Meeting the Needs of Adirondack Communities
Challenges and Opportunities

Research and reporting by Adam Federman
2019

 Introduction
On a clear cool morning in early May community leaders, elected officials, and residents of northern
Warren County gathered in the Town of Chester to mark the opening of a new wellness center. The
facility, with state-of-the-art fitness equipment, is located on the second floor of the old elementary
school building (now the town’s municipal offices), which also houses a variety of social services
including a food pantry, family counseling, and educational programs. A couple of miles down the
road in Brant Lake, a branch of the Glens Falls YMCA opened its doors in 2016 and offers after-school
activities for at-risk kids and a summer literacy
program for grammar school students. It has also
become a community gathering place for young
parents and the elderly. Brian Bearor, CEO of the
Glens Falls YMCA, says when they hold events at
the YMCA in Brant Lake turnout far exceeds what
they see in the Glens Falls metro area.
The two facilities, operated by the YMCA and
funded through a mix of local philanthropy and
state grants, are meeting critical needs in an
underserved and remote part of the Adirondack
Ribbon cutting at the opening of the
region. The surrounding towns of Johnsburg,
Chestertown Wellness Center, May 2019.
Minerva, North Creek, Schroon, and Horicon are all
within reach of the YMCA and have been a big part of its success. “Access and opportunity, the ways
and means to maintain our health are limited here in the North Country,” said Town Supervisor Craig
Leggett. “Distance, cost, and climate are barriers, and this wellness center is a huge step over those
barriers.”
The needs and barriers across the Adirondack region are real. And the solutions are not always
obvious. The percentage of families who earn too much to qualify for public assistance but not
enough to make ends meet has grown dramatically in recent years. There’s a critical shortage of child
care providers, which can make it difficult for parents to commit to full time employment or advance
their careers. Meanwhile access to public transportation and safe, affordable housing in the region is
limited. Even as the elderly population grows—by 2030 nearly 30% of the region’s residents will be
over the age of 60—the number of home health care aides is plummeting. Social workers are often
overwhelmed and unable to provide mental health care treatment and support in a timely manner.
Treatment and recovery options for those struggling with opioid addiction and other substance abuse
disorders are not as robust as they need to be. The ripple effects of the opioid epidemic in particular
have led to strains on the foster care system and other social services. Taken together these barriers
can stymie economic development and impede pathways to educational opportunity.
Over the course of the next couple of decades, addressing these needs will be essential to the overall
health, wellbeing, and vitality of communities in the North Country. A rural, sparsely populated mix of
public and private land, including millions of acres of wilderness, the counties that Adirondack
Foundation serves (Franklin, Essex, Clinton, Hamilton, and parts of Warren, St. Lawrence, Herkimer,
Fulton, and Saratoga) are all confronting similar challenges. Some are geographic in nature: towns in
the region are sometimes isolated and far from social service providers, treatment, or counseling and
1

 without cell-phone service or any form of public transportation. Other challenges such as a shortage
of quality, affordable housing and a declining population are common to rural counties across the
country. Philanthropy alone cannot solve these problems and government funding will continue to
play a crucial role in service delivery and program development. But public funding and private
investment together can amplify the impact and reach of a nonprofit agency, community
organization, or new pilot program.
Social service agencies, nonprofits, and community organizations, often with limited resources and
staff, are developing solutions and innovative programs designed to meet the needs of area residents.
Social service agencies are partnering with a nonprofit community center to provide peer counseling
for recovering addicts in Tupper Lake. A pilot program in Clinton County has provided access to child
care for 10 families, allowing parents to advance their professional careers. A nonprofit in Lake Placid,
largely through a network of volunteers, is helping to connect elders with the support they need and
has expanded into Malone. In Plattsburgh a newly opened transitional housing facility for recovering
addicts and the homeless is connecting individuals with entry level employment and mental health
counseling. Saranac Lake School District is embarking on becoming a “community school”—the first
in the region—and the results are promising. In Hamilton County, which has the lowest population
density in the region and where getting to a hospital might mean driving two hours, a new tele-health
program is connecting residents and inmates with the mental health care treatment they need. All of
these programs demonstrate that by investing in existing programs or new initiatives, philanthropy,
along with state and federal support, can make a profound difference in the lives of North Country
residents.
This report has two purposes: (1) to identify the key unmet needs in the region and areas where the
social safety net is falling short and (2) to highlight existing efforts, new initiatives, and pilot programs
seeking to improve access to services and quality of life in the region. Based on more than 70
interviews with social service providers, community leaders, nonprofits, and residents in towns across
the region this report has identified the following broad areas as critical needs and opportunities for
long-term growth:

•

Support Working Families

•

Expand Affordable Housing and
Rental Options

•

Improve Transportation
Networks

•

Increase Opportunities for
Professional Skills Development
and Workforce Training

•

Provide Options for Drug
Addiction Treatment, Recovery,
and Prevention

•

Develop Support Networks for an
Aging Population

•

Create Pathways to PostSecondary Education

Brian Bearor never imagined that the YMCA would open a branch in the southern Adirondacks. Initially
the idea seemed beyond the scope of what the organization could do. It’s much more difficult to
attract the kind of funding needed to sustain programs such as those offered by the YMCA or Big
2

