SUNY Geneseo & Nazareth Students Lend a Helping Hand at CASAGiving happens in a number of ways. At the Community After School Academy (CASA), students from SUNY Geneseo and Nazareth College volunteer time with youth helping with school work, and teaching lessons in study and life skills.

Sierra Fisher, a senior at Nazareth, shared her volunteer experience with us:

Q. What do you do as a CASA volunteer?

A. I tutor and teach life skills, I like to think that I lead by example.

Q. You have been volunteering at The Community Place for over a year now. Why do you continue to donate your time?

A. I love the kids and I love the energy here!

Q. Can you see your work making a difference in the lives of the children you are working with?

A. Yes! I see them grow academically and socially. I teach the kids life skills while I help with their school work. Now we are working to teach the kids about giving compliments by playing games.

Q. How does volunteering at CASA make you feel?

A. It makes me feel good to volunteer. I feel like I’m actually making a difference and I know these kids need me.

Q. Does your volunteer experience make you feel closer to the Rochester community?

PlacePulseC o m m U N I T YT H E

NewS ANd eveNtS from tHe CommUNitY PLACe of GreAter roCHeSter, iNC. SPriNG 2011 Vol. 5, Issue 2

Volunteering At The Community Place Is…ageless • intergenerational • educational

Nazareth senior, Sierra Fisher (right) is passionate about working with students at The Community Place after school program.

A. Yes, definitely. I am from the city, and so are the kids who I tutor. I recently ran into one of the students at Chucky Cheese. She ran up to me, gave me a hug and was excited to introduce me to her family. It felt great!

(continued on page 3)

ageless

making the Holiday Season Bright for others 270 families received food and gifts as part of the 2010 holiday basket program!over $46,000 worth of gifts, food and time was donated during the holiday season from over 50 community organizations, businesses and families.Each one of the 190 seniors who volunteer and participate in senior center programs received a gift at their annual holiday celebration.over 20 individuals volunteered at Breakfast with Santa, where over 300 individuals and families enjoyed a holiday gathering.

The Community Place is grateful for the generous support provided to the agency during the recent holiday season. Families, youth and seniors alike, enjoyed winter holidays with community celebra-tions, plenty of food and gifts that they may not have had without The Community Place. Family, Aging and Disabilities Services and Youth programs all recruit support from a number of individuals and businesses. many have shared their gen-

erosity to the Rochester community over several years to assure a happy holiday to those who face challenges.

Families who register for holiday baskets receive a week’s worth of food and gifts. ms. Cheryl White, CPGR’s Coordinator of Family Service, enjoys being able to provide assistance to help reduce already stressed families and to make the holiday season brighter for them.

The Community Place Spring 2011

2

Cobblestone School Service Learning Students team Up with the CPGr Senior Center

Jennifer Little coordinates the Service Learning program at the Cobblestone School and develops teaching strategies for students that integrate community service with lessons and reflection. The program’s goal is to enhance the student learning process, teach civic responsibility and strengthen the Rochester community.

The Community Place has become a partner with the Cobblestone School. So far 28 students have participated in Service Learning activities in the Senior Center. Students work with seniors participating in a variety of activities such as jew-elry making and sing-alongs.

“The kids love it,” says Jennifer. And, as for the seniors, “They seem delighted when the kids come. They especially love listening to the young children perform.”

During an in-class reflection that took place after one of the Cobblestone School visits, one of the students made a journal reflection about the event: “It’s fun. The people there love kids. Talking to Dora was a great pleasure. making bracelets with her was awesome!”

Seniors at the Senior Center love visitors. Daily programs are enhanced with visits from volunteers, especially young people, who bring a special joy. Students from Cobblestone School recently visited to work on a craft project.

intergenerational

voLUNteer imPACt!

The agency is grateful to everyone who helps us in our mission to “Strengthen Community, One Person, One Family at a Time.” We have highlighted a few examples of ways to help. If you are interested in learning more, visit our website at communityplace.org or contact us at 585-327-7200, ext 103.

The children in the Community After School Academy (CASA) and volunteers often build close relationships. For Anna, a third grader who works with Sierra at

CASA, life-changing experiences occurred.

