena. He said the Gebbie Foundation has provided nearly $4 million in funding for that project. He also encouraged Council to support the new Jamestown YMCA project on Harrison Street.

Council member Marie Carrubba asked what the plans were for the current YMCA location on East Fourth Street.

Edwards replied that the 1929 structure is complicated with the Housing and Urban Development contract for housing that remains in place for at least 13 years, “But there have been significant conversations around how that could actually be a plus to other redevelopments potentially around the city and how that building itself could be reused. I had a conversation two months ago with a private developer who was interested in turning it into what we’ll call higher end housing because it does come with some amenities that other buildings don’t. I mean, having the gyms, the pools, those sorts of things that does provide opportunities, call it built in, that make it interesting.”

Council Member at Large Jeff Russell voiced support for a new YMCA facility.

Any funding for the projects mentioned by Edwards would possibly receive funding from the proposed Non-Profit Assistance Program. A resolution to fund that program with $1.5 million in ARP funds is still awaiting Council action.

Council member Andrew Faulkner questioned how much the 19A Home Ownership program could be funded with and still be successful. Director of Development Crystal Surdyk said $500,000 would be the absolute minimum. The current proposal is requesting $750,000.

Council member at large Russell asked why the city would contract with the Chautauqua County Land Bank for $1 million, of which 20% goes to administrative fees, when the city could do home demolitions itself.

Surdyk said $500,000 of the funds requested by the Land Bank would go to contractors to do the demolition work, with administration fees going to administer that program.

She said while the DOD can administer demolitions, as it has done in the past, there are now over 16 new programs the department is now administering on top of existing programs, “To administer effectively the demolition program and these and new grant programs that we have received over the last year, it’s just not feasible without hiring new staff, specifically to do demolition. So, we can contract with the Land Bank at a roughly 20% administrative fee which would ultimately be less than what we’d have to pay to employ somebody as a city employee.”

The Finance Committee tabled the resolutions related to funding the Chautauqua County Land Bank and 19A Home Ownership Program until the November 14 work session.

And DPW Director Jeff Lehman reported that leaf pickup is ahead of schedule with Phase 2 already underway this week. He said crews do plan to go back through the city again after the completion of Phase 2 to try to pick up any piles of leaves that were missed the first time.

Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Community Impact Director Liz Jones said the CRCF and Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation are again co-sponsoring the philanthropic day, “Once again, non-profit organizations across Chautauqua County have registered, creating a fundraising page where they can accept direct donations the day of. So we encourage people to follow their favorite non-profits and listen for instructions and ways they can help support them on June 9.”

CRCF Executive Director Tory Irgang said a record number of organizations from across Chautauqua County are taking part this year with over 100 non-profits signed up, including WRFA and the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts.

The Give Big CHQ day has raised over $1 million in the last four years for local non-profits.

Jones said the “716 Stretch Pool” is returning again with $25,000 sponsored by the CRCF and Northern Chautauqua Community foundation, “And so, organizations that are participating and registered can qualify to receive a portion of that $25,000. And the way that they qualify is that they receive 10 unique donors, that would be 10 different individual donors, and that is between the hours of 7:16 a.m. and 7:16 p.m.”

To take part in Give Big C-H-Q and to find more information about organizations taking part, including who is doing special match fundraising, visit givebigchq.org

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley spoke with Chautauqua Region Community Foundation‘s Tory Irgang and Liz Jones about the upcoming Give Big CHQ day of giving.

The CRCF helped facilitate four public input sessions held this summer by the city on the draft master plan. Their report said 118 people attended those sessions with 8 responses received by email or telephone.

CRCF Community Impact Officer Liz Jones said four categories received the most engagement from people at the listening sessions, with housing stability and neighborhood revitalization having the most feedback, “And those could range from home improvement programs, the receivership program that was given as a sample program in the draft master plan, to the increased concern around when the eviction moratorium would be lifted, and housing insecurity and homelessness needs across the community.”

Economic and workforce development; resident health and well-being, and recreation and youth activities were the other categories receiving the most engagement.

Jones said equity was a cross-cutting theme across all discussions, “Equity should be the primary focus when considering how proposed programs or projects would impact all populations of our community, especially populations that have been historically under-served or marginalized. This includes people of color, residents living in poverty, people with disabilities, and older adults.”

Other themes across discussions included prioritizing community need and sustainability.

