As the largest Catholic Charities fundraiser, the Gala raises money to support those in need in our communities. Guests enjoyed a live auction, silent auction, and raffle baskets donated by local wineries, businesses, and Catholic Charities Board Members.

The Annual Fundraising Gala raised over $53,000 to serve those in our community who turn to Catholic Charities for support. These funds will provide delicious meals at the Elmira Community Kitchen, hygiene supplies at our homeless shelter, and food at our pantries.

Katie Rhodes, Marketing and Development Director of Catholic Charities, commented, “Events like the Gala highlight how our community’s generosity helps us fulfill our mission. Together, we provide hope by empowering individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency as well as offer hope to those who are in need.”

An overview of Catholic Charities programs was shared, along with a Fund-the-Kitchen Paddle Raise which raised $16,500 specifically for the Elmira Community Kitchen.

The success of the Gala is attributed to the following community-minded individuals & businesses: Jan and Clare van de Blink, The Hilliard Corporation; Steve and Karen Hale, Hale Contracting; Scott Heffner, Chemung Canal Trust Company; Marc Stemerman, Chemung Supply Corporation; Eaton; Kirk Vieselmeyer, Elmira Structures, Inc.; Thomas Gough, Gough Holding Corporation; NYSEG; John and Lisa O’Connor, O’Connor Heating and Plumbing; Wegmans Food Markets; Kurt Bartenstein, Dr. John Carozza, Thomas Curren, and the staff at the Elmira Country Club.

If you were unable to attend the Gala, but would still like to contribute, you may donate online or mail a check to 215 East Church Street, Elmira, NY 14901. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up online.

Each year in October, advocates, survivors, and supporters recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM).

This fall, Catholic Charities of Chemung and Schuyler Counties is joining the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) in their national combined campaign for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) and GiveForDV.

The goal of these two joint initiatives is to start a coordinated national conversation about domestic violence and how we can all contribute to changing the narrative on this overshadowed, but fundamental topic, building on that conversation to raise awareness, increase donations and volunteer efforts, and deepen community engagement by connecting our work nationwide.

More prevalent than most realize, 1 in 4 women (24.3%) and 1 in 7 men (13.8%) aged 18 and older in the US have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Anyone, regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status, can become a victim of domestic violence. This year’s campaign theme, #Every1KnowsSome1, strives to highlight how common domestic violence is and that it is more than physical violence.

Catholic Charities’ First Step Victim Services Program is asking local businesses, organizations, churches, and individuals to help “Shine the Light” on domestic violence by displaying purple ribbons, yard signs, or purple lights wherever they can during the month of October.

Ashley Kerrick, Schuyler County Director, explains the campaign:  “Purple ribbons have become a way to show support for victims of domestic violence throughout our communities. It also shows our dedication to ending domestic violence and that it will not be tolerated in our community.”

“Shine the Light on Domestic Violence” yard signs are available and can be picked up from the Catholic Charities offices during regular business hours (Monday – Friday from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm). Please call (607) 734-9784 to arrange pick up.

Throughout October, Catholic Charities and NNEDV will be sharing content on their social media channels to help raise awareness and educate the public on the complex dynamics of domestic violence.

Two local events will be held that will be an opportunity to remember those lost to domestic violence and honor those who have survived domestic violence and those currently suffering in our community.

• In Schuyler County, join us on October 10 in LaFayette Park in Watkins Glen from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
• In Chemung County, the event will be held at Wisner Park in Elmira on October 17 from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm.

Attendees are encouraged to wear purple and visit the Catholic Charities’ table to pick up information on services.

Lastly, the Safe to Say Campaign, which started in 2020, is a partnership with local businesses and organizations to offer victims a safe place where it is “safe to say” what happened so that they can get the help they need. Training has been offered at multiple locations since 2020. The idea originated with the realization that many victims of domestic violence have no one to talk to and/or no one who knows what resources are available to help them. This campaign seeks to ensure places throughout the community can be ready with the right resources. If your business or location is interested in becoming a Safe to Say location, please sign up.

Free and confidential help is available 24/7 for individuals experiencing domestic violence. Those seeking help may contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at TheHotline.org or 1-(800) 799-SAFE (800) 799-7233) or our First Step Victim Services Hotline at 607-742-9629 (call or text).

For more information on October’s events, contact Katie Rhodes, Marketing and Development Director at Catholic Charities at 607-317-5577 or visit the event page or Facebook page.

2024 Summer Newsletter

Catholic Charities is requesting your help preparing local kids for a successful school year. From now until August 14, area businesses and Catholic Charities will be collecting new school supplies.

