Our History

Building on Years of Generosity

Mr. Couper was a prominent foundation executive who was the first full-time president of the New York Public Library from 1971-1981. He was also a president emeritus of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, an educational philanthropy based in Princeton, N.J. Under Mr. Couper's stewardship, the library computerized its card catalog of more than 30 million entries; balanced its budget for the first time since 1924; and increased the number of private donors to 40,000 from 3,000. It also erected a building in Harlem to house the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

In 1997, Hanna established the sixth donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation. The Richard and Kimberly Hanna Fund has awarded more than $600,000 in grants since its inception, providing support to more than 110 nonprofit organizations. The fund has given multiple grants to organizations such as The House of the Good Shepherd, Samaritan Counseling Center of the Mohawk Valley, Stevens-Swan Humane Society and two organizations of significant importance to Hanna: The Women’s Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties and Annie’s Fund.

Addison M. White, a lifelong resident of the Mohawk Valley and former president of the Foundation's Board of Trustees, was posthumously awarded the Rosamond Childs Award for Community Philanthropy in 2008. White served on the Board for 34 years.

An extraordinarily generous philanthropist, Romano’s support touched hundreds of local charities and organizations, including the Utica Symphony Orchestra, the New Hartford Public Library, the Stanley Theatre and the Boys and Girls Club of the Mohawk Valley. He was particularly interested in higher education, donating more than $5 million each to Utica University and Hamilton College. 

Mr. Vicks was very active in community affairs in Central New York. His notable accolades include the Paul Harris Award from the Utica Rotary Club, Industrial Man of the Year in 1974, the PIA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002, the Distinguished Service Award for his dedication to the Cornell University Big Red Bands, among many others. He also served on the Community Foundation Board for seventeen years including more than a decade on the investment committee and was elected the second President of the Foundation in 1992.

Dr. Max worked selflessly to raise funds for Dr. Charles Antzelevitch's internationally recognized genetic research at Oneida County's Masonic Medical Research Laboratory and, with his wife, co-chaired Hospice Care's "Light Up a Light" campaign for several years. He also proudly served on the Board of Trustees of the Community Foundation.

Established in 2008, the David and Janet Griffith Family Fund has awarded more than $1,000,000 to nearly 30 organizations. The Griffiths are well-respected members of the community where David served as president and CEO of M. Griffith Investment Services in New Hartford. Both born and raised in the Utica area, they believe that philanthropy begins at home.

Vitullo is founder and president of Staffworks, a staffing agency providing temporary and direct placement services through nine branch offices in Central and Southern NY. In 2006, she established the Staffworks Charitable Fund to support programs and services related to domestic animal welfare. Since then, the fund surpassed the $10 million mark, becoming the first and only fund of this size at the Community Foundation with a living fundholder.

Since 2009, the Mele Family Fund has awarded nearly $2.8 million in grants to 73 community organizations across the region. With a focus on education and the elderly, the Mele family believes it is their corporate responsibility to help create a brighter future through the fund’s continuing community investments.

The Cuccaro's have been at the forefront of supporting critical human services needs in the community through extraordinary support, much of it through the Ronald and Sheila Cuccaro Family Fund, for many of the community’s nonprofit organizations. In times of crisis, the couple has led the way by seeding Community Foundation funds dedicated to racial equity and social justice, Ukrainian refugee relief and global pandemic aid. They also established a fund for basic human needs to support the outreach work of the Mary, Mother of Our Savior Parish.

Linda and Sarah have been longtime partners and supporters of the Community Foundation. Linda, a former board member and committee chair, was involved in the organization’s most transformative period, taking on important initiatives tackling critical issues in the community, such as the Lead Free MV initiative. In 2023, Sarah worked with the Community Foundation team to establish the Project Village Guatemala Fund, which supports a comprehensive, country-wide program in Guatemala that provides educational opportunities to impoverished children and families, taking their philanthropy international.