ROCHESTER, NY (January 26, 2012) — 120 eager students showed up to the first day of classes last fall for the opening of Discovery Charter School in Rochester, NY.

The Discovery Charter School, an elementary school for at-risk children in Rochester, NY, opened its doors on August 15, 2011.

The idea for the school started in 2009, when a group of concerned individuals identified the need for an educational alternative for at-risk youth, particularly those living in poverty within the City of Rochester. Specifically, school organizers decided to focus on the Northeast quadrant of the city, one area in Rochester where PathStone has invested tremendous resources in developing affordable housing and focused its community revitalization efforts.

The need for educational alternatives for youth living in this area is exceptionally high. According to information from The Children’s Agenda, an independent Rochester-based non-profit focusing on the health and well-being of children in Monroe County, half of all students that enter Rochester City high schools do not graduate. Additionally, 88% of city elementary school students qualify for free or reduced price school meals.  

When asked about the reasons for starting the school, co-founder, Dave Vigren, said, “This effort is for the kids; the founders and I are determined to make a difference in the lives of a significant number of children. Discovery will teach real skills for the real world … it is an Expeditionary Learning school which blends real life experiences with fundamental learning.”

A lot of research, diligence and perseverance on the founders’ part made Discovery Charter School a reality.  Grants, along with financing from M&T Bank and a GAP loan from PathStone Enterprise Center, Inc., helped make the school a reality for many at-risk children in Rochester.

A lottery selected students from the more than 400 applicants, with two classes per grade: kindergarten, first and second.  Discovery will add a new grade each year, until it has reached its goal of serving children from kindergarten through sixth grade.  

Upon visiting the school, it is hard not to get excited about what is happening.  The teachers and staff are passionate and believe in what Discovery is trying to accomplish.  At Discovery, it is all hands on deck; everyone pitches in wherever there is a need. School Director, Joseph L. Saia, knows the students and truly believes that “Discovery will be a place where students, parents and teachers can make dreams a reality.”

At the school, success is seen every day.

MARILLA, NY (January 6, 2012) - Homeowners in a Marilla manufactured home park face a more certain future after purchasing their community on December 29, 2011. The resident purchase of Bush Gardens Manufactured Home Park creates the first ever resident-owned manufactured home park in Erie County.

The 154 site park was purchased by a newly-formed resident co-op corporation from the current owner, Bush Gardens, MHC, LLC (managed by KDM Development Corp.).  PathStone Corporation, a community development organization based in Rochester, provided technical assistance and training to the residents to set up the co-op, secure financing, purchase their communities, make needed infrastructure improvements, and operate Bush Gardens  as an affordable, resident-owned community.

The $4.5 million purchase was financed by the New York State Housing Finance Agency and ROC USA^TM Capital, the finance arm of a non-profit social enterprise that finances resident ownership of manufactured home communities in 20 states.

With the purchase, which must still be approved by the New York State Attorney General’s office, Bush Garden residents will have an opportunity to buy a membership and become part owners of their community. The homes in the community will continue to be individually owned by the homeowners but the land, roads, and sewer systems and other infrastructure will be cooperatively owned by homeowner and operated on a non-profit basis.  This financing structure ensures continued affordable rents, adequate reserves for capital improvements and long-term security for homeowners.

“We’ve made the choice to become a resident-owned community to help all families in this community, especially the seniors on fixed incomes and the young families who are just starting out,” said Dennis Jakubowski, President of the Bush Gardens’ Homeowners Association.

“Our long-term objective is to provide tools for lower income families to build assets and gain stability,” said Stuart Mitchell, president and CEO of PathStone.  “Resident ownership of manufactured home communities is one way to do that while protecting the dwindling supply of affordable housing in this area.”

“Board members have volunteered hundreds of hours over the past few months to gain control of their community,” said Andrea Miller, Program Manager for PathStone.  “Their hard work and dedication to resident ownership have made this purchase possible.”