The following businesses have partnered with Catholic Charities and Strong Kids Safe Kids to offer drop-off locations in Chemung County:

• Chapel Park
• Chemung County Library District (Big Flats, Horseheads, Steele Memorial, West Elmira locations)
• Cornell Cooperative Extension
• Corning Community College – Elmira Campus
• Department of Aging
• Panosian’s Famous Shoes
• Parmenter Tire, Auto & Truck Service – Horseheads
• The Purple Iris Boutique, Horseheads
• Tranquility Beauty Shop
• Treu Office Supply & Furniture, Elmira

The following businesses have partnered with Catholic Charities to offer locations in Schuyler County:

• Chemung Canal Trust Company – Montour Falls & Watkins Glen
• Famous Brands
• Parmenter Tire, Auto & Truck Service – Odessa & Montour Falls
• Quinlan’s Pharmacy, Montour Falls
• The Hi-Lites
• Visions Federal Credit Union
• Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce,Downtown Visitor Center at 214 N. Franklin, Watkins Glen: open every day, 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
• Watkins Glen Public Library

Donations will also be accepted at the Catholic Charities Main Office (215 E Church St, Elmira): Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm and at the Schuyler Outreach Food Pantry (112 10th St, Watkins Glen): Tuesday and Friday, 9 am – 2 pm, Thursday, Noon – 4 pm.

“We are deeply appreciative of the partnership of our local businesses who make the Back to School Drive a success every year,” stated Nancy Koons, Executive Director for Catholic Charities. “It’s truly a community effort to help hundreds of children in Chemung and Schuyler Counties.”

In Schuyler County, backpacks will be distributed through the Schuyler Outreach Food Pantry on August 27^th and 29^th. Pre-registration is required by noon on August 23 for backpacks and school supply starter kits. Registration will be available at www.CatholicCharitiesCS.org starting August 1^st.

In Chemung County, Catholic Charities has partnered with Strong Kids Safe Kids to distribute backpacks and school supply starter kits at the Annual Strong Kids Safe Kids event on August 24 from 11 am – 2 pm at the Chemung County Fairgrounds. No registration is required. New backpacks will be available for students in kindergarten to 6^th grade.

For a complete list of needed items and additional ways to donate, please visit Catholic Charities’ website (www.CatholicCharitiesCS.org), email Katie Rhodes at Katie.Rhodes@dor.org, or call 607-734-9784.

About Catholic Charities of Chemung/Schuyler:
Catholic Charities provides support to individuals and families in our community to help them live a more self-reliant life. They specialize in emergency services and housing support. For more information on services, please visit www.CatholicCharitiesCS.org or call
607-734-9784.

 About Strong Kids Safe Kids:
Strong Kids Safe Kids of Chemung County is a mission-based, all-volunteer, non-profit 501c3 organization focused on building strong, safe, and healthy families by providing information about helpful community services while engaging children and their families in fun, educational activities.

In collaboration with the Elmira Pioneers, Catholic Charities is inviting the community to come out to Dunn Field on July 13^th for an enjoyable evening of baseball, while Catholic Charities brings to light how our community can become aware of and combat domestic violence.

Families in every community in the United States across age, gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds are impacted by domestic violence. In Chemung and Schuyler Counties, Catholic Charities’ First Step Victim Services Program assists innocent victims of crime, with a strong focus on victims of domestic violence. In 2023, First Step served almost 200 individuals with over 4,088 services. First Step’s local 24-hour hotline can be reached by calling or texting 607-742-9629 at any time.

At the Pioneers game on July 13^th , attendees are encouraged to wear purple, the color of domestic violence awareness. There will be purple shirts for sale, as well as a jersey raffle and 50/50. All proceeds will help the First Step program continue to provide needed services to victims in our community. Call 607-734-2690 for your tickets. The game starts at 6:35 pm with gates opening at 5:35 pm. There will be a photo booth station and giveaways for the whole family.

For more information on First Step, please visit their page or call 607-535-2050 and speak with an Advocate.

Catholic Charities is pleased to announce the opening of a temporary dormitory-style shelter at 160 High Street in Elmira. The new shelter will be able to house up to 47 single individuals. Families experiencing homelessness will continue to be housed in local motels.

Due to the support of the City of Elmira, Chemung County, and the State of New York, cubicle-style rooms have been installed. Catholic Charities will be working with the Department of Social Services to place individuals in the temporary shelter and provide the needed services. Showers and laundry services are provided on-site as well as limited storage for each individual that stays at the shelter.

