With support of the Redding Endowment Fund at the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation, third grade classrooms at Eastview Elementary were equipped with a new series of books creatively combining math work and character education.
The books aim to teach students important life lessons and character traits while also engaging students in a creative math curriculum.
Dennis Redding established the Redding Endowment Fund to support causes loved by the Redding Family, including the Hinsdale Fire Department and 3rd grade classrooms at Hinsdale Central School and Eastview Elementary School.
Members of the Redding family have long been involved with all of the organizations, including working as tutors for third grade classrooms at both schools.
Grant money designated to the schools is used at the discretion of a third grade teacher every year so that the money can best fill the needs of teachers and their students.
According to Brian Crawford, Eastview Elementary principal, grants from the Redding fund help the school meet its mission.
“At East View we believe our core mission is to teach our students that literacy is power,” said Crawford. “The financial support of the Redding family directly supports our core mission by providing opportunities and resources our students and teachers wouldn’t otherwise have. We are grateful for all our community partners.”
In addition to supporting the classrooms through the fund’s annual distribution and through involvement as a tutor, Dennis Redding has decided to offer another incentive for third graders in both schools.
If students in both schools meet a reading challenge, Redding has agreed to donate to Heiffer International on behalf of the classes, inspiring both a love for reading and teaching the importance of giving back.
CRCF Executive Director Karen Niemic Buchheit stressed her admiration for Redding’s generosity through the endowment fund and the family’s work in the schools.
“The Redding Endowment Fund really captures the spirit of the work we do here at CRCF,” said Buchheit. “The Redding family had a desire to give back to very specific and very admirable causes that they love, and the endowment makes that possible and makes sure that giving back lasts forever.”
Donations can be made to the Redding Endowment Fund at cattfoundation.org or 301 North Union St., Suite 203 in Olean.
The Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is the area’s supportive, responsive and trusted community foundation. Established in 1994, CRCF is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).
