ACAF April Grants Support Libraries, Youth Programs, and Outdoor Initiatives

At the April Grants Committee and Board of Directors Meeting, the Allegany County Area Foundation (ACAF) awarded grants to several local organizations working to make a meaningful difference across Allegany County. These grants, made possible through the generosity of our donors, support a wide range of initiatives. 

To engage young readers, this grant will support the Summer Reading Program at the Alfred Box of Books Library. Specifically, this grant will be used to fund three special library programs: a Dinosaur Adventure Show and fossil dig with paleontologists Mike and Roberta Straka, a Foam Party provided by Chris Johnson, and a Magic Show provided by George Sweatt of Fun that Pops. 

“When children visit the library for a special program, this is an opportunity for staff members to engage with them, invite them to participate, and increase their curiosity about what is happening at the library,” Library Director Melanie Miller said. “Many children visit the library for the first time for a larger program, but then become regular patrons because these programs build awareness.” 

This grant will support an outdoor mural on the outside of the Uni-Mart on North Main Street in Alfred, NY. Designed in collaboration with local artists, residents, and students, this Alfred Twenty First Century Group Mural Project aims to transform public spaces into colorful landmarks. 

This project will commission local artist and Alfred University MFA painting student Chloe Smith, whose work “combines strong technical skill with a vibrant, community-centered visual language. ... Her artistic style — colorful, expressive, and grounded in storytelling — aligns with our goal of creating a welcoming landmark for Alfred,” Events Director Audrey Mattio Evans said. 

To strengthen public health education, this grant will support the 4th Annual Lead (Pb) Smart Conference, hosted by Allegany County, Cattaraugus County, Chautauqua County, and the Seneca Nation every October. This grant award will be used to support the attendance of Allegany County personnel at this conference. 

“Last year, 36 people from Allegany County agencies attended the conference,” Allegany County Deputy Public Health Director Jami D’Arcy said. 

Expanding access to interactive literacy tools, this grant will provide a new addition to the children's book collection at the Bolivar Free Library by funding the purchase of several Wonderbooks. 

“Wonderbooks are great audiobooks with additional family features to involve both children and the adults in their lives,” Bolivar Free Library Director Cathy Fuller said. “The books encourage our younger readers to listen, interact, and participate in conversations about the books. It is one of the most popular resources to encourage readers to become involved with literature.”  

This grant supports the Summer Recreation and Free Lunch Program, which primarily serves youth in the greater Fillmore area. Students are provided with fresh, nutritious meals utilizing the local children/youth garden. This award will also support the Afterschool Tutoring and Recreation Program, where students receive healthy snacks, opportunities to participate in afterschool clubs, and tutoring from Houghton University students. 

“Our program offers recreation opportunities, where children can be supervised in a safe environment,” Fillmore Powerhouse Executive Director Marcie Brooks said. “Our free lunch program provides meals to children during the summer, whose families often struggle without the help of free school lunches. [And] our [tutoring] program helps students succeed scholastically by offering free individual tutoring.”

To encourage outdoor recreation and wellness, this grant award will provide financial support to the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Allegany Hiking Challenge. This self-guided, educational hiking challenge will encourage people to explore the 52 miles of the Finger Lakes Trail in Allegany County. Through this grant, ACAF will provide funds for updated educational materials, maps, and challenge prizes. 

“The principal benefit of the [hiking] challenge is increased access to structured, safe, and meaningful outdoor recreation that supports physical health, mental well-being, and community connection in Allegany County,” Executive Director Nathan Hayes said. “This challenge program [structure] reduces costs and barriers to participation while still providing motivation, education, and a sense of accomplishment."

To help improve accessibility and awareness of local natural resources, this grant will provide funding for two new river access signs on the Genesee River. One will be installed at the Caneadea site, and another will be added to the newly opened Houghton access site. 



This grant award will also be used to fund drone footage of the Genesee River Wilds’ access sites to be published to their website. This footage will enhance accessibility and allow visitors to get an accurate view of various access point locations. 

“One of our main missions is to improve [Genessee] River access, making access safe, easy to find, and informative,” Executive Director Rebecca Rowley said. 

This grant provides funds for the Community Adirondack Shelter Project, which will result in the addition of a camping shelter and six benches on Trail Four of the West Almond Trail System. 

“IMPACT is currently collaborating with the West Almond DEC Forestry Office, Andover Central School’s Technology and Environmental Studies class, and Eddy Lumber to build an Adirondack camping shelter and six Leopoid observation benches on Trail Four of the NYSDEC West Almond Trail System,” Board President Glenn Gebhard said. “This collaborative effort exemplifies how cooperative projects can enhance Allegany County in meaningful ways.” 

Responding to growing community needs, this grant award provides funding for food and hygiene products for the Salvation Army of Wellsville. Laura Crandall, Director of Corporate Engagement and Foundations, reported that community needs have increased significantly during the last year. The Salvation Army of Wellsville has seen a rise in demand for their services, particularly for food and basic hygiene items. 

This grant will support the Summer to Remember Program, which provides opportunities for underserved youth in Allegany County to participate in various events and programming. This program provides students with community support and resources while school is out of session. This program primarily serves youth from the Genesee Valley and Bolivar-Richburg areas.

“For the youth we serve, summer outings through the Summer to Remember Program in Allegany County may be the only opportunity for them to see, visit, and participate in various enrichment activities,” Director of Development Eric Guzman said. 

Last year, this summer program provided trips to Roseland Water Park, Hidden Valley Animal Adventure, and Letchworth State Park. 

This grant will support the installation of a storage shed for the Wellsville Youth Cheerleading League. The shed will be used to securely store uniforms and equipment.

Empowering the next generation of innovators, this helps local students on the Wellsville VEX Robotics Team (Emily Stuck, Tayler Palmatier, Lydia Brockway, and Raegan Vogel) to travel to compete in the Research Division of the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship held in St. Louis, Missouri this year.