Vassar launches Community Works fund-raising Campaign

Vassar College has launched its second annual Community Works fund-raising campaign.

Last year, Vassar decided against participation in the local United Way, and created its own campaign to benefit local organizations. Vassar chose to disassociate from the local United Way campaign because the United Way of Dutchess County has accepted the decision made by the Boy Scouts of America, a member agency, to retain its legal right to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation against service providers, both staff and volunteers.

"Vassar has chosen to chart its own philanthropic course, and in the process to commit itself unhesitatingly to nondiscrimination and human dignity," said Community Works Campaign director and associate professor of history Leslie Offutt. "The Community Works Campaign is the vehicle by which the college has chosen to demonstrate its commitment to those principles."

Vassar hopes to raise $75,000, to be distributed among 10 local institutions. The college will absorb the administrative expenses of the campaign and 100 percent of collected funds will go to the recipient organizations and agencies, all of which fully

abide by Vassar's policy of nondiscrimination in regard to both service recipients and service providers.

"Community Works represents a new path, an opportunity not only to stand for the dignity of all but to forge more intimate and lasting links with the Poughkeepsie community," said Offutt. The campaign continues throughout October, with various events and forums planned to introduce the college community to the recipient organizations. This year the Community Works Campaign committee, comprised of faculty, staff, administrators, and student representatives, has selected 10 recipient institutions–four that were served last year, and six new ones, all of them solidly grounded in the local community.

The organizations and agencies that will receive funding through this year's "Community Works" campaign are:

• DUTCHESS OUTREACH, a local answer to the continuing problem of hunger in Dutchess County. Dutchess Outreach operates the Lunch Box, a soup kitchen that serves up to 300 hot meals a day. Dutchess Outreach also provides emergency food and medicine to families and advocacy for people in poverty.
  
• NEW HORIZONS RESOURCES, serving people with developmental disabilities. New Horizons operates 17 group homes and provides services to children with disabilities. Their work, which has earned them a reputation for innovation and commitment, aims to make people with developmental disabilities more a part of the everyday life of our community. One example of this is a day program at their farm in Hyde Park, which welcomes community participation.
  
• CHILDREN'S MEDIA PROJECT, located on Main Street in Poughkeepsie, focusing on self-exploration as the route to community commitment. Their pioneering methods combine the power of art and of technology in working with children of all ages, social histories, and ethnic backgrounds. Some programs: "Talking Walls" for at-risk youth; "Smokescreens," an anti-tobacco use program for fifth to eighth graders; and Video Diary for Girls, personal filmmaking for young women.
  
• HUDSON RIVER HOUSING (HRH), operating Hillcrest House, the only overnight shelter (which is always at capacity) for people who are homeless in the Dutchess County area. HRH also provides long-term temporary housing for families. In addition, they encourage first-time home ownership through their course on the basics of buying and owning a home. This forward-looking agency leads an innovative collaboration of public and private partners in the revitalization of Garden Street and other properties in Poughkeepsie.
  
• THE SKIPPER INITIATIVE, formed by the family and friends of George "Skipper" Lithco, who was an 11-month-old resident of the Town of Poughkeepsie when he died on December 3, 2000. Skipper died from brain injuries he suffered when he was shaken by his day care provider. The Skipper Initiative educates and increases awareness of the dangers associated with shaken baby syndrome, through education and lobbying. The initiative's Dias Program educates new parents about the dangers of shaken baby syndrome before they leave the hospital after the birth of a child.
  
• CIRCLES, sponsoring weekly after-school support groups where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adolescents can meet in a safe space to talk about the discrimination and violence they often face. The program also works with local schools and service agencies to ensure safety and support for LGBT teens.
  
• GRACE SMITH HOUSE, offering a full spectrum of services for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. These services include emergency shelter, safety, housing advocacy, information and referral, justice department advocacy, legal information and advocacy, parenting discussions, children's groups advocacy, crisis and supportive counseling, and a 24 hour hotline. Grace Smith House has also been a local leader in outreach to the Latino community.
  
• AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION (MID-HUDSON REGION), the local arm of the national organization. The American Heart Association is committed to reducing disability and death from heart disease and stroke, the nation's number one and number three killers.
  
• AIDS-Related Community Services (ARCS), providing service and advocacy for (and often by) people living with AIDS. ARCS is the largest organization solely dedicated to providing HIV/AIDS services to people in the Hudson Valley region. The agency has grown to serve the needs of over 25,000 community members annually through offices in Dutchess and surrounding counties.
  
• HUDSON RIVER SLOOP CLEARWATER, a nationally prominent, Poughkeepsie-based environmental organization created to defend and restore the Hudson River through music (Pete Seeger was a founding member), research, advocacy, and education.
  

For additional information, call the Office of College Relations at (845) 437-7400.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations or information on accessibility should contact Campus Activities Office at (845) 437-5370. Without sufficient notice, appropriate space and/or assistance may not be available.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

This article was posted on Wednesday, October 9th, 2002.