When Anna joined CASA as a third grader last semester, her tutors described her as “a handful.” Anna’s short attention span and lack of focus kept her from keeping up academically with her third-grade peers. It quickly became appar-ent to Sierra, her tutor, that something had to be done.

over the semester Sierra developed a closeness with Anna and realized how much Anna was struggling. Anna’s work was well below her grade level. Her distractive behav-iors had gotten her moved to the back of her third grade classroom. Alarmed, Sierra contacted Anna’s teacher and devised a

Students at the Community After School Academy (CASA) receive personalized attention from volunteers

plan to get Anna back on track.Sierra obtained lesson plans from Anna’s

teacher and introduced Anna to course material before it was presented at school. As Anna got a better grasp on her course work, she grew noticeably more confident and as a result, more focused. “over the course of a semester, Anna has caught up to the other third graders” says Sierra.

15 out of 17 high-school seniors enrolled in our 2010 after school program are pursuing higher education at local colleges and universities! CPGR staff and the volunteers make a big difference in the lives of these young people!

Currently 296 participants are enrolled in CPGR’s SeniorCenter. Each day between 30 and 50 people attend the program, socialize with friends, exercise, and enjoy a nurtitious meal.

Civic engagement is one of our Youth program priorities. for more information, please visit CommunityPlace.org

Spring 2011 The Community Place

3

Local Pastor, Joyce Young, shares her passion for African American history at the Senior Center’s Black History Celebration.

Local Pastor Celebrates Black History at Senior CenterThe Aging Service’s fifth annual Black History month event this February was standing room only! Guests joined together to celebrate and honor the history and culture of the black community, and volunteers worked collectively to create a presentation that included storytelling, song, poem and dance.

Joyce Young, a local pastor from Triedstone missionary Baptist Church, was one of the volunteers. With style and flare, Joyce shared the story of the African Slave trade and the arrival of black Africans to America.

In addition Pastor Young, who was dressed in a traditional purple and gold African dress,also documented the African culture. “The more everyone knows about their own history and culture, the prouder they are” says Joyce.

Joyce’s hope is that people will take the knowledge of black history and share that knowledge with others with a sense of pride.

“As a pastor, it is my job to reach out to people and spread good will” she says. Young is hopeful that by taking pride in our heritages we can come together as a larger community and celebrate our differences.educational

What holiday basket recipients had to say…

“The basket helped me out a lot because I was out of a job. We made a big turkey dinner. There was rice, great stuffing, and potatoes. We ate together and had good memories. We were so happy.” –Aida Gonzalez, age 27

“It helped us immensely. If I had to buy a ham or any of the things that I got in my holiday basket we wouldn’t have been able to afford gifts for our family. The basket of gifts made our spirits bright, it made us feel better.” – Emma morgan-Lamar & James Lamar, age 78

Ross Lanzafame, former CPGR Board Chair and Partner at Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, has supported the Holiday Basket

program for over 24 years. Ross can be credited for arranging the delivery of holiday baskets to 379 families (over 1,600 people!) in the Rochester Community.

Ross organizes the effort at HSE, and over 60 people donate or purchase gifts to make the program such a success. We asked Ross why he was so passionate about helping out on behalf of the Community Place:

“We provide a lot of the same services that other agencies provide but we do it differently. At the Community Place, it’s neighbors helping neighbors.”

making the Holiday Season Bright for others (continued from page 1)

Ross Lanzafame, Partner, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP

The Community Place Spring 2011

4

The President’s Corner

10 Years of CPGr volunteeringThis year we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the formation of The Community Place of Greater Rochester, the organization that effectively merged three historic Rochester settlement houses — Eastside Community

Center, Genesee Settlement House and Lewis Street Center.

Volunteers have always been and continue to be an essential part of the operation and success of settlement houses. For that reason, we have dedicated this issue of The Pulse to the many individuals who have so generously shared their time and resources with us over the past year. Without the help of our volunteers we would not be the great organization we are today.