Community Foundation Executive Director Tory Irgang presented six recommendations based on the input sessions including that the spending of the federal monies should have personnel, whether internal or contracted, to oversee and report out on the process. Irgang said another recommendation was for the city to consider how to use the dollars to encourage new small businesses and increase the number of minority- women-owned business enterprises, “Since neighborhoods was probably the most discussed topic at any of the sessions, and looking at what it would take to stabilize and revitalize neighborhoods, you need people to do the work. And our city, while it has many talented people, we would not have enough resources to do all of the work that needs to be done in a really compacted time frame.”

The report recommended the city utilize community-based organizations to expand the scope of projects possible and to also use those groups to help run programs that expand the city’s reach.
Irgang said projects should be prioritized in how they can leverage the ARP funding with other funding sources in the community including philanthropic or Foundation dollars, “Many of the foundations are already investing in things that are able to do a slice, but perhaps with ARP funding they could be taken to greater scale. Along the same lines, we ask that you leverage the experience of community based organizations who have already learned and may have those lessons learned to share in doing more of the work.”

The last recommendation was that equity be considered for all aspects of the funding.
Council member at large Kim Ecklund said sustainability was one thing she’s heard repeatedly from the community, departments, and businesses, “It’s great to have a windfall, but if we’re going to add 26 miles of park improvements or whatever the case may be, I gotta add staff. One doesn’t come hand-in-hand without the other and that’s the general concern. It’s great to do these windfall things and we have plenty of things this city has neglected.”

Ecklund said the infrastructure of City Hall, fire station buildings, and other structures is very important when it comes to sustainability as well.

The report by the CRCF will be made available for the public to review on the city’s website at jamestownny.gov.

Council has not yet received a resolution to review on the proposed projects to be funded by ARP monies.

CRCF Executive Director Tory Irgang said nearly half a million dollars has been raised locally under Give Big CHQ, with over 75% of donations being under $50.

The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation are sponsoring a $30,000 dollar pool of stretch dollars to help support participating nonprofits’ fundraising efforts. The Stretch Pool funds are shared by all qualifying nonprofits that receive online donations between now and 7:16 pm today.

You can donate to WRFA and other local organizations by visiting GiveBigCHQ.com.

Irgang said 75% of donations made through Give Big CHQ are under $50. She said almost half a million dollars have been raised locally over the last 4 years.

Irgang said people looking to give should start research now by going to GiveBigCHQ.org, “Every organization has customized their page, so it’s not the Community Foundation or a standard page, they all customize it. If you have a long standing relationship with an organization, the giving levels they’ve chosen or the names they’ve given them might ring true to something in your history, it might bring a smile to your face. So I would tell people it’s never too soon to start planning your strategy for the day.”

WRFA and the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts are both taking part in Give Big CHQ.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley talks to Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Executive Director Tory Irgang and Community Impact Officer Liz Jones about Give Big CHQ, which will happen June 10th.

According to a media release from the BPU,  the program is designed to facilitate innovation focusing on climate technology company formation, enhance regional workforce development, create jobs in the growing clean energy sector, and strengthen connections among manufacturers across the Western Southern Tier counties of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany.

The funding was awarded under NYSERDA’s “Accelerate the Southern Tier” program opportunity, which seeks to boost the formation and growth of early-stage innovation in the Southern Tier to help New York State advance its climate and clean energy goals and continues development of the region to help foster growth of climate technology businesses.

“We are very pleased that New York State leadership recognizes that significant investment in climate technology manufacturing will benefit existing Jamestown-area companies as well as to help attract new companies to the region,” says BPU General Manager David Leathers. “This BPU-led program supports our western New York legacy as a manufacturing powerhouse in the State and speaks to our potential as a climate technology manufacturing resource for decades to come.”

The Manufacturing Clean Energy in the Southern Tier project will encompass four initiatives:

• Climate Technology Studies designed to evaluate the regional and individual manufacturer’s potential to enter the climate technology manufacturing market in the Western Southern Tier.
• Climate Technology Workforce Development which will augment training and educational programming at Jamestown Community College.
• Climate Technology Manufacturing Conference and Tradeshow held in Jamestown and designed to attract manufacturing interests from across the country.
• Climate Technology Marketing Campaign promoting the Western Southern Tier’s status as a climate technology manufacturing hub for the expanding domestic supply chain.

