Oswego, NY – Oswego County Opportunities (OCO) recently received a $5,000 grant from the Central New York Community Foundation. The grant will be used to support OCO Prevention Services to expand prevention education efforts with a new program called SheConnects (SC), a holistic support initiative designed to empower women and girls by fostering connection, compassion, and community.
Through this funding, OCO will strengthen community agency collaboration, bringing together services such as Reproductive Health, Services to Aid Families (SAF), OPTIONS (pregnant/parenting/breastfeeding support), and Nutrition Services, among others. This cross-program approach will ensure that SheConnects participants have access to a wide range of essential resources in a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment.
SheConnects groups will provide participants with:
- Mutual aid and psychosocial support to build emotional resilience and shared strength
- Parenting guidance and life skills training to support healthy family development
- Access to essential supplies including nutritious food, menstrual products, condoms, and other health-related items
- Peer connection and community-building opportunities
Groups will meet twice monthly through August. Hosted in locations throughout Oswego County, SheConnects serves youth (girls under 18) and adults (women 18+) in distinctly different settings. Each gathering will feature a trained facilitator, a focused topic, supporting supplies, and a meal provided. Planned topics will include parenting support, goal planning, career and educational pathways, sexual health, harm reduction, and strategies to address the social determinants of health.
“The strength of OCO lies in our ability to meet people where they are,” said OCO Executive Director Diane Cooper-Currier. “This grant allows us to break down silos and integrate our Reproductive Health, Nutrition, and SAF programs into a single, welcoming environment. Through SheConnects, we are removing barriers to essential supplies and education, ensuring that the women of Oswego County have a safe space to grow, lead, and support one another.”
The program will be widely publicized throughout the community, and OCO encourages individuals and partner organizations to refer or recruit participants who may benefit from SheConnects.
The grant was provided through the Community Foundation’s Community Grant program, which funds innovative projects in Oswego, Onondaga, and Madison counties that focus on the areas of arts and culture, civic affairs, education, health, human services and the environment.
For more information about SheConnects or to get involved, please contact Oswego County Opportunities Prevention Services at [email protected] or call 315-342-7532
OCO is a private, nonprofit human service agency serving 15,000 people each year through more than 50 programs providing:
- Assistance for the homeless
- Education services for children, youth and adults
- Reproductive health care for women and men
- Independence for those with disabilities
- Meals for the elderly, disabled, & youth
- Safety for the abused
- Support for youth
- Transportation for all
OCO works with public, private, and community partners to deliver services that promote self-sufficiency, support individuals and families, and strengthen the community.
About Central New York Community Foundation
The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity established in 1927 that receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to local charities to help them thrive. It is the largest charitable foundation in Central New York with assets of more than $366 million and has invested more than $230 million in community improvement projects since its inception. As a grantmaker, civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives, the Community Foundation strives to strengthen local nonprofits, encourage better understanding of the region and address the most critical issues of our time.
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