Communities and needs have changed quite a bit over the last century, but our core values and many of the ways that we do business remain constant. Volunteers continue to play a critical role at The Community Place. Through our Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs, over 150 older adults volunteer 15 – 20 hours per week to support children in classrooms and frail elders in their homes. other volunteers provide homework help and tutoring for youth in after school programs, mentor teens through their first job experiences, assist with our Holiday Assistance program and community events such as the annual Breakfast with Santa and Community Health Fair, serve on our Board of Directors, and share their talents and resources in many ways to make our programs and our organization stronger. You can read about some of our volunteers here, and learn about the impact a Nazareth student-volunteer made on Anna, a participant of one of our after school programs (page 2). other success stories and our 2010 Annual Report are available on line at CommunityPlace.org.

We greatly appreciate our volunteers for all of their hard work and dedication. Volunteers help us to continue to provide neighborhood-based services, make connections to create win-win solutions, empower individuals and families to reach their goals and potential, and to build stronger communities, one person, one family at a time.

We couldn’t do it without you!

Sue Davin, CPGR President

Foster Grandparent, Violeta, reads to preschool students enriching their lives and hers as part of CPGR’s Early Childhood Services program.

Howard Weinstein, Action BoxBoy Scout Troop 55Pamala Brown-Grinion*Andrew Burke*Ronika BurnsThe Cabot GroupViolet CartledgeAlex Castro*Kathy CherringtonCahlil CherubinChurch of the TransfigurationAdriana CiudinCobblestone Schoolmya ColemanStacey DeJesus*Dover Downing*Donna DurbinEve ElzengaExcellus Blue Cross Blue

Shield employeesFiber ministry Rodney Fraziermaureen FriedmanFrontier PioneersGrace ChurchRebecca Graf*minister Earlvin Green-WayneTeresa Greene* & familyChris Hall & friends at schoolHarter Secrest Emery

employeesmrs. Sylvia HasmanJames Hawkins*Scott Hendler*Linda HicksHoly Cross ChurchPaul Hudson*mattie JonesPatina JonesAnna KellyEllis Komenski*Yulissa KendrickJoan KircherKnights of PythiasRoss Lanzafame*minister Beverly LaurantLaurelton United

Presbyterian ChurchJennifer LittleTodd Levine*Jessica LopezLiz martinmattel Toys/Gifts In-Kind

InternationalYolanda mcCrayLanette mcKnight* and

AALDP colleaguesmcQuaid High SchoolCierre menelasRob mischler Familymonroe Community College

Service Learning Centermonroe County Sheriff’s officemonroe County Stingmaggie moore-Holley

Gloria morgan*mother of Sorrows ChurchNazareth College Nursing

StudentsNazareth College Partners for

ServingNazareth College Social Work

StudentsJohn Nieboermike NowakBrian o’Sullivan*Dorothy PecoraroPeace of Christ ParishPepsi Bottling GroupJackie PhelpsPat Quinnmary ReedEdward Reif*RF Harris Corporation

employeesAnita RevellSarphatie Education StaffRita Sherman*Edna SmithSt. mary’s Church of

CanandaiguaSt. John Fisher studentsSt. Pius X Church

A Special thanks to our many dedicated volunteers

Gwendolyn ScottKevin Sizer*Latoya SmithStephen Smith*Gloria Steward-ThomasNorman StrothersSUNY Geneseo Literacy

Division, Reading ClinicPatricia Taylor FamilyDavid Tellezmarisol TellezJacque Trama*Triedstone missionary Baptist

Church YouthUnited Way Day of Caring

volunteersCarleen WadeTodd WaiteJacquelyn Washingtonmarlowe Washington*Eunice WhiteSabrina WilkersonJoseph Wilson*Kartina WilsonPhil WiseGail YanderPastor Joyce Young

* Denotes CPGR Board of Directors member.

We have attempted to capture names of those who have volunteered over the past year. If we have missed your name, please accept our apologies and let us know by calling 585-327-7200, ext. 103, so that we can amend our records.

Spring 2011 The Community Place

5

improving the Lives of People in the Community

Success at Life management SolutionsPatina never used to leave her home without a hammer and knife in her coat pocket. Patina believed that these weapons protected her and her family from their “dangerous world.” Today after completing the Life management Solutions (LmS) program at The Community Place, Patina and her family look at the world differently; they are no longer victims.

They have learned that they can effectively manage their own lives without hammers and knives.

