Upstate Medical University: Upstate Foundation Campaign For Golisano Center For Special Needs Surpasses $6.5 Million

Syracuse NY

27 May, 2022

2:30 PM

Description

Press release from Upstate Medical University: May 25, 2022 The Upstate Foundation has raised more than $6.5 million to benefit the Golisano Center for Special Needs. The campaign kicked off in January 2020. Paychex founder and philanthropist Tom Golisano jumpstarted the campaign with a $3 million gift to establish the center in Fall 2019. And the Central New York community has responded. Nearly 300 donors, comprising community members, corporations, other foundations and Upstate faculty and staff were among the contributors. "Ultimately, the Golisano Center for Special Needs campaign raised more than $6.5 million in more than two years and when attention was on focused on a number critical needs that surfaced during the pandemic," said Eileen Pezzi, vice president of development, Upstate Medical University. "Surpassing the goal in record time is a testament to the philanthropic spirit of our community and the enthusiastic support that is always demonstrated when it comes to the needs of children." Funds raised by the foundation are earmarked specifically to benefit the center in various ways. The funds have been used to: —hire eight additional professional staff to address the needs of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities; —renovate of the new center's home located at Madison-Irving Medical Center (The center has doubled in sized and its new rooms are equipped to serve children of all ages.); —provide student scholarships for people interested in pursuing a master's degree in behavior analysis studies to address the huge personnel gap in this area; —fund research exploring the root genetic causes of disabling conditions and pioneering new ways to treat challenging behaviors; —establish a Patient Assistance Fund that supports families with limited financial resources, such as expenses incurred by families who travel a distance to the center; This press release was produced by Upstate Medical University. The views expressed here are the author's own.