At the Community Foundation, we are honored to carry forward the legacies of donors who continue to shape and inspire Central New York. Our mission is to help people create lasting charitable support for the region — support that remains impactful for generations through a wide range of charitable funds and the stories of those devoted to making this community thrive.
In this edition of Living Legacies, we celebrate some of these incredible individuals — legacy donors whose deep connections to Central New York drive their philanthropic efforts. Their stories reflect a shared commitment to community service, a common desire to give back and a lasting vision for future generations.
EVENTS & OFFERINGS
WORKBOOK
Our legacy planning workbook includes a series of exercises and writing prompts to help you document your charitable inspirations in your own words. The workbook is available in both digital and print formats.
WORKSHOPS
The Community Foundation offers workshops for individuals and community groups interested in engaging with civic-minded peers in a supportive atmosphere. These interactive workshops explore valuesbased exercises and communal conversation to help participants reflect on their giving stories and giving visions.
MEETINGS
JEFF
The spirit of generosity that is common among our donors and nonprofit partners encompasses more than just tangible resources and monetary gifts. When we engage in philanthropy, we are telling the world what is important to us through the causes we support. Sharing your story and giving voice to the life lessons and experiences that have shaped your own generosity is a gift in itself.
In addition to preserving your charitable legacy for future generations, telling the story of what motivates your philanthropy can inspire others to take action and effect positive change. Sometimes, shedding light on your memories can help illuminate a path toward hope and comfort for others who have shared a similar experience. Alternatively,
you might find that an early act of kindness from your childhood or a long-standing family tradition influences your current giving.
No matter where you are in your life, telling your story and sharing what matters most to you is a valuable exercise. Getting started is often the hardest part. Because your story is important to us, we have devised a series of tools and resources designed to help you find your voice, and all are available in person or virtually.
We can meet with you individually, or with your family, to facilitate a conversation about what matters to you most and how we can help preserve your charitable legacy. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
NANCY
BELLOW
GIVING FOR PURPOSE
Driven by one of her mottos, “leadership for the common good,” Nancy Bellow has spent her entire life developing and caring for her community. Thanks to an extensive career in county government and workforce development, civic engagement was something she lived every day.
Bellow, a native of Oswego, NY, chose to make the community her lifelong home. It was the place many of her ancestors found work, ran businesses and established their lives, a point that remains important to her. After graduating from Oswego High School, she went on to pursue an economics degree at SUNY Oswego, waitressing and bartending to help pay her way. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, kayaking, reading, jigsaw puzzles and traveling — all hobbies she developed a love for during her younger years.
Following college, Bellow spent 18 years working for Oswego County in its Employment & Training Department before transitioning to a role in workforce and economic development at SUNY Oswego. Her commitment to community prosperity grew exponentially throughout those professional experiences.
Quoting Willie Nelson, Bellow said, “Treat people as you want to be treated and see how it changes your life.”
Bellow pours her heart into everything she does and her deep love for her community is evident in her service. She has served on multiple civic boards and councils including Oswego County Opportunities, the Child Care Council, Operation Oswego County, Oswego Chamber of Commerce, Oswego Hospital and Oswego Health, often serving as chair or president.
Bellow is also a founding member of the Oswego County Community Foundation, an affiliate fund of the Community
Foundation that provides grants to organizations serving Oswego County. She takes great pride in helping create a lasting way for community members to support Oswego County’s most pressing needs.
“ALL OF MY EXPERIENCES HAVE OPENED MY EYES UP TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE HELPED SHAPE MY CHARITABLE GIVING,” SHE SAID. “MY HOPE FOR THE FUTURE IS THAT OSWEGO COUNTY REMAINS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY.”
When Bellow created her legacy plan, she expressed that her highest hopes are to honor the history of the Oswego County community and, “do good for her hometown” by fostering strong economic support and leadership for future generations.
“When it comes to history, you need to know where you come from and where you’ve been to help determine where you want to go or be,” she said.
