Three Leaders Call On Community to “Say Yes” To Their Appeal, Raising Funds for the Say Yes Scholarships
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse Mayor Stephanie A. Miner, Onondaga County Executive Joanne M. Mahoney, and Superintendent of Schools Sharon L. Contreras announced today that they will be sponsoring a gala fundraiser to support the Say Yes to Education Foundation Endowment which provides scholarships to Syracuse City School District students.
“Say Yes to Education has been a part of my life since I was on the Common Council and I am deeply committed to seeing this program succeed,” said Syracuse Mayor Stephanie A. Miner. “We have seen over 2,000 students enroll in college who might not otherwise have had the opportunity to do so. Fundamentally, Say Yes works and I am proud to have made Syracuse the first Say Yes City in America. With the support of the community we can continue their mission.”
“When our community agreed to partner with Say Yes to Education, we made a commitment to kids that if they did their part we would do ours,” said Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney. “The time has come for us to step up and fully fund the scholarship endowment to make sure that happens. I am pleased to be able to host this event with the Mayor and the Superintendent and I encourage everyone to come out and support our school children.”
“The Say Yes to Education Endowment Fund is critical to realizing our mission of college and career readiness for all students,” said Superintendent of Schools Sharon L. Contreras. “The community’s support of the Endowment and this event will ensure that Syracuse City School District students have access to higher education and will ultimately strengthen our community and region.”
“The investments we are making today in our students through the Say Yes Scholarships will benefit our community for many years and decades to come,’’ said Lee Davis, President and COO of O’Brien & Gere and chairman of Say Yes Syracuse Scholarship Inc. “These scholarships challenge our students to excel and become productive contributors to the economic and social vitality of our region. We are grateful to our community leaders for their commitment and collaboration, working together to create an endowment to fulfill the tuition promise – an invaluable asset for our community.”
“Say Yes presents a transformative opportunity for our community in so many ways,” said Peter Dunn, Executive Director of the Central New York Community Foundation. “Our economic future demands that we create and sustain a stronger college-going culture in the city. The Say Yes scholarship incentive combined with enhanced social and emotional supports for students and their families reduces barriers to higher education attainment. Growing the Say Yes Scholarship Endowment will sustain the scholarship incentive for generations to come.”
The fundraiser will take place on Friday, September 5 at the Landmark Theatre. Tickets for the “Champions Reception” from 6 to 7 PM, are $500 per person. Tickets for the “Community Reception” from 7 to 10 PM are $100 per person. Patrons are also invited to sponsor a Say Yes scholar to attend the event for $100. Entertainment will be provided by The Blacklites. Parking will be available for free in the Trolley Lot, directly behind the Museum of Science and Technology.
The Say Yes to Education Endowment Fund is managed by the Central New York Community Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Reservations can be made by contacting the Central New York Community Foundation at 315-422-9538 or by going to sayyesbenefitevent.eventbrite.com. All contributions are tax deductible and eligible for matching dollars from SRC, Inc. 100% of ticket sales benefit the Say Yes Endowment Fund.