Bush Gardens Manufactured Home Park is situated on 89 acres  off Three Rod Road, south east of the Village of Alden in eastern Erie County.

The resident corporation was represented in this purchase by attorney George Parker out of Rochester.  The listing agent for the seller was Nick Malagisi of Sperry Van Ness out of Buffalo.

PathStone will provide ongoing technical assistance and training to the Bush Gardens community for at least the next 10 years.  PathStone is a regional non-profit community development and human services organization that provides technical assistance and training to manufactured home community residents interested in resident ownership.  PathStone is a ROC USA^TM Certified Technical Assistance Provider and a member of the national NeighborWorks® Network.

PathStone is currently working toward resident ownership of four other manufactured home communities across New York and also plans to expand the program into Pennsylvania and Ohio.  Resident ownership is a growing trend nationally as more homeowners seek protection against park closure and the inherent instability of owning their homes but not the land beneath them.  A recent study in New Hampshire found that manufactured homes in co-op communities sold for 12% more than comparable homes in investor-owned communities.

To learn more about the Marilla purchase: Residents buy Marilla mobile home park, originally published in the Buffalo News on January 6, 2011.

For more information, contact:

Andrea Miller by email or (585)340-3360

By Eli Goldfarb

MONTICELLO, NY (January 17, 2012)- Late last year, the Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County held a training class for those who want to help tutor illiterate adults. The culmination was a graduation party for the 12 people taking the course.  It was held at the Literacy Center Bookstore in Monticello.

These dozen tutors have all been paired up with an adult student in need of aid, and will help each person learn the literacy skills needed to live-at no cost.

“These people have a chance to change a person’s life in such a drastic way,” said Literacy Volunteers President Connie Keller, one of the instructors for the course.

“Without the dedication of our tutors we wouldn’t have a program.  These are people who want to help people and give them the gift of literacy.”

At the same time as these tutors were learning to teach others, another group was also receiving a different kind of training. This one was put on by PathStone, an organization funded by US Department of Labor which helps elders learn work skills.  They take low income, unemployed seniors and give them part time jobs, while also giving them job training to help them work on their own.

Both the tutors and a group of ten seniors were recognized the same night.  The latter received certificates of job readiness, showing that they have completed all the training they need to be successful in the job market. 

“I visited Sojourner House over the summer and I was so impressed with the level of care and dedicated staff”, said Hartman.  “This year, we set out to recognize the work of some of the smaller agencies in our area which often go unrecognized for the outstanding community impact they have.:

“Sojourner House is the only agency in New York State to benefit from Walmart’s national philanthropic effort,” states Kathryn Bryan, interim executive director at Sojourner House. “We are thrilled to have this level of recognition for our work. It clearly shines a positive spot light on our entire community. We plan to use these funds to continue to provide the necessary services to the community that are continually being cut by other funding sources.” 

Walmart’s call for nominations for its “12 Days of Giving” Facebook campaign resulted in more than 5,400 nominations from Facebook users who shared photos and short descriptions of a nonprofit’s impact in its local community. A panel from the Walmart Foundation reviewed submissions and selected nonprofits with a focus on organizations that are providing basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter.

Sojourner House at PathStone has been dedicated to the total development of homeless women and children, providing shelter, structure and strength for over 20 years. For more information, visit the Sojourner House web site at www.sojournerhouse.org.

Sojourner House and PathStone Corporation came together two years ago to bring the Sojourner House model of resident services to residents in PathStone properties, and to integrate Sojourner House administrative operations into PathStone Corporation. The affiliation has strengthened both organizations’ ability to provide families with safe, decent, and affordable housing, and provide them with the necessary supportive services to transition to economic self-sufficiency.

By THOMAS BARLAS and EMILY PREVITI Staff Writers

VINELAND - A Feed the Children-sponsored distribution of food and living essentials to needy families will take place as planned Wednesday.