Through her legacy fund, Bellow plans to provide support to many groups, all of which reflect the causes most important to her — women, education, community needs and history. SUNY Oswego, Oswego County Opportunities, United Way of Greater Oswego County, Oswego Health and Oswego County Community Foundation are organizations that will receive perpetual annual support from her fund. This giving will help sustain her vision for a tightknit community where every resident has the opportunity to thrive.
NANCY BELLOW STANDS IN THE FIELDS OF CURTIS MANOR IN OSWEGO, NY.
Photo by: Ben Cleeton
LUCY MCLEAN
UNRESTRICTED GIVING
LAST YEAR, WE SHARED LUCY’S STORY AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW EVEN THE MOST SURPRISING GIFTS CAN LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND FACTS OF LUCY’S LIFE FROM HER REMAINING FAMILY. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO STEWARD THESE MEMENTOS, ALONG WITH LUCY’S MEMORY, AS PART OF HER ONGOING COMMUNITY IMPACT.
Lucy McLean grew up in Utica and pursued a career with the U.S. Customs Agency. She became the first female inspector at the U.S. Port at Alexandria Bay, NY, among other assignments. Neither Lucy nor her sister Ellen married or had children. Fredericka, a third sister, married late in life and after her spouse passed away she moved into her sisters’ home in DeWitt. The three lived together until Fredericka’s death in 2006. Ellen followed six years later.
When Lucy passed away in 2020 at the age of 96, she named the Community Foundation along with three other charities to receive a surprise bequest. Lucy chose to support causes that were important to both her and her sisters and which honored their connection to Central New York and the Mohawk Valley.
Lucy’s legacy gifts, all of which were unrestricted, are an excellent example of the concept behind 5forCNY, which encourages people who care about Central New York to consider leaving lasting gifts to local nonprofits. Lucy did just that through her bequest to the Community Foundation and other nonprofits.
Lucy’s gift to the Community Foundation, like so many others, will provide enduring and transformative support for future generations. A portion of her gift helped to endow the 5forCNY Fund, which pools dollars from generous community members seeking to make a difference. The remaining portion will provide ongoing support to address the community’s greatest needs through the Lucy McLean Community Fund.
PHOTOS OF LUCY MCLEAN PROVIDED BY HER FAMILY.
HOLISTIC GIVING
JEFF & RACHEL RONEY WITH
JEFF AND RACHEL EMBRACE GIVING IN EVERY FACET OF LIFE. THEIR PHILANTHROPY EMPHASIZES LOCAL IMPACT, INSPIRING OTHERS TO GIVE IN MEANINGFUL WAYS.
For the Roneys, giving touches every part of their lives — as individuals, parents, professionals and parishioners. Motivated to give by faith, family and life experiences, they feel it’s important to model for others how everyone can have an impact.
Born in Bethlehem, PA, Rachel grew up knowing she wanted to pursue a helping profession. Though she considered careers in medicine, physical therapy and law, a management development program at Chase Manhattan Bank introduced her to the world of finance.
Now having worked in the field of finance for more than 36 years, Rachel knows that financial planning, like philanthropy, is about more than just money. It’s about helping people. She has worked within both her business and personal networks to increase awareness of supporting charities and organizations. Rachel has personally offered to match her colleagues’ donations to charities that they support as well as routinely organizes group volunteer activities to inspire greater giving — in all its forms — in and beyond the workplace.
“PHILANTHROPY IS NOT JUST FOR THE RICH; GIVING ENCOMPASSES MORE THAN JUST MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS,” SAID RACHEL. “PEOPLE CAN ALSO GIVE WITH THEIR TIME, LOVE, HEARTS, STORIES, SONGS AND PRAYERS.”
Jeff, a native of Syracuse and licensed Real Estate professional with Keller Williams Syracuse, is also a proponent of giving back and getting involved at work and in the community. Each May, he and his colleagues participate in an annual day of service called RED Day — which stands for “Renew. Energize. Donate.” — and Jeff is a consistent supporter of KW Cares, which provides relief for Keller Williams employees and their families during times of sudden hardship.