 Brothers/Big Sisters in far flung rural areas. But now Bearor is considering the possibility of pop-up or
mobile YMCAs in the region to reach even more out of the way areas and perhaps even opening
another facility like the one in Brant Lake. “The dream is that we are actually able to replicate this
model throughout the Adirondacks,” Bearor said.
And he’s not alone in his vision. The community-based model of providing access to social services is
beginning to take root. For example, Community Connections, a Malone based social service
organization, recently established a family advocate in the Saranac Lake school district to help
students with a variety of needs and the early feedback is promising. In a similar way schools in
Hamilton County are beginning to offer onsite clinical and mental health services for students. “We’re
really starting to see a trend,” said Suzanne Lavigne, Director of Community Services in Franklin
County. “It’s more about taking a service to a non-traditional site as opposed to somebody engaging
with a clinic building.”
The wellness center in the Town of Chester is much more than just a place to exercise. It’s also a way
to connect members of the community to a variety of important social services, leveraging resources
that people may be unaware of or reluctant to access. And it’s catching on. After being open for just
over a month the wellness center already has approximately 150 members and has received five
referrals from Hudson Headwaters Health Network. Its success is proof that grantmakers and
philanthropists can help to sustain healthy communities in the Adirondack region.
Statement of Purpose/How to Use this Report
This report offers a framework for confronting some of the key challenges facing Adirondack
communities. As with any complex and vast geographic region there is no one size fits all solution.
What works in one county or community may not work in another. But there’s also no need to
reinvent the wheel. Across the region, there are inspired and deeply committed individuals and
organizations working to address the needs outlined in this report. Many have decades of experience.
Listening to those on the front lines and understanding what works and what doesn’t is essential to
improving the lives of residents in Adirondack communities.
This report is both a call to action and a roadmap for building on existing networks and promising
models. The report should be used to help guide conversations and philanthropic giving in a way that
has the greatest possible impact.
In addition to sharing the report with donors, partners, community leaders, and other funders,
Adirondack Foundation is using the report to help guide Generous Acts, which, since 2014, has
granted out more than $770,000 to support local initiatives. With thanks to generous donors and their
trust in Adirondack Foundation to identify and respond to community needs, the Foundation is
aiming to grant out $5 million through Generous Acts over the next ten years.
The names of organizations and models referred to in the report are by no means exhaustive and for a
list of additional resources please confer with Adirondack Foundation staff. This is the beginning of
what will hopefully be a long-term effort to engage with and support Adirondack communities. We
look forward to working with you!

3

 Table of Contents
Supporting Working Families .....................................................................................5
Challenges and Opportunities ................................................................................................... 7
Promising Approaches ............................................................................................................... 8
Expand Affordable Housing and Rental Options...........................................................9
Challenges and Opportunities ................................................................................................. 11
Promising Approaches ............................................................................................................. 11
Improve Transportation Networks ........................................................................... 12
Challenges and Opportunities ................................................................................................. 14
Promising Approaches ............................................................................................................. 14
Increase Opportunities for Professional Skills Development and Workforce Training... 15
Challenges and Opportunities ................................................................................................. 17
Promising Approaches ............................................................................................................. 17
Expand Options for Drug Addiction Treatment, Recovery, and Prevention .................. 19
Challenges and Opportunities ................................................................................................. 20
Promising Approaches ............................................................................................................. 20
Develop Support Networks for an Aging Population................................................... 21
Challenges and Opportunities ................................................................................................. 23
Promising Approaches ............................................................................................................. 23
Create Pathways to Post-Secondary Education ......................................................... 24
Challenges and Opportunities ................................................................................................. 25
Promising Approaches ............................................................................................................. 26
Closing Thoughts from Adirondack Foundation ......................................................... 27
Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 28

4

 Supporting Working Families
Katie Falzetta is a 29-year-old mother of two who graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh and still lives in
the city. Her husband is a project coordinator at a local manufacturing plant and earns $17 an hour.
Falzetta works two part-time jobs but has struggled to find affordable child care that would allow her
to advance her professional career and, she hopes, buy a house. At times she has had to turn down
additional hours knowing that the cost of child care would negate whatever she’d be able to bring
home. But earlier this year Falzetta learned about
a new program: The Child Care Coordinating
Council of the North Country had received a onetime, $25,000 grant from the state and was
launching a pilot program for working families in
need of child care.
Falzetta seized the opportunity and since January
has been able to enroll her 16-month-old son in
full-time daycare. Her four-year-old son is
currently in pre-K and will go to Kindergarten in
the fall. With the help of the grant Falzetta was
able to work significantly more hours—nearly 35
hours a week instead of 15—and has gained
invaluable experience. “It’s everything,” Falzetta
told me. “I decided to work more because I had
the grant and now I have the opportunity to work
full time hours doing something I love. It pretty
much advanced my career in all kinds of ways.” Nine other families in Clinton and Franklin counties
also received assistance through the grant and have reported similar outcomes. Shelli LaPlante, who
also took advantage of the grant money, was able to enroll her children in daycare and complete a
nursing degree.
Falzetta is one of a growing number of “ALICE” families in the North Country. The ALICE metric, which
stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, is an effort by the United Way to draw
attention to the everyday struggles of working families across the country. These are families who
generally earn too much to receive federal assistance but barely enough to make ends meet. The
ALICE threshold for a family of four in the region is about $60,000 while the median household income
is between $49,000 and $52,000. (The federal poverty level for a family of four is $25,100.) A growing
percentage of families in the region are living below the ALICE threshold.
“Poverty is really driving a lot of these challenges,” said Jamie Basiliere, Executive Director of the
Child Care Coordinating Council of the North Country. Child care is just one lens through which to view
the challenges that working families face.
The numbers are striking. Across the region certified child care facilities are declining as long time
providers retire and new facilities have not filled the void. This means that the number of children who
may need care far exceeds the available openings. In Franklin County, for example, there are 2,680
5

