Briefs: Children’s Garden, Significant Elements, Catholic Charities

Ithaca Children’s Garden names new executive director

Ithaca Children’s Garden (ICG) is excited to announce Candice Meade (she/her) as its new executive director. Prior to joining ICG, Meade lived and learned in Ithaca, receiving her bachelor’s in natural resources from Cornell University in 2013 and going on to complete her master’s in environmental sciences and policy from Johns Hopkins University in 2018. “I am thrilled to be joining Ithaca Children’s Garden as its new executive director,” Meade said. “The mission and vision to provide inclusive, child-led nature play and lifelong connections to the outdoors has drawn me to the garden and aligns with my passion to connect people to nature. Given the passion of the staff, board vision and support, welcoming culture and plans for the future, I know that being a part of ICG will bring value, depth and purpose. I am grateful to join a team with such exciting and dynamic ideas and plans for the garden.” Meade started her new position on Feb. 14, succeeding Erin Marteal, who served as executive director since 2011. Learn more about ICG at ithacachildrensgarden.org.

 

Significant Elements’ Sara Johnson moves on

2022 will be about change for those at Historic Ithaca (HI) and Significant Elements (SE). Longtime Significant Elements and Work Preserve manager, Sara Johnson (left), recently gave her notice to take a different job in the community, departing late last month. “I could write and fill this page about Sara’s accomplishments and what she and her work have meant to HI and SE since she began here more than 10 years ago,” said Susan Holland, executive director of Significant Elements, in a recent press release. “Sara’s knowledge and great energies made our organization the success it is today; our friendship and communications with her will continue.” Robert Rector (right), who has been SE’s assistant manager and Work Preserve retail trainer, will be taking the helm as the new Significant Elements and Work Preserve manager. He has had six years of progressive experience with Historic Ithaca. He and Johnson worked closely together on all programs at the store and with Work Preserve. “Please join me in saying good luck to Sara and welcoming Robert in his new role!” Holland said. “We continue to build on our wonderful team; we have new faces: Jordan Governale, Work Preserve warehousing and traditional skills trainer; Geno Tournour, Work Preserve outreach and education coordinator, who is featured in this newsletter; and Geneva Moreland, retail associate. Our team is rounded out by Christine O’Malley and Nick DiGiacinto, who are to be thanked for their services and passion for the work they do.” Holland provided further updates for SE going forward. “Sustainability runs through everything we do here,” she said. “At Historic Ithaca and Significant Elements, we understand the important role we play in retrofitting existing buildings and with Andrew Boghassian, HI’s intern from Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning, we created a great addition to our website with the Energy Retrofit Toolkit.” In addition, Taitem Engineering is offering businesses and nonprofit organizations a chance to complete a Green Jobs Green NY energy study for their building(s) and get them on the path to electrification. Read about that at tinyurl.com/ycb7u8b7. “Please be well and embrace our changes with us,” Holland said. “We’re grateful for you and your support.”

 

Catholic Charities Tompkins Tioga celebrates 25 years of service

2022 marks 25 years of service for Catholic Charities of Tompkins Tioga, and officials are planning to recognize the anniversary with what they do best: helping their community. “We are so thrilled to be celebrating 25 years of helping our neighbors in Tompkins and Tioga Counties,” said Executive Director Renee Spear. “Serving our community is at the heart of everything we do at Catholic Charities, from providing struggling households with financial assistance, to offering homeless women a safe place to stay, to cooking nutritious meals for our neighbors, to helping immigrants navigate the complexities of life in the United States. We are in the business of providing hope, and we are so grateful that we’ve been able to do this work for the last 25 years.” Throughout the year, Catholic Charities is planning a number of events to celebrate their anniversary and continue their fundraising efforts to enhance the services they offer. This includes a special cornhole tournament coming to Nichols this May, which will provide community members a fun, family-friendly event that will also help Catholic Charities carry out its mission. “We’re celebrating a very big anniversary for Catholic Charities this year, and I couldn’t be more proud of the work that Catholic Charities has done over the last 25 years,” said President of the Board of Catholic Charities Tompkins Tioga Jennifer Sparrow. “We are very much a part of the communities that we serve, and we couldn’t do this work without the generous support of so many. On behalf of the entire board and staff at Catholic Charities, I want to say a big thank-you!” As part of the yearlong celebration, Catholic Charities will also be highlighting success stories with employees, community partners and some of their donors. Those stories will be shared each month through the organization’s social media channels. Catholic Charities offers a dozen different programs for members of the community to take advantage of. All services are supported through donations directly from the communities the hard-working staff serves each day. Learn more at catholiccharitiestt.org.