“Growing up, we didn’t have an abundance of financial resources but regardless of that, I never felt that there wasn’t enough to go around,” said Jeff. “My parents always said, ‘There is always enough to put another setting at the dinner table. Share what you have.’”
Rachel and Jeff continue to gain inspiration from everyone around them, including the fellow families at DeWitt Community Church who help in myriad ways — weeding the garden, arranging Thanksgiving baskets, serving at the Samaritan Center, supporting Build-a-Bed workshops — and their two children as they pursue careers and causes of their own. Serving as a central gathering place for their family, Rachel and Jeff have each held a series of volunteer leadership roles at the church. Rachel is also active in the church choir, which provides music each week in worship services.
“We all care about things,” said Rachel. “What do you care about beyond just getting through the day? Find what you care about and find a way to contribute in your own unique way.”
When Rachel learned about the option to establish a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation, it made lots of sense to her. She and Jeff were able to contribute a lump sum in 2020 to start their fund, for which they received an immediate tax deduction, and now they are free to request distributions out of their fund to support the charities of their choice whenever they wish. They appreciate the flexibility their fund provides, as well as the focus on local impact.
“I wasn’t born in Syracuse, but this is my home,” said Rachel. “To be able to have philanthropy stay local is really important to me.”
“I think we all have a ticket to this concert called life and we don’t know how long the concert’s going to last,” added Jeff. “As human beings, we have a responsibility to make it a better place while we’re here and also pay it forward for future generations. That is what hopefully we’re all trying to do to some degree.”
It is with those goals in mind that Rachel and Jeff made arrangements to grow their fund with an eventual legacy gift, thus extending their support of the community and causes they hold dear — like their church, music, youth and education — beyond their lifetimes.
“Money is good for the good that money can do,” said Jeff. “There are many ways to contribute.”
JEFF AND RACHEL STAND IN FRONT OF THEIR PLACE OF WORSHIP, DEWITT COMMUNITY CHURCH.
Photo by: Ben Cleeton
REFLECTIONS
SEEKING CLARITY? WRITE YOUR OBITUARY
JAN LANE, CAP ® SENIOR PHILANTHROPIC ADVISOR
Sitting down to write your own obituary probably doesn’t sound like an ideal way to spend an afternoon. Naturally, many people don’t like thinking about their mortality or what will happen after they’re gone. But, through my years of experience in legacy planning, I have found that it can also be the key to unlocking deeper purpose and clarity.
When I first engaged in this exercise five years ago, I wrote a really lovely, deeply inaccurate, work of fiction. The obituary I had written for myself reflected an age decades beyond my own and spoke of
HOW TO GIVE
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY BOTH NOW AND BEYOND YOUR LIFETIME.
LET US BE YOUR PARTNER.
accomplishments and milestones that I hadn’t yet achieved or experienced. What I realized was twofold: 1) I was going to have to rewrite my obituary to reflect the person I was in that moment, and 2) my aspirational obituary had not been written in vain.
There is real power in discerning how you want to be remembered. The gap between what I had written in my first draft and what I could faithfully report in my second revealed a roadmap for actions I could take in the present moment to bring me closer to who I aspire to be and how I wish to be remembered at the end of my life. It brought my values into sharper focus and helped me understand that the legacy I will ultimately leave is determined by the legacy I’m living day in and day out. Since then, I have been able to return to my obituary on an annual basis to measure my progress and assess whether anything has changed.