 children under the age of 5 but only 1,689 slots in regulated child care programs. Parents are forced to
rely on friends and family, if they have that luxury, or to use providers who may not be certified. Many
families also struggle with basic needs such as food security, safe affordable housing, transportation,
and emotional and physical wellbeing.
Table 1. Child Care in the North Country
Data

Clinton

Essex

Franklin

3,939
6,264

1,617
2,830

2,566
4

Number/percent of Census
Tracts that equate to child
care deserts
Number/percent of children <6
living at or below poverty level
Number of children receiving
child care subsidies (6 weeks age 6)/number of children <6
living in poverty per available
subsidies

Children under 5 (estimate)
Children 6 through 11
(estimate)
Regulated child care slots
Number of children per
available slots

St.
Lawr.
6,165
7,564

Warren

Region

2,680
4,509

Hamilton
135
304

3,013
5,299

17,549
26,770

929
4.8

1,689
4.2

40
11

1,422
9.6

1,767
4.8

8,413
5.3

11/66%

15/83%

14/74%

8/89%

17/89%

10/83%

75/83%

2,135/
29.4%

516/
25.8%

1,126/
34.9%

37/
23.9%

2,319/

760/
21.2%

6,893/
32.7%

169/12.6

105/4.9

184/6.1

5/7.4

388/6

256/3

1,107/5.3

32%

1

The census data was extracted from a mapping tool developed by the Center for American Progress
https://childcaredeserts.org/index.html?state=NY&split=true&urbanicity=Rural and from Child Care Demographics, NYS Office
of Children and Family Services https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/reports/2017-NY-Child-Care-Demographics-Report.pdf

The shortage of child care providers or lack of quality, affordable housing and rental
properties can also serve as a deterrent to young families interested in moving to the region.
On several occasions service providers or large employers in the region told me stories about
new hires who ultimately had to turn down job offers because they could not find affordable
housing.
Many communities in the region also have limited access to affordable healthy food.
Residents in Indian Lake, whose only grocery store closed about a decade ago, for example,
may have to drive 30 minutes or an hour to do their shopping. Even WIC benefits, which can
be used at grocery stores and most farmers’ markets, are under-utilized in the region due to
lack of options.
Behavioral and mental health services, critical to the health and wellbeing of families in the
region, are also strained. Jeremiah Pond, a supervisor at the Franklin County Department of
Social Services, says his department is currently experiencing a critical shortage of therapists
and psychiatrists as long-time providers retire and they struggle to recruit and find
replacements.
6

 Meanwhile the needs of families are growing. JoAnne Caswell, Executive Director of Families
First in Essex County, said the number of families seeking services has increased dramatically
in recent years. When the cap on the number of kids who could take part in a home and
community-based services program was lifted last year as result of the Affordable Care Act,
enrollment jumped from 24 to over 100 in just a few months.
But new models are emerging to address the needs of working families. This spring the
Saranac Lake School District, in partnership with Community Connections and Franklin
County Department of Social Services, hired a full-time family advocate. Based out of the
Saranac Lake High School the advocate started in April and within two weeks had twelve
critical care cases to tend to.
Saranac Lake has also had success in providing before- and after-school child care through a
partnership with the Plattsburgh/Malone YMCA. Part of the community schools’ model, it is a
“Y” without walls meaning that the school provides the physical space and the Y offers a
variety of services including child care and other programming. Saranac Lake also now has a
community school liaison who is helping to bridge some of the gaps between families in the
district’s very large geographical area and available services. The YMCA and wellness center in
Chestertown are another example of a community-based approach designed to help working
families access services and overcome some of the stigmas associated with counseling and
treatment. Grants supporting programs like the Child Care Pilot Project, though relatively
modest, can make a big difference in the lives of area residents. “It goes so much deeper than
just finding someone to watch my kids,” says Falzetta. Indeed, it’s about creating the support
networks necessary for families and communities to thrive.

