The following story originally appeared as a “Progress 2016” story in North Country This Week.

The Northern New York Community Foundation is continuing the expansion of its services into St. Lawrence County, and donors devoted to the county are establishing creative charitable funds and legacies with the Community Foundation.

A variety of charitable actions will help continue this vital investment in local communities forever, and the overall quality of life in the region is being enhanced every day.

Since 1929, the Community Foundation has shared myriad stories of individuals, families, businesses and organizations fulfilling philanthropic objectives that are making the North Country stronger. In 2016, the compelling philanthropic and community betterment stories will continue in St. Lawrence County.

The Community Foundation has officially launched an extension office after partnering with Grasse River Heritage to share space within Rushton Place, 1 Main St., Suite 102A, in Canton. The office not only reaffirms the Community Foundation’s commitment to the region, but also provides a fitting location for donor visits, community discussions and the organization’s St. Lawrence County Advisory Council meetings.

One of the most exciting opportunities impacting St. Lawrence County recently emerged with the creation of The Evergreen STEM Scholarship Program at the Community Foundation. This fund will provide $30,000 in scholarships each year to students attending St. Lawrence County high schools. The program is offered to high school students interested in pursuing postsecondary studies in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields. The first scholarships will be awarded to high school juniors this year, with scholarship payments being made upon successful completion of the student’s senior year. Since 2008, nearly $300,000 in scholarships has been awarded to St. Lawrence County students through the Community Foundation.

The Community Foundation’s emphasis on non-profit sustainability led to new partnerships. Most notably, the Boys & Girls Club of Massena and the Ogdensburg Boys & Girls Club established endowment funds that will assist in augmenting the meaningful programs and services offered by these agencies forever. The United Way of Northern New York played a pivotal and collaborative role in executing the partnerships with each club. The Community Foundation recently set up official partnerships through endowment building with the Potsdam Holiday Fund and the Hammond Presbyterian Church. The Foundation has generated close to 30 partnerships to support non-profit agencies, local school districts and churches in perpetuity.

With guidance from the organization’s St. Lawrence County Advisory Council, the Community Foundation’s strategic grant-making efforts will continue. The Foundation awarded more than $90,000 in grant support in 2015 for an array of local organizations. A $25,000 grant was awarded to the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Foundation to support the Richard E. Winter Cancer Center capital campaign project. Other grant recipients included the Orchestra of Northern New York, Volunteer Transportation Center, Potsdam Holiday Fund, Canton-Potsdam Hospital, St. Lawrence NYSARC, Hospice & Palliative Care of the St. Lawrence Valley, Frederic Remington Art Museum, Kiwanis Club of Ogdensburg, Ogdensburg Neighborhood Center, St. Lawrence Valley SPCA, St. Lawrence Valley Renewal House and several others. Many local food pantries across the region are also receiving annual support from the Foundation.

Component, geographic and school district funds through the Community Foundation are also making a difference. Support continues to build for the Peter Van de Water Fund for St. Lawrence County, which serves as a permanent endowment to advance the quality of life in the region. More than $100,000 in total charitable gifts has been stewarded to date. The Clifton-Fine Community Fund awarded $6,000 in grants in 2015 to support seven projects and initiatives in their geographical region. Several St. Lawrence County school districts continue to partner with the Foundation to create educational foundations or sustaining funds that will provide an additional resource to boost each institution’s academic and extracurricular efforts. For example, the Potsdam Educational Opportunities Fund has awarded more $20,000 to support programs and projects within the Potsdam Central School District since its inception in 2012. This annual fund was constructed with several charitable contributions from parents, alumni, school faculty and staff, as well as community residents.

The Community Foundation offers donors a variety of charitable giving vehicles, including individual, family and business named donor-advised funds, named scholarship, field of interest and designated funds. For donors with a passion for their community, geographic- and/or community-specific funds can be established. Other versatile charitable funds or giving platforms include funds designed to support non-profit organizations or agencies, memorial or legacy funds, alternatives to private foundations and charitable gift annuities.

Donors interested in aligning their community passions and interests at any level can create a philanthropic legacy through the Northern New York Community Foundation. Whether it is for individuals, families, businesses or organizations, legacies can begin to have a lasting impact in St. Lawrence County today. For more call (315) 782-7110 or visit www.nnycf.org.