I have found that the same process can be applied to charitable planning. Whether it’s an obituary or a legacy plan or a personal mission statement, write the aspirational one first. Then, ask yourself: Is this accurate? If not, what are some steps I can take to bring me closer to my ideal self or vision? In other words, how can I start living the legacy I want to live on when I’m no longer here? And if it’s any consolation, at least you know you’ll have the last word.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OPTIONS FOR PRESERVING YOUR CHARITABLE LEGACY, CONTACT:
JAN LANE AT LEGACY@CNYCF.ORG OR VISIT 5FORCNY.ORG
You know you want to support CNY and be a part of something bigger that makes a difference. But how? While the possibilities are endless, here are three easy options for giving a legacy gift to help you get started:
Give through your local charity – Many local charities have endowment funds that you can contribute your gift to. Contact your favorite nonprofits and ask them how to designate their organizations in your will. 1 2 3
Give to the 5forCNY Fund – By designating the Community Foundation’s 5forCNY Fund as a recipient in your will, your dollars will be pooled with those of other generous community members seeking to make a difference. Grants are distributed from this fund through our Community Grantmaking process, which addresses the region’s greatest needs.
Establish your own legacy fund – Your memories, life stories and giving priorities can be retained and carried on by developing a legacy plan and legacy fund at the Community Foundation. Legacy funds are designed to support the issues you care about.
RESPONSIVE GIVING URSULA HUBBY
OVER HER 97 YEARS, URSULA HUBBY’S GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS BENEFITED COUNTLESS CENTRAL NEW YORKERS. NOW, HER CARING SPIRIT CARRIES ON THROUGH A CHARITABLE LEGACY THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HELP OTHERS FOR GENERATIONS.
Ursula loved to teach. That is why she dedicated her 31-year career to shaping the minds of 5th and 6th grade children at Edward Smith and Elmwood Elementary schools in Syracuse. Her colleagues kept her in high regard for her dedication to helping her students succeed. In 1982, Ursula told the HeraldAmerican newspaper that her belief in the value of what she was doing kept her in the profession when others were leaving.
“I was going to retire maybe three years ago and I’ve talked myself out of it every year,” she said at the time. “You have a life to give and it’s kind of nice to look back and feel you’ve done something productive with it.”
Ursula was especially proud upon receiving the Excellence in Teaching Award from Syracuse University’s School of Education in 1984, the year she retired. She told the Herald-American,
“IF YOU REALLY LIKE TO BE WITH CHILDREN, IF YOU’RE WILLING TO WORK HARD, WILLING TO TAKE THE BUMPS, THEN TEACHING CAN BE A REWARDING CAREER. I DON’T THINK THERE’S ANY MORE IMPORTANT JOB.”
Her passion for teaching was second only to her love for her family — daughters Pam and Karen and husband of 63 years, Richard Malcom “Mal” Hubby. In their spare time, Ursula and Mal served together as co-presidents of Corcoran High School’s PTSO, which works to ensure the mental, physical and moral development of its students. They were also very active in their church, where Ursula volunteered her time on many committees and its board of trustees, in addition to singing in choir and leading the junior choir.
Music, in particular, played a significant part in Ursula’s life and brought great enrichment to her family. She fondly remembered her times dancing with her husband as members of the Top Hats Dance Club. She was also excited to learn about the Carrie Lazarus Fund for Extraordinary Talent, a cause that blended two of her passions — education and music. The fund helps performing arts students with financial need reach their fullest potential by funding the expenses of lessons, instruments and other special opportunities. She made a regular pastime of watching Carrie’s television specials and the talented student performers the fund supports.
When Ursula passed away in 2019, nearly $100,000 was gifted to us through her will to form two funds in support of some of her most cherished causes. Since the establishment of her two legacy funds, the Ursula T. Hubby Fund for the Arts has provided annual support to budding artists, musicians and dancers through the Carrie Lazarus Fund for Extraordinary
Talent. Her second fund, the Ursula T. Hubby Fund, supports annual responsive grantmaking for disaster relief as well as medical research and support for those suffering from cancer or dementia-related diseases. Most recently, this fund was used to respond to the urgent needs that resulted from the storm damage wrought by a series of tornadoes in Canastota, NY.
Ursula’s charitable legacy is a testament to her forethought and vision. Even as the needs and opportunities change from year to year, thanks to the power of endowment and her generosity, Ursula’s support for that which heals us and that which enriches us will remain constant.