“Climate technology businesses provide a bright future for innovative manufacturers and, in the Western Southern Tier, we’re poised to capitalize on that future,” adds Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist. “The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities stands as one of the most important economic development assets in our region. With our partners, this award will help us identify our shared potential to augment climate technology manufacturing, promote the region as a climate technology ‘hub’ and contribute locally to a 21st Century workforce.”

“Jamestown and Chautauqua County businesses can only benefit from a program designed to augment our successful local companies and attract new partners, new ideas and new investment,” states Todd Tranum, Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer. “Doing so now, at a time of critical need for our region, exemplifies our relentless determination to build a better future.”

“The Gebbie Foundation looks forward to being a part of bringing a Climate Technology Conference and Tradeshow to the Jamestown area as soon as it is safe and prudent to do so,” says Greg Edwards, Chief Executive Officer at the Gebbie Foundation. “In keeping with the Foundation’s strategic focus of revitalizing downtown Jamestown, we invest in community and economic development projects such as this, that draw further investment from public and private partners. By becoming known as an ideal conference and convention location, we can attract people to our region to experience all the area has to offer.”

This effort complements New York State’s national-leading climate and clean energy goals as outlined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act to lower greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050. The Accelerate Southern Tier Awards complements other State innovation and economic development initiatives such as the 76West Clean Energy Business Competition and Southern Tier Soaring.

76West recently awarded $2.5 million to four companies, to expand operations in the region, and previous competition finalists and semifinalists have successfully integrated themselves, raising $51 million in private capital, making multimillion-dollar investments in property and equipment in the region while spending more than $1.7 million on key suppliers.

Workforce training through Jamestown Community College (JCC) will increase the number of available skilled workers with knowledge of clean energy-specific technologies.

“Jamestown Community College is pleased to be part of the Manufacturing the Climate Technology Future in the Southern Tier consortium in partnership with the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities, which calls for a four-pronged initiative designed to facilitate climate technology company formation, growth, recruitment, and job creation across the Western Southern Tier counties,” says JCC President Daniel DeMarte.

“JCC’s specific role in this initiative,” continues DeMarte, “is to develop a Climate Technology program comprised of fundamental courses in residential and commercial electricity as well as more advanced offerings in Building Automation Systems focusing on the installation, repair, and maintenance of computer-based systems designed to control a building’s mechanical and electrical equipment including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and energy management systems. Courses will be available beginning fall 2021.”

Students in JCC’s program can also benefit from scholarship support from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation (CRCF).

“The CRCF is proud of its heritage administering over 300 scholarship funds to local students,” explains the Foundation’s Executive Director, Tory Irgang. “This partnership will offer our local students access to unique training and education for good paying jobs in this growing sector of our economy.”

The intended impact from the program will extend beyond Jamestown’s borders across Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties.
“With more Americans working in climate technology-related industries than ever before, job growth in this sector continues to exceed expectations,” notes Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and CEO of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA). “The CCIDA and our counterparts in the Western Southern Tier—a region with more than 330 manufacturers responsible for more than $7.5 billion dollars of commerce—see tremendous value in making smart investments in climate technology manufacturing.”

Boosting manufacturers across the three counties is a significant goal of the program. Through individual manufacturing studies evaluating value-added investments in climate technology to a conference and tradeshow event meant to connect local firms with national investors and potential partners, new ideas and new jobs are on the agenda.

“Emerging climate technologies and the long-term trend toward sustainable climate technology solutions presents myriad opportunities for manufacturers across the Western Southern Tier,” says Tim Piazza, talent pipeline and apprenticeship coordinator at the Manufacturing Association of the Southern Tier (MAST). “From individual studies analyzing a manufacturer’s potential to efficiently enter the climate technology supply chain, to conferences and shared marketing designed to draw attention to the region, the program’s benefits are substantial.”

“I’m so proud of the JBPU and City of Jamestown team members who led the successful application process, along with a long list of local and regional community partners,” says Leathers. “This grant award outcome is recognition of a tremendous example of preparedness, teamwork and collaboration.”

Supporters of the proposal include: the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, Chautauqua County Visitors’ Bureau, Chautauqua County Education Coalition, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the City of Jamestown Department of Development, the Gebbie Foundation, Jamestown Community College, Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, the Manufacturer’s Association of the Southern Tier, and the Small Business Development Center.

