Shineman Foundation Supports OCO PATH Program.

OSWEGO – The Richard S. Shineman Foundation has awarded a $35,000 grant to Oswego County Opportunities (OCO), Inc. to provide critical operational funding for the Program to Assist Teenage Homeless (PATH). The grant serves as a vital safety net, ensuring that housing and transition services for at-risk youth remain uninterrupted following the expiration of federal core funding on September 30, 2025.

PATH is the only long-term housing program in Oswego County for homeless youth ages 16–21. The program provides safe, stable housing and trauma-informed care for young people who cannot return home due to abuse, neglect, or family rejection. This new funding will support six months of operations, allowing OCO to stabilize the program and ensure that current participants can safely transition into independent living or stable housing.

“This is one of those grants that hits different,” said Chena Tucker, Foundation Director of the Richard S. Shineman Foundation. “While we celebrate every award, this one carries deeper weight. When federal funding was eliminated, the services had to adjust, but the reality of youth homelessness in Oswego County did not. In a county where nearly 1,000 young people—including those in foster care—experience significant instability, the question isn’t whether the need exists, but who will step in. This grant is our way of naming that reality and recommitting to the practical, long-term solutions our youth deserve.”

OCO, a cornerstone of the local human services infrastructure for nearly 60 years, serves over 15,000 individuals annually. The PATH program is a key component of OCO’s residential services, empowering youth to achieve educational goals and self-sufficiency.

“We are profoundly grateful to the Shineman Foundation for their rapid response to this funding gap,” said Kevin Dean, Executive Director of OCO. “This investment does more than just keep the lights on; it protects the futures of the young people currently in our care. By bridging this gap, Shineman is ensuring that our most vulnerable neighbors don’t fall through the cracks during a time of federal uncertainty.”

Print this entry