Lgeacy funds are designed to benefit the community in perpetuity. We use a percentage of Ursula’s funds each year to support the causes she cared about. Since 2019, her two legacy funds have distributed cumulative grants totaling $19,000. The remaining fund balances are invested, growing to keep up with inflation to increase the annual spendable allowances. Over time, the cumulative amount of grants awarded is expected to surpass the original gift used to seed the funds.
SUMMARY OF GRANTS SUPPORTED BY URSULA’S TWO LEGACY FUNDS OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS
URSULA T. HUBBY FUND: OnMyTeam16 received $2,500 to purchase medical equipment and sanitizing supplies for pediatric cancer clients and their families due to COVID-19
CNY Lime & Tick-Borne Disease Alliance received $2,900 to expand its education program American Cancer Society/Northeast Region received $3,200 to provide transportation services to cancer patients Community Action Partnership for Madison County received $3,200 for relief from the Canastota tornadoes during the summer of 2024
URSULA HUBBY FUND FOR THE ARTS: Five annual grants to the Carrie Lazarus Fund for Extraordinary Talent
URSULA HUBBY
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BOARD
LISA D. ALFORD
JAIME ALICEA
CATHERINE BERTINI
WILLIAM H. BROWER III
MARTIN T. DURKIN, JR.
STEPHEN D. FOURNIER
SUSAN FURTNEY, MPH , FACHE
LISA S. GERMAIN
BEA GONZÁLEZ
MARK S. HALL
DR. WARREN HILTON
JOSEPH LAZZARO, CFP®, CLU®
LEYLA Z. MORGILLO, CFP®
DUANE B. OWENS
REBECCA BRONFEIN RAPHAEL
KEVIN E. SCHWAB
MARTIN A. SCHWAB, ESQ.
KATHLEEN L. WIESE
GENERAL COUNSEL
MARY ANNE CODY, ESQ.
STAFF
PRESIDENT & CEO
MELANIE LITTLEJOHN, MBA
COMMUNICATIONS
KATRINA M. CROCKER Vice President of Communications
JULIET R. MALOFF Senior Communications Officer
CORY C. SCHAD Senior Events & Communications Manager
LEILA R. MOGHADASI Communications Associate
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
FRANK M. RIDZI, PHD Vice President of Community Investment
DARRELL D. BUCKINGHAM Program Officer
COLBY CYRUS, CAPM Senior Program Manager
ELISIA GONZALEZ Grants Manager
DANIELLE M. JOHNSON Senior Director of Grants & Programs
KANISCHA MILLER Program Associate
QIANA WILLIAMS Program Officer
ANONYMOUS (96)
LESTER C. ALLEN
EUGENE G. ARMANI
PAMELA V. ASHMEAD
KAREN C. & PETER J. BARON
ANNETTE LINDEMER BECKER
RONALD & CAROLE BECKMAN
MR. & MRS. GARY & ALICE BELL
NANCY BELLOW
ANNETTE & LEE BENSON
CATHERINE BERTINI
PATRICIA+ & WALTER+ BLACKLER
STEVEN BLIND
SUSAN BOETTGER
VICKI BRACKENS
WILLIAM V. BRENNAN
THOMAS A. BRISK+ & GERALD M. MAGER
HAROLD BRISTOL+
JIM BRUNO & TOSCA BRUNO-VAN
VIJFEIJKEN
MINNA R. BUCK+
ALICIA & DICK CALAGIOVANNI
ANNE M. CARNICELLI
KATHLEEN A. CARPENTER
JAMES CASASANTA