Working Families:
Challenges and
Opportunities

Challenges and
Opportunities

INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODEL AND
NON-TRADITIONAL SOCIAL SERVICE HUBS
EXPAND OPTIONS FOR CHILD CARE AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

IMPROVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTHY
FOOD

7

 Working Families: Promising Approaches

AdkAction Farm Store
In 2017 AdkAction, in
collaboration with the
owner of the Keeseville
Pharmacy, opened a farm
store/coop called the
Farmacy that offers fresh
foods and bulk items. This
has helped to fill a void in a
region that lost its only
grocery store about five
years ago. AdkAction is now
looking to launch a similar
farm store in Port Henry and
is developing a “tool kit” for
other communities
interested in the model.
Adirondack Birth to Three
Alliance
Established by Adirondack
Foundation in 2014 the Birth
to Three Alliance is a
network of public and
private institutions working
to enhance family health
and wellbeing across the
region. Through
collaboration and
cooperation, the alliance
has had a number of
successes, including helping
to secure a $1 million
government grant to expand
home-visiting services,
creating new Early Head
Start slots, and distributing
new parent kits.

Adirondack Wellness
Connections, 211, and NY
Connects (awareness,
referrals, and resources)
These online and telephone
referral services help to
connect Adirondack families
with the help and support
they need.
Children’s Matched
Savings Accounts
Adirondack Foundation in
partnership with Brilliant
Pathways and Champlain
National Bank are exploring
Children’s Matched Savings
Accounts to help lowincome families establish
accounts for their children
and gain financial
management skills toward
fiscal stability. These
accounts can be matched
with philanthropy dollar for
dollar, up to $3,000 in a
lifetime, based on the
participant’s savings. Upon
graduation from high
school, the recipient can use
the accrued money for
education expenses, vehicle,
housing, investments,
microenterprise, and
healthcare. The idea is
crafted after the Individual
Development Account (IDA)
that helps participants learn
financial management,
obtain experience with the
mainstream banking system
and save money for assets.

Clinton and Franklin
County Child Care pilot
project
This was a one-time, nonrenewable $25,000 grant
providing child care tuition
payments for 10 families, 8
in Clinton County and 2 in
Franklin. $18,000 was
earmarked for child care
tuition payments—$1,800
per family—and $7,000 for
the cost of running the
program. According to
Jamie Basiliere, Executive
Director of the Child Care
Coordinating Council,
response rates were high
and additional funding
would allow more working
families to access child care.
Community School Model
Saranac Lake School District
is currently the only district
in the region officially
experimenting with the
community school model. It
now has a community
liaison and this year began
offering enrichment
programming for students
and families. Hamilton
County is also in the process
of establishing partnerships
between local school
districts and social service
agencies suggesting that
with enough support the
model can be replicated
across the region. The goal
8

 is to have a trained provider
in each of the county’s four
school districts.
Mobile Farmers Markets
The Joint Council for
Economic Opportunity of
Clinton and Franklin
Counties is now in its second
year of operating a mobile
farmers market that
provides access to healthy
local food in underserved
communities. With a grant
from Adirondack Health
Institute, the program is
expanding and will add two
new greenhouses for food
production. JCEO also
distributes food to over 20
food pantries in the region.
Saranac Lake School
District Family Advocate
This is a unique partnership
between Community
Connections of Franklin
County, based in Malone,
and the Saranac Lake
School District. Because the
district straddles Franklin
and Essex Counties families
may have to travel long
distances in order to access

services in Malone or
Elizabethtown, the county
seats. Lee Rivers of
Community Connections
proposed the idea of having
a full-time family advocate
in the school to help bridge
some of the gaps and to
help students and families
access existing services.
Community Connections is
the employer, but the school
provides workspace and inkind services along the lines
of the community schools
model.
Well Fed Essex County
Collaborative
Also in collaboration with
the Adirondack Health
Institute, Well Fed Essex is
an ambitious new project
seeking to improve access to
healthy local food. Efforts
include stocking food
pantries and even
convenience stores with
more locally grown produce
and encouraging small
grocery stores to accept WIC
benefits.

YMCA Adirondack Center
and Wellness Center
YMCA in Brant Lake opened
its doors in 2016. The effort
was made possible in part
by the donation of the
building—formerly Suzie Q’s
Restaurant—in which the Y
is now located. It is now a
year-round multigenerational facility offering
a range of programming for
families in the region. This
spring the YMCA, in
partnership with several
other organizations and
with funding from
Adirondack Health Institute,
opened a wellness center
nearby.
“Y” Without Walls
Similar to the arrangement
with Community
Connections, the Saranac
Lake school district provides
space to the YMCA, which
operates a before- and afterschool child care program.
They also do community
outreach and other
programming for families
and students in the region.