The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation recently presented its annual Community Service Award to Cristie Herbst.

JAMESTOWN – On October 7, during a virtual celebration, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation presented Cristie Herbst its John D. Hamilton Community Service Award.

According to Tory Irgang, Community Foundation executive director, there was never any question about turning the typical in-person event into a virtual gathering.

“The Community Foundation annually celebrates the very best in community service and volunteerism and never has that celebration been more important than in this year of unprecedented circumstances,” said Irgang.
The event, made available via Zoom and Facebook Live, was live streamed to more than 80 households, with many sharing stories of working with Herbst, both professionally and as a volunteer.

For decades, Herbst has used her natural leadership skills and wisdom to be an active community volunteer. Her dedicated service with the former Chautauqua Area Girl Scout Council, allowed her to mentor many young women throughout the region.

“I finally had the pleasure of meeting Cristie at Camp Timbercrest’s 50th Anniversary celebration a few years ago,” Jina Costa shared during the event, “She has inspired many other Girl Scouts in everything she’s done for our organization. I am so happy to see her receive this award.”

In addition to her numerous leadership positions within the scouting organization, Herbst has also volunteered in leadership roles with Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, SUNY Fredonia, UPMC Chautauqua and WCA Hospital Foundation, to name a few.

Now retired, the former Post-Journal editor, serves as a volunteer and president of the Board of Trustees at the Chautauqua County Historical Society, which also operates the McClurg Museum in Westfield.

Recently, under her leadership, the Historical Society entered into a partnership with the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Department to operate a museum at the Barcelona Lighthouse.

“It’s both humbling and astonishing to receive this sort of recognition from your community and I thank you all for your kind words,” Herbst said. “The John D. Hamilton Award feels especially significant to me because of who it is named for. John Hamilton was the epitome of community service in Chautauqua County.”

Since 1994, the John D. Hamilton Community Service Award has been presented annually to individuals whose dedication, leadership and support further community spirit and enhance the quality of life in the Chautauqua Region.

A recording of the event is available on the Community Foundation’s website, crcfonline.org.

Last year’s Give Big CHQ event raised more than $180,000 from 1,626 donors to support 97 local nonprofit organizations.

JAMESTOWN – (MEDIA RELEASE) – Recently, the Chautauqua Region and Northern Chautauqua Community Foundations announced Give Big CHQ 2020 will take place once again this year from June 1 to June 11. Give Big CHQ is an online fundraising event to raise awareness and funds to support local nonprofits.

“The goal of Give Big CHQ is to inspire people to work together, show pride in their community and help support local causes they care about,” said Tory Irgang, CRCF executive director. “This year we are extending the dates to more than just a 24-hour event. We hope to encourage more people to come together to celebrate Chautauqua County virtually.”

Last year, the online fundraising event generated over $180,000 from 1,626 donors to support 97 local organizations.

In the two months since the COVID-19 outbreak reached Chautauqua County, many nonprofit organizations have found themselves in difficult positions. Service-based nonprofits have stepped onto the front lines assisting vulnerable populations in our community. In contrast, other organizations have had to adapt and change their programs and service delivery quickly. Nonprofits in the arts, culture, and attraction sector have been forced to close their doors during this time.

“The need is great; nonprofits, like many organizations across our community, are struggling right now,” explained Diane Hannum, NCCF executive director. “This event is an opportunity for individuals to connect with our nonprofit organizations to show their support for the important work they do every day.”

Nonprofit 501c3 organizations in Chautauqua County are invited to visit the Give Big CHQ website, givebigchq.org, to register and create a fundraising page to share their current needs. Starting on June 1, interested donors can make a gift of any size to nonprofits of their choice with each donation going directly to support those organizations.

To guarantee that every dollar that is given benefits the organizations directly, the Community Foundations will cover the usual 2% platform fee on the website for all donations during June 1-11; standard credit card fees will still apply for each transaction.

As our community looks towards re-opening and entering the recovery phase of this crisis, our nonprofits are needed now more than ever. These partners will ensure that our region is a strong and vibrant community for all, far into the future. The public can help by giving back during Give Big CHQ by following and sharing posts about causes and nonprofits they care about and donating to support their work.

For more information, visit www.givebigchq.org and follow Give Big CHQ on Facebook. Registration for nonprofits to participate in this year’s event will remain open until May 22.