JON M.+ & JEAN M. CASEY
MARYELLEN CASEY & BRUCE
KEPLINGER
TIM & JANET CASSIDY
SYLVIA & WILLIAM COHEN
JAMES & KATRINA CROCKER
MARILYN F. CROSBY
MICHAEL+ & ELAINE CROUGH
VIRGINIA DEBENEDICTIS
BOB & JOAN DERRENBACKER
PETER J. EMERSON
CARAGH D. FAHY
TIMOTHY & KAYE FENLON
RALPH FERRARA
DORRIS A. FOX
MARC B. FRIED
IAN GALLACHER & JULIA MCKINSTRY
KATHIE & GUY GARNSEY
LEE M. GATTA & JOE REDDICK
BARBARA W. GENTON
ANGELA HUFF GRIFFIN
& JOHN P. GRIFFIN
DOUG & PAM HAMLIN
LINDA DICKERSON HARTSOCK
WILLIAM & SANDRA HEMMERLEIN
BERNIE G. HENDERSON
LINDA L. HENLEY
RICHARD & JANICE HEZEL
PATRICIA A. HOFFMAN
ALEXANDER+ & CHARLOTTE HOLSTEIN
JOYCE DAY HOMAN
MR. & MRS. ROBERT L. HOOD
DR. PETER & MARY HUNTINGTON
SANDRA HURD & JOEL POTASH
HAROLD L. HUSOVSKY, MD & SUSAN E. STRED, MD
ELAINE & STEVEN L. JACOBS
MICHAEL & JO MARIE JOLY
MR. & MRS. DOUGLAS KALLET
MIKE & KAREN KALLET
GWEN KAY & JEFFREY SNEIDER
ELSPETH J.C. KERR
MRS. SALLY KIMBALL
KATHLEEN & JAMES KINSEY
JESSE KLINE
MARIE M. KLOSSNER
GEORGE & LUELLA KRAHL
DEVELOPMENT
THOMAS M. GRIFFITH, AEP ® , CAP ® , CHFC ® Vice President of Development
ELIZABETH GAGNÉ Philanthropic Services Officer
TORI HART Philanthropic Services Officer
JAN L. LANE, CAP ® Senior Philanthropic Advisor
MONICA M. MERANTE, CAP ® Senior Director of Philanthropic Services
PRAGYA S. MURPHY, MBA, CAP ® Senior Philanthropic & Impact Investment Advisor
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
KIMBERLY P. SADOWSKI, CPA Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
GERIANNE P. CORRADINO, SHRM-CP Human Resources & Operations Officer
SARAH EDLUND Office Manager
DANA C. FIEL Finance Manager
JENNY E. GREEN Senior Information Systems Officer
ELIZABETH T. HARTMAN, CPA Senior Director of Finance
DAVONA LAWRENCE Finance Associate
DANA E. LYONS-CANTY Special Projects Officer
YEISHA NÚÑEZ-DENSON Accountant
DAVID & CAROLE+ KROSS
H. RICHARD LEVY
DOUGLAS & THERESA LEWIS
ZALIE & BOB LINN
ANNE GILMOUR LLOYD
JAMES E. MACKIN, ESQ.
CANDACE & JOHN MARSELLUS
JIM & RUTH MARSHALL
GAIL M. MCINTYRE
MICHAEL & SUSAN MEATH
ELISA MESCON
ANNE L. MESSENGER
JOAN M. MILLER
ALLAN H.+ & HELEN C. MISKELL
PAMELA KIP REISMAN MONACO
ELIZABETH A. MORGENTHIEN
JOHN D. & JANIS H. MOSES
STEPHEN W. MOYER
MR. & MRS. JOHN J. MURPHY, III
PATRICK & KIMBERLY MURPHY
JANET P. & RICHARD W. NEWMAN
KATHRYN NICKERSON
MARTIN NOLAN
THEODORE H. & MARY-PAT NORTHRUP
JOAN B. NOWICKI
JAMES A. O’CONNOR
MARGARET G. OGDEN
MARY PAT OLIKER
MARGARET & RON PECKHAM
STEVE PEKICH
EILEEN B. PHILLIPS
RICHARD B. & NEVA S.+ PILGRIM
J. DANIEL PLUFF
BILL & SANDRA+ POMEROY
MR. & MRS.+ WILLIAM W. PORTER
MARCIA & JAMES QUIGLEY
SCHOLARSHIPS & STUDENT SUCCESS
AHMEED H. TURNER Vice President of Scholarships & Student Success; Executive Director of Say Yes Syracuse
