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CRCF endowments provide over $20,000 in grants in May

Mon, Jun 1st 2020 10:00 am

A number of area nonprofit organizations recently together received over $20,000 from endowment funds managed by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation.

Each endowment fund was established by donors to support organizations and causes that are important to them each year, with some also serving as memorials to loved family members.

The Beth Todd Memorial Fund made possible a $747.62 grant to the Pink Pumpkin Project Fund. Greg Todd established the fund in his wife’s memory after she lost her courageous battle with breast cancer to support annual grants to organizations that support those undergoing cancer treatments.

The Carroll Anstaett Olean Little League Fund, established by the late Carroll Anstaett and his wife, Dolores, supported a grant of $5,941.85 to the Olean Little League. Mr. Anstaett, lovingly known in the community as Mr. Baseball, was an enthusiastic supporter of Little League during his life and established the fund to ensure that support would continue in perpetuity.

The Kothari Family Endowment Fund, established by Dr. Ashok and Dr. Yogini Kothari made possible two grants, one of $250 to the Olean Food Pantry and one of $1,000 to the Olean General Hospital Foundation.

The Laine Family Fund made possible a $1,000 grant to Pan Harmonia, an Asheville, NC-based chamber music nonprofit organization. Former Olean resident Peter Laine, now a resident of Asheville, established the fund to support various nonprofit organizations each year.

The Otto-Eldred Foundation Education Foundation received $6,000 from the foundation’s agency fund at CRCF to provide scholarships for students at Otto-Eldred (PA) High School.

The Paul and Betty Hanson Fund, established by Paul and Betty Hanson of Olean, allowed for four grants to causes loved by Betty Hanson and her late husband, Paul, who passed away in 2018. Grants were made to Mercy Flight WNY, Town of Olean Fire Department, Olean General Hospital Foundation and Olean Public Library, each for $217.22.

The Paul and Mary Janowicz Memorial Fund, also established by the Hansons in memory of Betty Hanson’s mother and father, supported three grants, each of $177.77. The grants went to the Great Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Olean General Hospital Foundation and Olean Public Library.

The Samuel Costa Endowment Fund, established by Samuel and Dorothy Costa of Smethport, PA, made possible three grants to: St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church, which received $1,803.58, and Hamlin Memorial Library and St. Raphael's Roman Catholic Church, with each organization receiving $901.80.

“Especially in the midst of such uncertainty these grants remind us of the power of an endowment,” said CRCF Executive Director Karen Niemic Buchheit. “So many people and organizations are falling on hard times, but endowments and the steady funding streams they produce make sure that organizations can expect annual grant funding, and the donors who love the organizations know that grant money is available to provide those organizations support.”

Donations can be made to any of these funds at CRCF, 301 North Union St., Suite 203, or online at cattfoundation.org.

Established in 1994, CRCF is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).