Pat Constantino, director of training and empowerment services for the nonprofit PathStone’s Vineland office, said all the volunteers are ready to start distributing up to 800 parcels to needy families.

“My volunteers are in place,” she said. “They’re a crew you can count on.”

The parcels - consisting of 25 pounds of food, 15 pounds of Avon products, and another 10 to 15 pounds of toiletries - will be distributed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the parking lot of the CVS pharmacy at Landis and West avenues. Constantino said the operation will be handled like a drive-through, and residents with no vehicles will be aided by volunteers and neighbors.

Vouchers for the parcels were distributed to needy families by PathStone and some of its project partners, including churches, the Salvation Army and various community groups. The vouchers have a time during which the holders can pick up the parcels.

The project was spurred by Feed the Children’s Americans Feeding Americans program. Vineland, Atlantic City and Newark are the only three state municipalities participating in the program.

Program officials said Atlantic City and Vineland were picked because of high unemployment and child-poverty rates.

The unemployment rate is 14 percent in Vineland and 12 percent in Atlantic City, where the childhood-poverty rate is 20 percent - more than double the 9.9 percent national average, data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics show.

That surprised Atlantic City High School students Saad Shinwar and Audrey Hughes, both 17-year-olds from Brigantine. Hughes is president of the school’s Zee Club, a service group that brought about two dozen teenage members to help distribute food to the line of people extending a full block from St. James AME Church Tuesday afternoon.

“I have family in Vineland - they have jobs, their schools are good, it seems like a community that’s moving up,” said Shinwar, the club’s vice president and a senior planning to study civil engineering at Rutgers University. “And here, I know the casinos help out with stuff in the community, like the Atlantic City marathon (Oct. 16), and help out with our school supplies. With (the casinos) here, our city seems richer.”

Once widely held, that perception has eroded during recent years, said Damon Tyner, a lawyer who works in Atlantic City and is running for the state Assembly representing the 2nd Legislative District.

“The streets aren’t paved with gold. For years, we were told the casino industry is recession-proof - that’s just not the case,” said Tyner as he watched resort residents pick up boxes of donated food and toiletries Tuesday.

A few blocks from Tyner’s office, St. James was one of two distribution points in Atlantic City. People redeemed vouchers Tuesday morning at New Hope Baptist Church. After giving ticketholders first crack with a two-hour grace period, distribution volunteers gave remaining supplies to people without vouchers.

In each city, 800 people got vouchers through community-based organizations connected with Feed the Children after the international nonprofit contacted local governments about its interest in bringing the program to them.

Eleanor Smiley welcomed the help. A week away from her 74th birthday, Smiley retired in 2003 from her job as a coat-check attendant at the Sands Casino Resort, which was imploded in 2007. While sharing expenses by living with her eldest daughter - one of Smiley’s eight children - helps make living on Social Security income more affordable, money can still be tight at times, Smiley said.

“For everyone right now, it’s one day at a time,” she said. “I’m thankful for whatever is given to me. And if there’s something I don’t need, I’ll knock on neighbors’ doors.”

“When we hired Mary it was with the knowledge that she would serve in a temporary capacity to assist us in reorganizing services at Sojourner house,” stated Mitchell. “Mary has positioned Sojourner house at PathStone, Inc. to continue its long tradition of serving homeless women and children throughout the Rochester community.”

Sojourner House and PathStone Corporation came together two years ago to bring the Sojourner House model of resident services to PathStone properties. The affiliation strengthens both organizations’ ability to provide families with safe, decent, and affordable housing, as well as the support services they need to transition to economic self-sufficiency. Services provided by Sojourner House will be managed by PathStone under the leadership of Kathryn Bryan, senior vice president for Property Management at PathStone Corporation. 

Wilmot stated of her departure, “It was my privilege to have lead Sojourner house through this important time of transition. I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to get to know the incredible women and children as they strive toward self-sufficiency.”

