Material Support for Dignity and Inclusion

Develops, constructs, and operates primary schools in rural Zambian communities, including Chipakata Children's Academy and Mwabwindo School, each serving over 200 students from pre-school through 7th grade with free education, daily meals, books, uniforms, and teacher housing.

Establishes and operates orphanages and supports community infrastructure in rural African communities, including roads, bridges, water wells, a community grinding mill, and a retail shop, with proceeds funding operational costs and local initiatives.

Accepts and distributes clothing donations for children in Chipakata Village and surrounding areas, and obtains educational and recreational books for students and community members at Chipakata Children's Academy.

Offers full-ride scholarships covering tuition and living expenses for students from rural Zambia to pursue higher education in technical, trade, and nursing fields, including through the Joan Shulman Scholarship for Nursing Studies and support for secondary and university education via the Leatrice B. McKissack Scholarship Fund.

Partners with the Tiyeseko Women’s Club in Chipakata Village to provide micro-financing for income-producing activities and agricultural projects, supporting approximately 40 women in building sustainable livelihoods.

Supplies specialized equipment, including handycab devices, to support mobility and independence for children with disabilities.

Supplies school supplies and instructional assistance tailored to children with disabilities to support their learning needs.

Operates Milly's Market (and previously Pinwheel Market), along with a café, commercial kitchen, and ballroom, offering community programming, workshops, and classes. The space supports food service, educational activities, wellness instruction, and private events, with rental options for businesses and community groups.

Provides teacher-requested school supplies and distributes new backpacks filled with supplies to students in Yates County annually, primarily in August. The program has distributed 14,192 backpacks since inception and served over 1,300 children in 2021, over 1,000 in 2022, and over 900 in 2023.

Distributes supplemental food to nearly 400 children weekly through the Weekend Backpack Program, providing an average of 400 food bags weekly and approximately 18,000 annually. Since 2008, the program has distributed 261,438 bags of food to children in need in Yates County.

Directly awards financial scholarships to support educational opportunities for children, including a documented $5,000 scholarship award.

Provides new sneakers to children to promote outdoor play and involvement in sports, directly supporting physical activity and youth engagement.

Distributes new coats, hats, gloves, winter boots, blankets, and socks to over 2,000 children annually in the Rochester community, with documented distribution of 1,600 coats, 350 hats, 350 gloves, 105 winter boots, 100 blankets, and 1,600 pairs of socks in a recent initiative.

Provides financial assistance to organizations that support children's access to educational and sports activities, as well as funding broader community initiatives through donated resources and fundraising efforts.

Supports efforts to educate the general public and raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through grantmaking activities.

Hosts an annual fundraising event called Brunch for Books at Locust Hill Country Club in Rochester, selling tickets at $35 per person to raise funds for children's literacy programs.

Operates the Scott Spino Literacy Program, launched in 2005 at Lincoln School 22 and expanded to over 19 schools, distributing 1,700 new books to students monthly and a total of 10,000 new books in a documented community distribution.

Issues 20 college scholarships annually to students who embody the organization’s values and are committed to helping others. Known as the Bridge the Financial Gap program and the Jaimie Magee Lesnick College Scholarship.