Expand Affordable Housing and Rental Options
At the age of 50, Leslie Desrocher found herself on the verge of homelessness. She’d worked as a chef
for most of her adult life both in Saranac Lake and then Tupper Lake, where she’d been putting money
down on a house through a rent to own arrangement. But last year after seeking treatment for mental
health issues she was no longer able to work or pay her bills. Though she qualified for federal housing
assistance it has taken her over a year to find an affordable apartment in the tri-lakes region. Luckily
while Desrocher was searching for housing, her landlord agreed to waive her monthly payments and

9

 she eventually found a one-bedroom apartment in Saranac Lake that is within walking distance of
social services.
Leslie’s story is not unique. According to the Joint Council for Economic Opportunity’s 2017
Community Needs Assessment for Clinton and Franklin Counties, “The demand for housing assistance
often exceeds the resources available.”
At the same time the percentage of families spending more than 30% of their annual income on rent—
exceeding the HUD definition of affordable housing—has increased in recent years. More than 50% of
families in Franklin and Clinton Counties are living in “rent-burdened households” and spending at
least 30 percent of their gross income on housing. The figures in Essex and Hamilton Counties are
similar—49% and 42%, respectively. This leaves thousands of Adirondack families financially stressed
and at risk of slipping into poverty.
Table 2. North Country Region
County

Clinton
Essex
Franklin
Hamilton
St. Lawr.

Population

81,685
38,912
51,280
4,760
112,011

Median
Household
Income
$49,930
$52,758
$47,923
$48,243
$44,705

Unemployment

3.80%
4.60%
4.60%
4.90%
5.40%

Percent
Below
Poverty
16%
10%
20%
13%
19%

Percent
Rental
Units
30%
24%
25%
11%
26%

Rent-Burdened
Households*
53%
49%
51%
42%
55%

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 American Community Survey 5 Year Estimates and U.S. Census Bureau, 2016 ACS
Population Estimates http://www.nysafah.org/cmsBuilder/uploads/north-country-state.pdf
Note: American Community Survey (ACS) data is surveyed based and subject to sampling error. Since ACS variables change over
time, some areas or subjects must be compared with caution, or not at all.
*Households spending at least 30% of gross income on rent

Meanwhile employers in the region, including hospitals and colleges, are struggling to find mid-range
housing for new or prospective employees. Harrietstown Housing Authority says they’ve received calls
from individuals who have ended up turning down job offers in the region because they’ve been
unable to find quality housing within their price range. Kristine Duffy, president of SUNY Adirondack in
Queensbury, says the housing shortage is a deterrent to economic development and student
enrollment and retention.
HHA and others point to a critical shortage in housing for middle-income earners who do not qualify
for public assistance. New factors are also influencing the housing market. Short-term rentals in Lake
Placid and other communities, fueled by AirBnb and VRBO, have raised fears that limited rental stock
is being removed from the market at a time when it is desperately needed.
Access to affordable housing for all residents of the region has become an increasingly visible and
important issue. New transitional housing units and homeless shelters have or are set to open in
Saranac Lake, Malone, and Plattsburgh to address an often overlooked need. To meet the challenges
facing the region, housing advocates are looking at new and innovative solutions to expand options
for low and middle-income families.
10

 Expand Affordable
Housing:
Challenges and
Opportunities

INVEST IN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND
HOMELESS SHELTERS

EXPAND HOUSING STOCK AND RENTALS TO
FACILITATE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

EXPLORE NEW MODELS: HOUSING TRUSTS,
CONDOS, LAND BANKS, AND HOME SHARING
Expand Affordable Housing: Promising Approaches
Adirondack Community
Housing Trust
Adirondack Community
Housing Trust, launched
with $1 million in state
funding in 2006, is a
nonprofit staffed by the
Housing Assistance Program
of Essex County. Since its
inception the trust has
purchased about 25 homes
or distressed properties in
the county and converted
them into affordable
housing for working
families. The model is
unique in that the trust
retains ownership of the
land on which the homes
are located and the buyer is
granted a deed to the house
and a long-term renewable
lease. This allows the trust
to stabilize sale prices. For
example the Trust recently
resold a home in Wilmington

for $77,000, less than what it
cost nearly ten years ago. In
addition, the Trust is
working to develop two lots
in Lake Placid that were
donated by a developer and
a donor. One of those lots
should have a home on it by
the end of the summer and
will be put on the market
soon after. Construction of
the second home is in the
planning stages. The
Housing Trust required
significant seed money but
has proven successful and
could expand to other parts
of the region.
Adirondack Regional
Federal Credit Union:
Tupper Lake
This project is still in its
infancy but the idea is for
the credit union, in
collaboration with a local

business and community
group, to acquire six
properties on the main
arteries in and out of Tupper
Lake in close proximity to
downtown and employment
opportunities. Properties
would be acquired by the
community group (ARISE)
and renovated into 20
apartment units, which
would be rented out for
$400/month. Renters would
also receive financial
counseling and budgeting
skills through the Credit
Union with the goal of
developing a first time
homebuyer program.
Condo model
Russ Kinyon, director of
economic development for
Franklin County, moved to
Malone from Michigan
where he worked in real
11

 estate. He says the condo
model, where developers
invest in properties needing
rehab and convert upper
floors into apartment
condos, has worked in small
rural towns. This approach
has not been tested in
Adirondack communities
but Kinyon believes it is
worth exploring.
Expansion of homeless
shelters and transitional
housing
In recent years North
Country communities have
taken steps to address the
growing homeless
population. Samaritan
House in Saranac Lake, an 8bed facility for those in need
of housing, opened just over
a year ago and has already
had more than 100