Catholic Charities’ staff will operate the shelter from 4:00 pm until 8:00 am, Monday through Friday. On the weekend, the shelter will be open from 2:00 pm until 10:00 am. Residents will receive breakfast and dinner each day.

Last year, 1,357 distinct individuals experiencing homelessness received services in Chemung County (317 individuals were under the age of 18). Nancy Koons, Executive Director for Catholic Charities states,
“We are thrilled to be able to open the dorm-style shelter. This will enable us to meet the needs of the individuals we serve more directly by addressing their root causes of homelessness and removing barriers on their journey out of poverty and into permanent housing.”
For community members interested in helping, Catholic Charities is specifically in need of grocery gift cards and bus tokens. Donations may be mailed in or brought to Catholic Charities’ Samaritan Center (380 S Main St, Elmira, NY), Monday-Friday from 8:30 am—4:30 pm. Volunteers are also needed to serve dinner each evening. Please visit www.CatholicCharitiesCS.org for more information or to sign up for a volunteer shift.

Catholic Charities invites you to the 19th Annual Empty Bowls Luncheon being held on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at Notre Dame High School. As the largest fundraiser for The Elmira Community Kitchen, this event is designed to raise awareness of the effects of hunger and poverty in our community. Over the last eighteen years, the Empty Bowls Luncheon has raised over $280,000 toward local poverty relief efforts.

This year’s event is generously sponsored in part by The Hilliard Corporation, Chemung Canal Trust Company, Chemung Supply, and Wegmans.
Empty Bowls is unique in that it is a collaboration with local potters to create handmade, commemorative bowls for each attendee who donates $50 or more. Catholic Charities has also partnered with Barb & Mark McClure, owners of Barb’s Soup’s On Cafe in Elmira, to offer guests delicious homemade soup. It’s the perfect combination of excellent food, beautiful bowls, and a worthy cause.
Tickets are $50 per person for lunch and a commemorative soup bowl created by a local art student. Get your tickets today as a limited number will be sold. For more information, contact Catholic Charities at 607-734-9784, ext. 2133, or visit the event page at www.CatholicCharitiesCS.org.

The Empty Bowls Luncheon will include lunch, a brief presentation, and a raffle of a beautiful commemorative bowl donated by the Corning Museum of Glass.

The Elmira Community Kitchen provides free meals Monday through Friday, the last Saturday of the month, and on Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving in a communal setting. The Kitchen relies on volunteers to serve the meals each year. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact Kathy Dubel at 607-734-9784.

Following their Annual Meeting, Catholic Charities of Chemung/Schuyler is pleased to announce its Board of Directors for 2024. “We are honored to have new members joining our board this year and for the continued support of current and renewing members,” said Jim Siconolfi, Board Chair.

Elected for their First Term:
Michael MacDonald, Regional Retail Lending Specialist, Community Bank;
Renee Wheeler, Assistant Vice President, Chemung Canal Trust Company.

Additionally, the Officers of the 2023 Board are:
Jim Siconolfi, Chair, retired from Elmira College;
Aimee Churchill, Vice-Chair, Attorney;
Bruce Boughton, Treasurer, Branch Manager for Chemung Canal Trust Company;
Nick D’Aloisio, Secretary, Marketing Communications, Corning, Inc.

The following members were elected to continue their terms on the Board:
Ron Allison, Retired, Chemung Canal Trust Company;
Brian Baker, Director of Spiritual Care, Arnot Health;
Carol Brady, Coordinator for the Notre Dame Athletic Association;
Jasmine Canestaro, Assistant Vice President of Operations – Schuyler Hospital Campus Lead, Cayuga Health System;
Elizabeth Lambert, Vice President of Campus Life/Dean of Students, Elmira College;
George Maloney, Retired Owner of Pal’s Sports Center;
Lisa O’Connor, Marketing Director, O’Connor Plumbing and Heating;
Jeff Richards, Retired, Elmira Star-Gazette;
Gordon Schuehler, CPA at Mengel Metzger Barr & Co. LLP;
Doris Smith, Registered Nurse, and Owner of Sarah’s Majestic Gifts, LLC;
Thomas Tedone, retired Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, New York State

Nancy Koons, Executive Director of Catholic Charities stated, “We are thrilled to welcome our new Board Members on this ongoing journey of working to reduce poverty, promote wellness and self-sufficiency, and advocate for those in need. We welcome our new members as they join us in this important work.”

Each year in October, advocates, survivors, and supporters recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM).

