The Upstate Foundation and Erin’s Angels are now partners into perpetuity. Erin’s Angels is a not-for-profit organization addressing childhood food insecurity in Central New York. The Erin’s Angels Endowed Fund at the Upstate Foundation will ensure that this important mission will serve generations of schoolchildren in the future. Erin's Angels honors Erin Maxwell, of Palermo, N.Y., who suffered from unimaginable abuse and was starved regularly.

An endowment is a lifelong fund that is invested permanently through the Upstate Foundation and generates market earnings that can be spent in support of the endowment’s purpose.

“The Upstate Foundation is pleased to partner with Erin’s Angels,” said development director Carolyn Hendrickson. “Included in our fourfold mission is community and health and well-being. We look forward to growing this endowment to ensure the financial resources to fight childhood food insecurity will always be available for this organization.”

She added that the Upstate Foundation’s status as a public charity enables it to partner with organizations outside of the Upstate Medical University community.

“We’re dedicated to feeding children,” said Sheila Dion, who founded Erin’s Angels in 2017 and is its current director. “We began with the goal of turning the tragic death of Erin Maxwell into a powerful way to create lasting change. We first approached the Phoenix Central School District because Erin was a student at Maroun Elementary School.”

She added that Erin’s Angels recently partnered with the West Genesee School District, and offer an outreach program to help students in need in the Syracuse City School District through partnerships with various other nonprofits in Central New York.

Dion explained that the topic of an endowment frequently arises when she applies for grant funding. “Grantees are concerned about the futures of organizations they choose to support. It is important to me and our board of directors to demonstrate our financial stability and long-term sustainability, so I always knew this was the direction in which Erin’s Angels needed to head.” 

For more information, visit UpstateFoundation.org and erinsangels.com.

Caption: Carolyn Hendrickson of the Upstate Foundation and Sheila Dion, Erin’s Angels, seated, and Erin’s Angels board members, from left, Maryann D’Addio, Erica Ward and Lisa Woodard announce the creation of an endowed fund to combat food insecurity. D’Addio is an employee in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.