PAWS of CNY Inc. is proud to be the recipient of a grant from the NBT Bank Fund, a component fund of the Oswego County Community Foundation. NBT Bank, in late 2014, transferred funds that were held for use to address the charitable needs of the residents of Oswego County into a field-of-interest. NBT Bank is a partner with the Oswego County Community Foundation to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that serve the residents of Oswego County. PAWS of CNY and their therapy pets have brought the people of Oswego County much enjoyment over the years and plan to use the grant to continue its outreach efforts.
PAWS of CNY currently has ten human volunteers, ten dogs, and two cats volunteering in Oswego County. PAWS of CNY serves Syracuse Hancock International Airport, nursing homes, hospitals, schools (from elementary to colleges and universities), and library reading programs in Cortland, Cayuga, Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego Counties. They serve three nursing homes/assisted living communities in Oswego County, including The Manor at Seneca Hill, St. Francis, and Pontiac Nursing Homes. They also regularly visit the students of SUNY Oswego and regularly visit the first graders of Minetto Elementary School.
For those Oswegonians interested in having their dog or cat evaluated and certified by PAWS of CNY, twice per year, the organization holds therapy pet evaluations at Paws and Effect in Oswego.
PAWS of CNY Inc. is extremely grateful for being awarded a grant that will allow it to better serve students, residents, and patients in need in Oswego County. The organization plans to use the funds to help expand its programming and volunteer presence in Oswego County. The grant money will support marketing efforts to recruit and evaluate more volunteers in the county to meet the growing need for pet therapy services in the area.
By Kyle Andrake