The Klock Kingston Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to support the Benedictine Health Foundation’s programs that provide financial support and compassionate care to people coping with the diagnosis of cancer, and behavioral health and substance abuse disorders.
Programs that will benefit include the Rosemary D. Gruner Memorial Cancer Fund to assist cancer patients while they receive treatment, $90,000 is distributed annually, and valuable workshops and educational forums for adolescents to educate them on behavioral health conditions that can lead to discrimination or bullying, and create reluctance for our youth to seek help. Topics presented are crucial to healthy development, self-esteem and confidence, and share a critical message of persistence, resilience, self-worth and hard work.
“We thank the Klock Foundation and Key Private Bank for their continuous support of our mission to raise and distribute resources to support quality healthcare that improves the physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being of those who are vulnerable and underserved in Ulster County and the surrounding area,” stated Robert J. Ryan, Jr., President of the Benedictine Health Foundation.
The Klock Kingston Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in Ulster County to advance education, literacy, the arts, public health and the sciences. “As a member of the Klock Kingston Trustees, we are again proud to continue the charitable legacy of Lucia and Jay Klock, and to support health care services in the Ulster County community,” stated Sloan Saverine, Vice President and Senior Trust Officer of Key Private Bank.
The Benedictine Health Foundation, based in Kingston, NY, has supported healthcare programs and services since 1977. For further information, contact Barbara Klassen, Executive Director, at (845) 481-1303.
The Benedictine Health Foundation provided funding for Tay Fisher, Harlem Globetrotters star, Firefly, and Kingston High School alumni to conduct three motivational presentations to Kingston High School (KHS) students on Friday, October 6..
1200 students in grades 9 through 12 participated in the assemblies. “This program is designed to help students to prepare for their high school and college experience. I communicate what helped me become successful so they can learn and establish their own path to success. I share my personal story from on and off the court as not all of the kids can relate to me athletically; I want each student to leave empowered for a bright future. There is nothing better than having the opportunity to talk with students and being able to relate to them in numerous ways. It’s all about the connection for them to fully understand my message,” stated Tay Fisher.
“Tay Fisher’s message is one of persistence, resilience, self-worth and hard work. More than a motivational speaker, he is a real life example to Kingston kids of their own personal potential. We are so grateful to the Benedictine Health Foundation for giving our kids the opportunity to hear his story, reflect on their intentions and goals and be inspired to plan for their futures,” stated Amy Kapes, LMSW, KHS Social Worker.
Proceeds from the Benedictine Health Foundation’s Kick for Mental Health Kickball Tournament held in June were used to sponsor the assemblies. The Foundation is supporting additional programs throughout the school year at KHS and with the HealthAlliance Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program that provide opportunities for students to build critical social-emotional and coping skills and participate in pro-social activities that build self-esteem and confidence.
For further information, contact Barbara Klassen, Executive Director, at (845) 481-1303 or bklassen@bhfoundation.org.
Photo (L to R): Tay Fisher with KHS Student Dominique Rivers Lyons.
The Benedictine Health Foundation provided funding to Kingston High School to support a new Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) initiative.
PBIS is a proactive systems approach to encouraging students to care for themselves and one another, and is designed to create a school culture where all students can achieve social, emotional, and academic success. The PBIS framework identifies desired target behaviors, defines them in specific school settings, and provides a process for staff to teach, model, recognize, and reinforce those behaviors. KHS will focus on teamwork, integrity, grace, empathy, respect and safety (TIGERS). The strategy has already been piloted in several KCSD elementary schools, and began at KHS this September.
Close to 200 faculty and staff members from Kingston High School gathered on the front steps of KHS on the first day wearing “KHS-PBIS” t-shirts. The visual impact of having hundreds of teachers carrying the same positive message on their shirt served to raise awareness amongst staff and students about this important effort.
For the past two years, Benedictine Health Foundation’s Kick for Mental Health Kickball Tournament held in June has helped raise funds needed to support adolescent mental health services, raising approximately $23,000 this year.
Amy Kapes, a KHS social worker, knows these efforts will have a lasting impact on students. “The Benedictine Health Foundation has helped us provide opportunities for students to build critical social-emotional and coping skills and participate in pro-social activities that build self-esteem and confidence. KHS is grateful for their ongoing support of PBIS and programs for teens in our community.”
For further information about the Benedictine Health Foundation, visit www.
Photo: KHS Faculty & Staff wear “KHS- PBIS” Shirts
The Klock Foundation recently awarded a grant of $25,000 to the Benedictine Health Foundation in support of the Foundation’s Rosemary D. Gruner Memorial Cancer Fund. The Fund provides direct financial assistance to local cancer patients while they receive treatment. Each eligible patient receives $500 annually in the form of gift cards to purchase nutritious food at Hannaford Supermarkets and/or fuel at Stewart’s Shops to help cover the expense of transportation to treatment. Over 1495 patients have been served by the program with over $655,000 distributed in assistance.
The Klock Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in Ulster County to advance education, literacy, the arts, public health and the sciences. “We are once again proud to continue the charitable legacy of Lucia and Jay Klock, and to support health care services in the Ulster County community, stated Sloan Saverine, Vice President and Senior Trust Officer of Key Private Bank. KeyBank has managed the Klock Foundation for 48 years with Mr. Saverine serving as a Foundation Trustee.
The Rosemary D. Gruner Memorial Cancer Fund was established in 2004 by the Gruner family in partnership with the Benedictine Health Foundation, Inc., a local not for profit organization in Kingston. “This Fund is a vital component of our work to help patients and their families when faced with the diagnosis of cancer and difficult treatments. We are grateful for the continued generosity and support of the Klock Foundation,” stated Barbara Klassen, Executive Director of the Benedictine Health Foundation.
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Local non-profit organizations were presented with donations from The Bank of Greene County’s Charitable Foundation at the Bank’s new Kingston branch location in Ulster County. On hand to present the awards were Donald Gibson (President), Jess Davis (Kingston Branch Manager), Perry Lasher (Commercial Lending Director), Sean DuBois (Commercial Lending Officer), Rob Agostinoni (Lending Manager), and John Werner (Lending Consultant). A total of $94,000 will be awarded this year from the Bank of Greene County’s Charitable Foundation to over 100 local non-profit organizations. And as part of the Grand Opening specials for the new branch, the Bank also donated $10 to a local charity for every new account opened during the promotional period.
The organizations receiving donations at this time were:
Since 1998, the Foundation has awarded close to $900,000 to fund a wide variety of projects benefiting and including education, health and wellness, social and civic services, culture, arts, and affordable housing. Applications are accepted each year between December 1st and January 15th. More information about The Bank of Greene County and the Charitable Foundation may be found at the Bank’s website www.tbogc.com.