Since 1982, Sojourner House at PathStone, Inc. has assisted over 2,000 women and their families in reaching their goals concerning education, employment, family stability, sobriety, and financial independence. 

Located at the site of Women’s Community Building at the corner of Seneca and Cayuga Streets, Breckenridge Place will be the first major affordable housing project in Ithaca’s downtown in more than 40 years. The six-story brick building designed by HOLT Architects will provide very affordable one and two bedroom apartments, as well as office space and meeting areas. It will be LEED- certified, ensuring that it is energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable. PathStone’s real estate development division is a co-developer of the project and PathStone Development Corporation will be a co-owner.  Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services is a co-developer and co-owner and will provide property management services for the completed building.

Breckenridge Place is named in honor of Juanita Breckenridge Bates, an early leader of the women’s rights movement in Tompkins County and a founding member of the City Federation of Women’s Organizations (CFWO), the owner of the Women’s Community Building. 

Janis Graham, president of the Board of Directors of the CFWO commented, “I’m delighted that this project is moving forward. This is the culmination of years of effort by the CFWO to transition from being a landlord to becoming a grant-making organization.  The resources that we gain from the sale of the Women’s Community Building will enable us to fund worthy projects that support our mission.  The sale to INHS is a fitting reflection of the CFWO’s community-minded history and spirit.”

Paul Mazzarella, executive director of INHS, noted that the funding for projects of this type is fiercely competitive.  In New York State, only 27 multifamily rental projects received funding this year, and Breckenridge Place was the only project in this region.  “The success of Breckenridge Place is clearly tied to the strong support provided by our community.  Elected officials, business leaders and residents all recognized the benefits of affordable housing and rallied behind this project.  The Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency was particularly generous, allocating $1 million in housing funds to assist in its development.”

Other funders for Breckenridge Place include the Tompkins County Community Housing Affordability Program, the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation, NeighborWorks America and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York through the Tompkins Trust Company.  Combined with equity investments by Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services and PathStone Corporation, the financing package will ensure that this housing remains permanently affordable and a long-term community asset. 

Senior Real Estate Developer for PathStone Corporation, Joseph Bowes, said, “Our concept for this project was to deliberately link affordable housing with the economic success of Ithaca’s downtown.  Residents living at Breckenridge will shop downtown, use the library, walk to work and go to neighborhood schools - they’ll be helping to create a more vibrant downtown.  We’re very pleased that New York State recognized and supported this effort.”

The ceremony at Mildred Johnson Estates will take place at 10:00 am at 89 Maria Street, Rochester, NY 14621, and the ribbon cutting at Stonewood Village Apartments will take place at 1:00 pm at 200 Myrtlewood Drive, Henrietta, NY 14467.

The ribbon cutting at Mildred Johnson Estates Phase II will celebrate the new construction of 21 3-bedroom, single family homes on formerly vacant lots owned by the City of Rochester.  Phase II is modeled on the success of Mildred Johnson Estates Phase I, which included 23 single family homes and was completed in 2008.  All of the 21 new homes will be affordable to families earning 50% or less of the area median income. Together, Phase I and Phase II represent a 10 million dollar investment in the neighborhood.

Mildred Johnson Estates II also includes a community building that will house a PathStone property manager, community meeting space and conference rooms. All units are handicapped accessible, and have been designed to meet the New York State Green Building Initiative and are NYSERDA Energy Start certified.

The ribbon cutting at Stonewood Village in Henrietta, NY will celebrate the recently renovated apartments, including 64 one-bedroom elderly/handicap units and 124 three-bedroom townhouses.  The development was recently refinanced and renovated by PathStone Housing Action Corporation.  Improvements to the development include: new siding, roofing, windows and kitchens, as well as additional insulation and air sealing.  Like the homes in Mildred Johnson Estates, the units will be affordable to families with incomes at or below 50% of the area median income.

In addition to the renovations, new community space was built for both the family and elderly/handicapped units.  Both the Town of Henrietta and the Rush-Henrietta School District are using this space to provide education and recreational programs for the residents.

