Photo by Dave Warner – L-R Jennifer Frame, Corporate Donations Department, Teresa Cotton (front) Scott Baumes Corporate Coordinator, Deborah Kaufman, Chairman Youth and Family Center Capital Campaign, Dave Shepardson, Manager of the Stewarts in Little Falls, Frank Mendl, Chairman of the Board, Youth and Family Center, and Tony DeLuca, Executive Director, Youth and Family Center.
Little Falls, NY—The Little Falls Youth & Family Center announced a generous donation of $100,000 from Stewart’s Shops/Dake Family for their Community Services Capital Campaign. The campaign plans to modernize three program facilities serving over 100,000 individuals annually through eighty educational, instructional, and community service programs.
The Little Falls Youth & Family Center has served Little Falls and the surrounding Mohawk Valley communities, including Herkimer, Dolgeville, Salisbury, Stratford, and St. Johnsville, for more than 140 years. Today, the Center is the preeminent resource in the Mohawk Valley for the homeless and low-income families needing food, clothing, shelter, and reliable childcare.
“We are immensely grateful for the support of Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family for their generous contribution to our community services capital campaign and their continued support of the Center’s mission. This important gift will put us over our 80% milestone, moving the campaign closer to achieving our $2.5 million goal. The support of organizations like Stewart’s Shops and the Dake Family enrich our communities in immeasurable ways,” stated Anthony DeLuca, Executive Director of the Little Falls Youth & Family Center.
According to DeLuca, the three Little Falls facilities being upgraded include the Center’s primary location (the former YMCA building) for emergency housing, aquatics, and health/fitness programs at 15 Jackson Street, the Senior Center and transitional housing at 524 E. Main Street, and child care services, food pantry, and thrift store at 45 Furnace Street.
“We are proud to support our shops’ communities. We recognize the need for more childcare and family services in Little Falls, and this project will provide more access to these much-needed programs,” stated Susan Dake, President of Stewart’s Shops Foundation.
The initial construction phase has begun at the Main Street Senior Center and the Center’s primary facility at 15 Jackson Street, with the child care services expansion at 45 Furnace Street to follow in late fall 2023. To learn more about Little Falls Youth & Family Center locations, visit www.youthandfamilycenter.com, or for information about the Community Services Capital Campaign, email Deborah Kaufman at deborah@embella.com.
About the Little Falls Youth & Family Center
The Center is a 501C3 organization founded in 1883 on the premise that strong, healthy, and thriving communities do not happen by accident. They grow and prosper through community partnerships, collaborations, and compassionate, like-minded volunteers committed to improving their citizens’ lives. For 140 years, the Center has been the ‘shelter in the storm’ for thousands of people seeking hope, friendship, health improvement, and healing. The Center’s community-focused programs connect people of all ages and backgrounds to bridge the gaps in state and national programs with a micro-local perspective. The result is a lasting and meaningful change for our neighbors and community. For more information about the Little Falls Youth & Family Center, visit www.youthandfamilycenter.com.
About Stewart’s Shops
Stewart’s Shops is an employee and family-owned convenience store chain based in Saratoga Springs, NY. The company is best known for its conveniently located gas stations, coffee, fast food options, and locally sourced milk & ice cream, as well as ATMs and free air at most locations. Stop by today! Or, visit online at www.stewartsshops.com.