News
June 16th, 2025
GIAC and Southside Community Center Endowment Fund Continues to Strengthen Community
Established in 2013, the Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) and Southside Community Center Endowment Fund was created to ensure that two of Ithaca’s most vital community institutions would have ongoing, sustainable support for essential programming. Today, the fund has granted over $450,000 to each organization, helping to sustain food access and expand technology resources—two cornerstones of community well-being.
This fund was envisioned as a permanent investment in community. Endowments are unique because they provide annual support in perpetuity, allowing organizations to plan for the future while continuing to meet immediate needs. For GIAC and Southside, this means they can count on reliable funding every year to strengthen their food programs and bridge the digital divide.
Rather than short-term fixes, this fund supports long-term resilience—ensuring children have meals after school, families stay connected to resources, and community members can access the tools they need to thrive in a digital world. Food programming at both centers offers more than just nourishment. It creates safe, welcoming spaces for youth and families to gather, share culture, and foster wellness.
Technology-related programs empower students with tools for academic success, help adults improve digital literacy, and connect elders to their loved ones. These are the everyday essentials that allow people not only to survive, but to grow, lead, and build stronger neighborhoods.
GIAC continues to be a vibrant center for youth development, civic engagement, and community-building. From afterschool care and summer camps to mentorship and leadership programs, GIAC fosters a culture of empowerment and inclusivity.
Southside Community Center, with nearly 100 years of history, remains a cultural cornerstone for Ithaca’s Black community. Through its programs in arts, education, advocacy, and food justice, Southside preserves history while nurturing future generations of leaders.
These organizations don’t just serve the community—they are the community.
From GIAC’s Dr. Leslyn McBean-Claireborne, “We could not do the work we do, offer the programs we have, and support community in the ways that we do without the trusted supported of the donors and funders who value the work that we do. Thank you for trusting us to carry out our mission of fighting against oppression and intimidation of all kinds through the programming and advocacy that we provide.”
From Southside’s Chavon Bunch, “Our food and technology grant also ensures that Southside Community Center is carrying out our mission when it comes to creating a more food-secure community. We are able to pilot programs such as our community lunches, and we are able to sustain payroll so that we can afford staff to facilitate and oversee our food-related programs; which is why Southside is truly thankful and grateful for the grant received by Community Foundations.”
Thanks to the foresight of the fund’s founders and the generosity of its donors, this endowment has helped build capacity, reduce funding uncertainty, and uphold the missions of GIAC and Southside. The Community Foundation is proud to steward this resource and to continue supporting the leaders, families, and visionaries who shape a more just and connected Ithaca.
This fund stands as a testament to what’s possible when we invest in our own communities, for the long haul.