More prevalent than most realize, one in four women and one in nine men will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes. Anyone, regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status, can become a victim of domestic violence.

Stacy’s Soap Drive, now in its seventh year, is one way the community can give back during this month. Valerie Colunio started a soap drive after the tragic death of Kelley Stage. While Valerie’s son was working on a project at school to build wells in another country, he pointed out that they didn’t have basic items like soap. This prompted Valerie to consider that our community could be facing the same issue. If someone is leaving a domestic violence situation, they may leave with nothing. It would be wonderful to have their basic needs met, to feel some sort of normalcy when they take that first step of leaving.

Valerie works with a host of community partners to make this a true community project. Valerie said, “I personally just have compassion for people, and I know it’s hard to ask for help or take the first step. Many of us know that domestic violence does not pick a certain gender or social class. It does not discriminate between the rich and the poor. It could happen to anyone. It could be your friend, a family member, or your own children. It could be you. No one should ever be ashamed to ask for help. It takes a community to stand up and make a change.”

Ashley Kerrick, Schuyler County Director, expressed her thoughts on the drive – “Stacy’s Soap Drive is incredible! These items allow the victims we serve to have the basics that they may have had to leave behind. It also raises awareness in the community of the issue of domestic violence.”

Stacy’s Soap Drive will be running until October 21 at various community locations. For a complete list, please see the image below.

On October 24, there will be a presentation as the items that have been collected are given to Catholic Charities First Step Victim Services Program at the Elmira Elks Club at 5 p.m. This event is open to the public.

Two additional events will be held that will be an opportunity to remember those lost to domestic violence and educate us on the reality in our community. Luminaries will be lit to honor those impacted by domestic violence.

• In Schuyler County, join us on October 19 in LaFayette Park in Watkins Glen from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
• In Chemung County, the event will be held at Wisner Park in Elmira on October 26 from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm.

Attendees are encouraged to wear purple and visit the Catholic Charities’
table to pick up information on services.

Free and confidential help is available 24/7 for individuals experiencing domestic violence. Those seeking help may contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at TheHotline.org or 1-(800) 799-SAFE (800) 799-7233)
or our First Step Victim Services Hotline at 607-742-9629 (call or text).

Catholic Charities is requesting your help preparing local kids for a successful school year. From now until August 17, area businesses and Catholic Charities will be collecting new school supplies.

The following businesses have partnered with Catholic Charities and Strong Kids Safe Kids to offer drop-off locations in Chemung County:

• Chapel Park
• Chemung County Library District (Big Flats, Horseheads, Steele Memorial, West Elmira locations)
• Cornell Cooperative Extension
• Corning Community College – Elmira Campus
• Department of Aging
• Mr. Panosian’s Famous Shoes
• Parmenter Tire, Auto & Truck Service – Horseheads
• The Purple Iris Boutique, Horseheads
• Treu Office Supply & Furniture, Elmira

The following businesses have partnered with Catholic Charities to offer locations in Schuyler County:

• Chemung Canal Trust Company – Montour Falls & Watkins Glen
• Famous Brands
• Parmenter Tire, Auto & Truck Service – Odessa & Montour Falls
• Quinlan’s Pharmacy, Montour Falls
• The Hi-Lites
• Visions Federal Credit Union
• Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Visitor Center at 214 N. Franklin, Watkins Glen: open every day, 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
• Watkins Glen Public Library

Donations will also be accepted at the Catholic Charities Main Office (215 E Church St, Elmira): Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm and at the Schuyler Outreach Food Pantry (112 10th St, Watkins Glen): Tuesday and Friday, 9 am – 2 pm, Thursday, Noon – 4 pm.

“We are deeply appreciative of the partnership of our local businesses who make the Back to School Drive a success every year,” stated Nancy Koons, Executive Director for Catholic Charities. “It’s truly a community effort to help hundreds of children in Chemung and Schuyler Counties.”

In Schuyler County, the Back-to-School Event will be held at the Schuyler County Highway Department on August 25. This event requires pre-registration by August 23 at noon for backpacks and school supply starter kits. This will be a drive-through event.

In Chemung County, Catholic Charities has partnered with Strong Kids Safe Kids to distribute backpacks and school supply starter kits at the Annual Strong Kids Safe Kids event on August 26 from 11 am – 2 pm at the Chemung County Fairgrounds. No registration is required. New backpacks will be available for students in kindergarten to 6th grade.

Visit this page for a full list of needed items and additional ways to donate, or email Katie Rhodes or call 607-734-9784.