Camden, New York (January 2025) – The Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. (CFLR) is honored to announce it has been awarded an $839,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Foundation. This transformative funding will support the launch of the Community Café Initiative, a collaborative effort between CFLR and The Camden Life Center, aimed at fostering connection, resilience, and well-being for families and individuals in Camden and its surrounding rural communities.
“To receive this prestigious grant on our first try is truly an honor and a total game changer for our community,” said Cassandra Sheets, CEO of the Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. This funding will launch the Community Café Initiative which provides:
- A Teaching Kitchen to provide hands-on culinary education and promote healthy eating.
- A Youth Center offering safe, substance-free spaces for mentorship and recreation.
- Recovery Café Meetings, the first in New York State, offering individuals navigating recovery a safe space to build connections, share experiences, and find belonging.
Through this funding, CFLR will hire three key staff members to spearhead the initiative. Operations will begin in January 2025, with the team temporarily working out of the Camden Life Center’s administrative space as efforts continue to secure additional funding to renovate the future café facility.
“The Community Café Initiative is not just a program – It’s a new way to connect in a world that has become increasingly disconnected.” said Jessica Perusse, Director of The Camden Life Center. “These new programs will create meaningful opportunities for connection and growth while supporting the health and well-being of our community.”
“One of the Foundation’s biggest strengths is that we’re community-driven – by consistently engaging with grantees and their communities and letting them take the lead in identifying their needs, our team is better able to pursue responsive grantmaking and understand the common challenges New York’s nonprofits face. In doing so, we can better empower our tireless grantees to overcome obstacles, deliver for the needs of their communities and build a more equitable New York,” said Kathryn Ruscitto, Chair of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation’s Regional Grants Committee.
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers, bolster the health outcomes of vulnerable communities, eliminate barriers to care, and bridge gaps in health services. Named after a tireless advocate for immigrants, children, and the poor, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation funds programs and initiatives across New York State that either provide direct healthcare services or address the social determinants of health. For more information, visit cabrinihealth.org.
The Center for Family Life and Recovery, Inc. empowers individuals and families to build healthy, independent lives. CFLR provides services in recovery, mental health, and prevention, with a focus on fostering resilience and creating supportive communities across Central New York.
The Camden Life Center works in collaboration with local service agencies to deliver essential programs and services to the Camden community. Together with partners such as CFLR, Come to the Table Counseling, Helio Health, Mohawk Valley Community Action Agency, and the YWCA, the Center offers high-demand services on Main Street, Camden, empowering the community through connection and innovation.
For more information on the Community Café Initiative or to get involved, please contact Jessica Perusse at jperusse@cflrinc.org or 315-820-2638