residents. Barnabas House
Malone serves a similar
population and Community
Connections, which
operates the facility, is in the
process of opening a new
shelter exclusively for
women. In Plattsburgh ETC
Housing Corporation is
collaborating with MHAB
Enterprises to provide
transitional housing for the
homeless and for those
struggling with addiction or
mental health disorders.
These facilities are serving a
critical need in Adirondack
communities and require
ongoing support and
investment.
Plattsburgh Community
Housing
Three years ago, Mark
Hamilton, executive director

of the Plattsburgh Housing
Authority, established a
nonprofit affiliate that can
serve all of Clinton County.
Right off the bat they
purchased a duplex in
Plattsburgh and converted it
into temporary housing for
homeless families, who
typically end up receiving
vouchers to stay in hotels or
motels. This gives homeless
families a greater degree of
stability and an opportunity
to connect with social
services. PCH has also
embarked on a home
ownership program that like
the Housing Trust aims to
purchase vacant properties
or homes and, in
conjunction with
municipalities, rehab those
properties and sell them to
an income-qualified family.

Improve Transportation Networks
Every day, hundreds of residents in the Adirondack region rely on volunteer networks and limited
public bus service to provide transportation to medical appointments, mental health counseling,
places of employment, and even the grocery store or pharmacy. Workers in Malone may rely on public
transit to get to a 7 a.m. shift in Plattsburgh. Elderly residents throughout the region, who are unable
to drive or do not have vehicles, regularly use Medicaid-eligible transportation, including taxis, to get
to appointments or to pick up medication. Families far from population centers where social services
and mental health counseling are concentrated are often unable to access the services they need.
Moreover, for those who do use public transportation, getting to an appointment in Plattsburgh or
Malone may require sacrificing the entire day because of limited bus routes.
Public transportation has long bedevilled the Adirondack region. The presence of sparsely populated
rural towns separated by long distances is an inherent challenge to any effective public transit system.
According to the Joint Council of Economic Opportunity, the Medicare transportation program in
Clinton and Franklin Counties averages about 1,900 trips a month, using volunteer drivers and serving
primarily low-income working families and seniors.

12

 In recent years Essex County has seen an increase in the percentage of families reporting that they do
not have a car. Not surprisingly this disproportionately impacts low-income and working families.
According to Adirondack Health Community Needs Assessment, “Most households with aboveaverage incomes have a car while only half of low-income households do.”
Transportation is frequently cited as a barrier to maintaining
employment and accessing primary care services or addiction
treatment. If these volunteer networks break down or you
miss the only bus that leaves at 6 a.m. for Plattsburgh, your
job or wellbeing could be in jeopardy. “When you don’t have
transportation in a rural area like this it really is a big
impediment to getting employment and seeking the services
you need,” said Roberta Bly, Commissioner of Hamilton
County Social Services.
Despite the many challenges there are programs seeking to improve transportation options for North
Country residents. And they’re beginning to make a difference.
Mold-Rite Plastics in Plattsburgh, which employs about 520 individuals, has worked with Franklin
County Public Transit to increase the number of bus lines from Malone to Plattsburgh. The bus
provides transportation for roughly 20 people every day. Russ Kinyon, Director of Economic
Development for Franklin County, says if the county had the resources and drivers it could probably
add 5 to 10 additional routes to meet regional needs.
On any given day the Volunteer Transportation Center in St. Lawrence County has between 120 and
135 volunteer drivers who provide a crucial service for elderly residents in remote towns. This year
with state funding they launched a new program called “First Mile, Last Mile” designed to provide
short rides to individuals who live within reasonable distance of a bus stop. In the southern part of the
region SUNY Adirondack is looking at an Uber type model to help alleviate transportation needs of
students. And a recent push by the state through Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program
(DSRIP) grants to develop pilot programs to improve transportation networks and reduce emergency
room visits is just getting underway. One of those programs in Malone, Rides to Healthier Options, has
had more than 300 requests for vouchers in its first two months.
Some community leaders are beginning to think on an even larger scale and have raised the
possibility of improving air and bus service to the region and providing fuel-efficient Internet
accessible vans to connect colleges and communities such as Paul Smith’s to transit hubs in
Burlington, Albany, and Montreal. There’s a clear need for improved transportation networks in the
region. Sustainable vibrant communities will depend on their success.

13

 Improve Transportation
Networks:
Challenges and
Opportunities

IMPROVE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS AND RIDE SHARING
NETWORKS

EXPAND RIDE SHARING NETWORKS IN RURAL
AREAS

EXPLORE POSSIBLE TRANSPORTATION
PARTNERSHIPS WITH REGIONAL EMPLOYERS
Improve Transportation Networks: Promising Approaches
Adirondack Health
Institute (AHI) grants and
pilot programs beginning
this year:
AHI - Uplift: A Ride Back to
Health (WarrenWashington Counties)
Launched in late May this
program is looking at ways
to reduce hospital
readmission rates and
ultimately drive down
healthcare costs. The online
referral system will use a
variety of methods such as
bus tokens, taxi vouchers,
and gas cards to meet the
needs of residents in Warren
and Washington Counties.
According to the director,
Cassandra Fleury, 53 people
have already contacted her
and the program has
distributed 22 vouchers.

