Giving the Gift of Life

Giving the Gift of Life

Our first blood drive of the year with the Red Cross was wildly successful, well beyond our expectations. We set a goal of 15 units of blood, but ultimately had 28 registered donors and collected 21 pints total. (That’s 140% of our goal!)

Special shoutout to our 19 first-time donors and those who identified as Black, African American, or multi-racial – your contributions are crucial in helping us find potential matches for sickle cell patients. Together, we have the potential to save up to 63 lives! Thank you to everyone who participated and made this event a success!

Employee of the Month for January is Kelly Glasser

Employee of the Month for January is Kelly Glasser

Kelly Glasser has been a lead teacher in our Head Start program since 2008, first at the Merrick site and currently at the Genesee site, she previously received the Employee of the Month award in September 2016. Her supervisor described her impact on the many students she has taught as follows:

The care and love she shows for each one of her students is over the top, and gives each one of them the safe, secure learning environment that they need to be successful at school. She goes above and beyond to interact and form a special bond with each of her students and their families. This is apparent by the stream of returning students that have to stop by her room for a quick hug and a check-in as they head down the hall to their current classrooms.

Kelly has also made a lasting influence on her program by using her expertise from many years of Head Start experience to train newer colleagues.

Congratulations to Kelly Glasser for being honored again as Employee of the Month, and as our first for 2025!

Photo: Employee of the Month Kelly Glasser with (clockwise) students Arraiya and Dream, Teacher Aides Nor’Rianna Days and Laura Petitto, Site Supervisor Tricia Daley, Executive Director Carolyn Brown, Teacher Kelly Fletcher, and Nurse Karen Morano.

PEACE, Inc. was at the CNY Model UN Conference!

PEACE, Inc. was at the CNY Model UN Conference!

Maribel Arce presented on behalf of PEACE, Inc. at the Central New York Model United Nations Conference (CNYMUN) hosted by Syracuse University, sharing our mission and impact. PEACE, Inc.’s values of equity and inclusion are brought to action by deeply understanding the community we serve, our work aligns with the 2025 CNYMUN Conference’s message of Peace and Prosperity.

We are hopeful for the future knowing these bright minds are ready to tackle the world’s challenges.

Story from our Big Brothers Big Sisters program

Story from our Big Brothers Big Sisters program

One of our “Littles,” Josiah, is a fan of the Buffalo Bills. During the Field Day event, he asked a BBBS staff member if they would buy tickets to a Bills game. He was told that it was probably unlikely. However, once our Big Brothers Big Sisters staff learned about Josiah’s wish, they decided to make it come true!

The staff worked together to fulfill Josiah’s dream. Two tickets were donated for Josiah and his Big, Anthony, who attended the Buffalo Bills game on December 22nd.

The team decided to keep the surprise a secret from Josiah for as long as possible. Once he found out, he was incredibly excited. Josiah was thrilled and smiled all day at the game!

Thank You for Your Support!

Thank You for Your Support!

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has participated in the 2024 PEACE, Inc. Give-A-Holiday Program! Your support in sponsoring families, creating gift baskets, and making monetary donations is making a real difference in spreading holiday cheer. Together, we bring joy and hope to those in need this season. Let’s keep the spirit of giving alive!

Congratulations to the winners of our All Staff Decorating Contest at PEACE, Inc.!

Congratulations to the winners of our All Staff Decorating Contest at PEACE, Inc.!

  • First Place: Sweet Gingerbread House by Laura Petitto
  • Second Place: Happy Little Tree Farm by the Sumner Head Start 2nd Floor Staff
  • Third Place: Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire by Ray Garfield

A huge thank you to everyone who participated! It was festive, fun and so great to see our employees’ creativity.

What a fantastic time at our Annual BBBS Holiday Party on December 8th!

What a fantastic time at our Annual BBBS Holiday Party on December 8th!

We are grateful to our sponsors, Syracuse Select Basketball, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, and the Immanuel United Methodist Church for their generous toy, prizes, and clothing items donations. A huge thank you to Bishop Ludden Junior-Senior High School for allowing us to use their facility!

Our event featured a hair tinsel station, balloon artist, face painter, 360-degree photo booth, and a DJ spinning all the holiday favorites! Special thanks to the 17 members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. from Syracuse University Syracuse University, Lottie Bruzdzinski, Sophia Johnson, Katie Taylor, and our Advisory Council members.

We had around 40 of our littles, their families, and even 4 members of the Syracuse Football team join us for fun, games, and delicious hot meals provided by West End Kitchen & Catering!

Lastly, we celebrated with a raffle where we gave away Buffalo Bills hoodies to 20 lucky attendees. We had a total of 130 people come together to make this a memorable holiday celebration! Thank you to everyone who made it possible!

PEACE, Inc. on NewsChannel 9

PEACE, Inc. on NewsChannel 9

Last week, The Salvation Army Syracuse Area Services and PEACE, Inc. were featured on NewsChannel 9’s weekly program, “Newsmakers with Andrew Donovan.” In the program’s final segment, Carolyn D. Brown, the Executive Director of PEACE, Inc., discussed the organization’s work and its significance during the holiday season. Be sure to check it out!

Newsmakers: The Salvation Army | WSYR

 

Celebrating the Community by Providing Harvest Meals for Seniors

Celebrating the Community by Providing Harvest Meals for Seniors

Last week, our Senior Nutrition Program hosted its annual “Harvest Meals” at 28 senior centers across Onondaga County! Every year, we’re proud to provide delicious Thanksgiving meals to seniors in our community, spreading joy and gratitude during this special season. The images below showcase the meals served at the Westcott Community Center, Salina Town Hall, and PEACE, Inc.’s Eastwood Community Center.

Eastside “Back to School Giveaway”

Eastside “Back to School Giveaway”

On August 21st, The Eastside Family Resource Center brought smiles to the faces of many families as it hosted its annual “Back to School Giveaway.” The event was a grand success as families received essential school supplies such as backpacks, notebooks, pencils, and clothing to kick-start the new school year.

This generous initiative helped alleviate the financial burden on many families and ensured that students were well-equipped for their academic journey. The overwhelming success of the event was made possible by the dedicated volunteers, kind-hearted donors, and the staff of The Eastside Family Resource Center. Their unwavering support and hard work made a significant difference in the lives of many families.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who contributed to making this event a success, helping to create a positive start to the school year for students and families in the community.

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