Before completing LmS, Patina and her two boys struggled with controlling their anger which was a key issue to many of their family challenges. For example, while working at a local fast-food restaurant, Patina got into a fist fight with a coworker over a matter that she now realizes was trivial. Her young boys mimicked this behavior at home. The two would end up black and blue after fighting over a pair of gym socks.

Today Patina and her boys don’t react by shoving and throwing punches. In the past these acts placed Patina in jail and her boys had been suspended from school. Now the family is practicing what they learned at LmS: take a step back and think about more effective ways to manage anger.

Patina reaches out to her Community Place and LmS network for support and is improving her work-life conditions.

Patina notices that her boys are also managing their anger in healthier ways. Practicing good manners helps them prevent petty arguments and violent confrontation. Patina also receives good feedback from the boy’s school tutor who describes the boys as “calmer, more polite and a pleasure to be around.”

“LmS did wonders for me and my family, It felt like we were having an asthma attack and now I feel like we’ve finally found some oxygen” says Patina who no longer leaves the house with her pockets filled with weapons. “This new look, looks good on you!” says her aunt.

Patina now volunteers in assisting with the LmS program, remaining connected and giving back.

CPGR celebrated the success of Patina and her two boys at the LMS commencement ceremony.

This year we are proud to have KJ featured in the United Way’s 2011 campaign.

KJ has flourished due, in part, to his participation in after-school and summer programs at The Community Place funded by the United Way’s Community Fund.

A Special thank You…to Lauren Kirchhausen, CPGR’s Communications Intern from SUNY Geneseo for all her help in writing and developing this issue of The Pulse!

Web banner from the United Way’s website featuring CPGR after school and summer program participant KJ.

Please visit our website for additional information at www.communityplace.org

CPGr Youth featured in United way Campaign CPGr 2010 Annual report Available onlineThe Community Place of Greater Rocheter’s 2010 Annual Report is now available in PDF fomat from our website at CommunityPlace.org.

Select the Annual Report link to the middle right of our home page.

In addition to a comprehensive recap of CPGR’s progress in the past year, the Report also shows how lean an organization we run thanks, in large part, to your support!

Spring 2011 The Community Place

145 Parsells Avenue, Rochester, NY 14609-5118

NoN PRoFIT oRGUS PoSTAGE

PAIDRoCHESTER NY

PERmIT #884

friday, June 24 evening (tentative) Disability Services SPRING FLING

Saturday, July 9, 11 a.m. Lewis Street Alumni Assn. Picnic, especially for those who were teens in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Genesee Valley Park. For details, contact Dave Everett at davevere5@aol.com

thursday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.Family & Aging Services HEALTH FAIR, 145 Parsells Avenue

Visit CommunityPlace.org formore about these and other events.

otHer UPComiNG eveNtS

SUNdAY AUGUSt 7, 12 – 5 P.m.fourth Annual 16th ward Lewis Street family Picnicwegman Lodge at Seneca Park (please note new location this year)

SAtUrdAY, SePt. 17

Third Annual “Hat”titudeJoin us from 9 a.m. – 12 noon on Saturday, September 17, 2011, for CPGR’s Third Annual “Hat”titude event at the Radison Hotel Rochester Riverside, 120 E. main Street.

Event highlights include:• Early bird vendor shopping at 8 a.m.• Pictures • Live jazzAll proceeds benefit The Community Place and Threshold Center at Community Place.

Tickets are $25 per person or a table of ten (10) for $225. For information and tick-ets, please contact:• Patricia Taylor at 585-327-7200, x106• Sabrina Wilkerson and Yolanda mcCray

at 585-234-2025Former Monroe County Sheriff Andy Meloni shares memories and laughter with an old friend at last year’s picnic.

For four years friends from mt. Carmel, 16th Ward and Lewis Street Center have gathered to recall fond memories. many people have planned summer vacation so they can join us.

Celebrate with friends! Recall good times! Everyone is welcome!• Bring meat to grill and your

favorite dish to pass. If your last name starts with…– A-H: Bring Snacks and munchies– I-P: Bring a Salad– Q-Z: Bring a Dessert

• Grills are available at 1 P.m.Enter off 2222 St. Paul Blvd

and take road all the way to the end, past the zoo.

Contact CPGR at 327-7200 x103 for details.