AHI - Community
Connections: Rides to
Healthier Options
(Franklin County)
In its first two months this
pilot program has already
distributed more than 300
vouchers to meet a variety
of needs. As its name
suggests the vouchers can
be used to access grocery
stores or farmers markets,
to get to counseling services
and medical appointments,
or the pharmacy. Early
interest in the program
suggests that lack of
transportation options is a
major barrier to improving
quality of life in the region.
Essex County
Transportation
Collaborative
Essex County has hired a
Transportation Navigator to

assess the transportation
options and needs in Essex
County. Though still in its
early stages the navigator
says there is a lack of
information about existing
public transportation
options. Bus routes need to
be easier to access and
understand. Eventually the
collaborative will provide
vouchers or transportation
to meet a variety of needs
including accessing healthy
food, getting to an AA
meeting, or to a medical
appointment.
Hamilton-Herkimer
Community
Transportation Services
The Herkimer based
volunteer transportation
network has recently
expanded into Hamilton
County and offers a similar
14

 rider sharing service to the
St. Lawrence County
Transportation Center.
Hamilton County does not
currently have any public
transportation options.
Mold-Rite Plastics and
Franklin County Public
Transit
This is one of the few
partnerships between a
private entity and public
transportation in the region.
Mold-Rite, one of the largest
employers in Plattsburgh,
has contracted with Franklin
County Public Transit to
provide service for its
employees who commute
daily from Malone.
According to Mold-Rite’s HR
manager the program has
been very successful and
could be replicated with
other businesses and
perhaps other towns.
According to Thomas
McLane, Transportation
Coordinator for Franklin
County, one of the barriers
to expanding this model is a
shortage of drivers and
buses. “Our team would be
very excited to add more
routes, buses, and drivers

when our infrastructure
allows for it,” he said.
Franklin, Essex, Clinton,
St. Lawrence, and Warren
County Public
Transportation networks
Improving awareness of bus
routes, signage, and public
transportation options will
be key to the success of
these regional networks. For
the first time transportation
representatives for each of
these counties will be
meeting regularly to discuss
challenges to expanding
public transportation in the
region including driver
shortages, local regulations,
safety and how they impact
operations.
St. Lawrence County
Volunteer Transportation
Center: First Mile, Last Mile
The longest running
volunteer transportation
network in the North
Country has proven that it is
possible to address some of
the challenges posed by
geography and distance in a
sparsely populated rural
area. Founded in the early
1990s the transportation

center provides tens of
thousands of rides annually
in St. Lawrence County.
They’ve developed their
own app, similar in some
ways to the Uber and Lyft
ride sharing technology but
tailored to meet the needs
of a rural county. The
program’s annual budget is
$5 million. 70% of that
comes from Medicaid
reimbursements, 20% is
from service contracts with
various providers, and ten
percent comes from
fundraising. The app and
program has even been
adopted in parts of New
Hampshire and in Eerie City,
Binghamton. The program
director Sam Purington says
the model could be
replicated in other parts of
the Adirondack region. This
year with state funding they
launched a new program
called First Mile, Last Mile
designed to help facilitate
access to public
transportation. In the first
month of service it has
provided about 400 trips.

Increase Opportunities for Professional Skills
Development and Workforce Training
At the end of an eight-week long course on manufacturing and career building at Clinton Community
College this spring, there was a sense of nervous anticipation as the seven participants considered
their next steps and prepared to meet with prospective employers at an informal job fair the following
day. One of the students had driven from Westport every day for two months to attend the four-hour
class. Another participant had commuted from Malone and was now considering moving to
15