Scott Schmid, vice president of Chase Community Development Banking, a major partner in financing the renovations at Stonewood Village said of the project, “As New York’s largest bank, Chase is committed to financing projects that have a sustainable impact on the communities where we do business. The Stonewood Village project will preserve much-needed affordable housing in the Greater Rochester community.”

PathStone Housing Action Corporation worked in conjunction with NH Architecture, Passero Associates and Nathaniel General Contractors to complete these projects. Stimulus funds were used for both projects.

Mildred Johnson Estates II was financed through Federal Stimulus Funds made available through NYS Homes and Community Renewal, Low Income Housing Tax Credit equity provided by Raymond James, Federal Home Loan Bank funds through First Niagara, Home Funds from the City of Rochester and a construction loan from the Greater Rochester Housing Partnership.

Funding for Stonewood Village came from Federal Stimulus Funds made available by NYS Homes and Community Renewal and tax exempt bonds from the NYS Housing Finance Agency.  Other funding sources included: NYSERDA, Monroe County federal housing funds, the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, tax credit equity provided by M&T through Hudson Housing Capital, a letter of credit from JPMorgan Chase and assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

For more information contact:

Mildred Johnson Estates II:

Joseph Bowes, Senior Real Estate Developer

585-340-3361

jbowes@pathstone.org

Stonewood Village:
Julie Everitt, Senior Real Estate Developer

585-340-3319

jeveritt@pathstone.org

Green Jobs Green New York was created by the New York State Legislature to promote energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption and green house gas emissions, support sustainable community development, and create job opportunities. 

PathStone will encourage energy efficiency improvements through connections with regional participating Green Jobs Green New York contractors, utility companies, various community partners, grassroots outreach, educational workshops, marketing, and participation in training opportunities for green jobs. PathStone is one of seven Constituency-Based Organizations (CBO) in Upstate New York selected to partake in the program.

“We are excited about working with our new constituency-based partners to expand our outreach and training efforts under Green Jobs Green New York,” said Francis J. Murray Jr., president and CEO of NYSERDA. “This very localized approach will help NYSERDA reach people that we may not have reached otherwise. We’re trying something new that we believe will have a great impact in getting people to make their homes and businesses more energy-efficient.”

PathStone will partner with NYSERDA to provide education and attract requests for: free and reduced-cost “whole-house” energy assessments; audits for buildings used by small businesses and not-for-profit organizations; low-cost financing for energy efficiency improvements; and participation in green job training opportunities.

For more information contact:                                                                                         

Robert Cain, Weatherization Program Coordinator

Phone: 585-340-3725

E-mail: rcain@pathstone.org

The National Farmworker Jobs Program helps eligible workers improve their agricultural job skills, and train for careers in emerging industries and occupations that offer higher wages and more stable employment.  PathStone has been providing training and employment services to farmworkers in New York State for more than forty years.

“Through this investment by the US Congress, several hundred farmworker families are able to receive the support necessary to dramatically improve their earning power, become financially self-sufficient, and be proud and productive members of their community,” said PathStone President & CEO, Stuart J. Mitchell. “Since it was founded in 1969, PathStone Corporation has assisted thousands of hard-working farmworkers who plant and harvest the fruit and vegetables we enjoy each day.”

“Agricultural workers face significant barriers to stable employment, and all too often it is their families who pay the price,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “These grants address this reality by not only helping workers improve and expand their job skills, but also by providing housing and other crucial support services.”

The National Farmworker Jobs Program is authorized by Congress in Section 167 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, and grants are allocated through a formula that estimates the number of eligible workers in each state or territory. The grants cover a two-year period but are funded on an annual basis.  The awards announced this week are for July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012.  Second year allocations will be dependent on the funds available through the fiscal year 2012 appropriations process and on grantees’ compliance with all current and future departmental guidance.