 Plattsburgh if he was able to find employment. Another student, who spoke openly about the barriers
to employment because of a past criminal record, said he hoped the class and OSHA certification
would lead to a good job and a better future.
The Assembling Industry: Manufacturing & Education class or AIME, launched in 2010, is a partnership
between ETS Staffing and Recruiting, Clinton Community College’s Institute for Advanced
Manufacturing, and CV-TEC. The initiative is in part an attempt to bridge the gap between a flourishing
manufacturing sector in the area and a shortage of employees heightened by historically low
unemployment rates. According to Deb Cleary, President and CEO of ETS, on any given day there are
some 130 to 150 unfilled manufacturing jobs in the Plattsburgh region. “What we need are people all
the time,” she told me. “We are constantly trying to get people in the door or on the phone.” Last year
ETS employed 1,900 people and did business with 200 companies. Similarly, employers in the Glens
Falls area, encompassing Warren and Washington Counties, are struggling with the labor shortage.
“Virtually every business you talk to has open positions that they can’t fill,” said Chris Hunsinger,
Warren County’s director of employment and training.
Meanwhile across the Adirondack region there are significant numbers of unemployed youth between
the ages of 16 and 24. The unemployment rate for young adults in New York is much higher than the
statewide average for the general
population. According to the Opportunity
Index, 29% of youth between the ages of 16
and 24 in Franklin County (approximately
1,800 individuals) are not in school and not
working. For Clinton County the number is
12% or nearly 1,300 youths. In Essex County
nearly 20% or 825 young adults are without
work. And in Warren and Hamilton Counties
the figures are close to 14% or just over 1,000
young men and women.
Until recently nonprofits and government
agencies have not invested in bridging the gap between the region’s unemployed youth and the
available manufacturing and service industry jobs, says Greg Hart, Regional Director of the Workforce
Development Institute for the North Country. But as the need for workers grows that is beginning to
change.
New programs and funding—both public and private—are beginning to tackle the issue head on.
Earlier this year ETS embarked on a new initiative called Ready4Real that aims to bring professional
skills development and college prep directly to the high school classroom. Launched in January with
grant funding from Adirondack Foundation the program offers a range of courses in four schools:
Seton Catholic, Beekmantown, St. Regis Falls, and Northern Borders Academy in Malone. In Seton and
Beekmantown the program included a series of ten lessons once or twice a month. Topics included
financial literacy, interview tips, resume writing, and lifelong learning among others. Next fall with the
infusion of a $110,000 state grant the program will be expanded and offer college course work, field
trips to visit area employers, and also have dedicated recruiters affiliated with each class. “Our goal is

16

 to really partner with districts and industry because schools can’t do it all,” said Michele Armani, the
director of the Ready4Real program.
Another newly launched program in Clinton County, specifically for high school graduates, aims to
connect students with jobs in the manufacturing sector. The RAMP program (it stands for: Ready, Able,
Marketable, Proven) was launched last July by Plattsburgh based Coryer Staffing and gives high
school graduates who do not have plans to attend college on the job training for a full year.
Meanwhile NYS recently announced $175 million in grant money specifically earmarked for job
training and skills development across the state. Leveraging public and private investment to help
residents find meaningful employment and keep young people in the region will be critical to the
long-term wellbeing of Adirondack communities.

Professional Skills
Development and
Workforce Training:
Challenges and
Opportunities

BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN HIGH YOUTH
UNEMPLOYMENT AND REGIONAL WORKFORCE
NEEDS

INCREASE ACCESS TO AND AWARENESS OF
WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS

PROVIDE LOCALIZED SMALL-SCALE WORKFORCE
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND GRANTS

Professional Skills Development and Workforce Training: Promising Approaches
Adirondack Daily
Enterprise Tri-Lakes Job
Fair
Now in its fourth year, the
Enterprise’s Job Fair brings
together recruiters,
employers, and those
seeking employment for a
daylong information
session.

AIME Assembling Industry:
Manufacturing &
Education
Offers skills development
and workforce training at a
state-of-the-art
manufacturing facility on
the campus of Clinton
Community College. Also
provides support services
and access to resources and

employers in the
Plattsburgh region. The 8week class is typically
offered twice a year at little
or no cost, but the
organizers have struggled to
meet enrollment quotas.
Career Jam: Jefferson and
Lewis Counties
17

 Hands-on career exploration
event for all area 8th grade
students held annually at
Jefferson County
Fairgrounds in Watertown,
NY. This one-day event gives
2,000 plus students from
three counties the chance to
explore a variety of careers
and gain a better
understanding of the
employment opportunities
in their backyard.
HFM (Hamilton Fulton
Montgomery) BOCES
HFM BOCES offers a variety
of programming for
students in Hamilton
County. Adirondack
Academy and the newly
launched Agriculture PTECH
are designed to provide
post-secondary career
opportunities for students
who may not go on to a fouryear college. HFM BOCES
also has a career and
technical education
program.
International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers Local
910 and Clinton
Community College
This is a new collaboration
between the IBEW and
Clinton Community College
that allows journeymen to
obtain credit toward an
Associate’s Degree in
Occupational Studies. The
program is designed to both
help recruit electricians and
plumbers into a high paying
field and to allow those

individuals to further their
education and obtain
advanced degrees at the
same time.
Longitudinal Integrated
Clerkship
This innovative partnership
between Hudson
Headwaters Health Network
and area hospitals and
clinics brings third year
medical students from UVM
to the region to live and
work for 12 months. Each
student is matched with two
primary care physicians who
serve as mentors for the
year. Students gain
invaluable medical
experience and the program
could potentially create a
pipeline for the next
generation of primary care
providers in the Adirondack
region.
North Country Center for
Businesses in Transition
This program is designed to
help local business owners
who are nearing retirement
develop a succession plan. A
large percentage of
businesses across the region
are owned and operated by
individuals or families who
are nearing retirement age.
Rather than lose these
important community
assets and economic
anchors, Adirondack North
Country Association is
helping local businesses
transfer ownership.

RAMP Ready, Able,
Marketable, Proven
Program developed by
Coryer Staffing to fill entrylevel labor gap by
connecting recent high
school graduates with a
structured, disciplined postgrad work experience in
Clinton County. Focus is on
the three sectors that
predominate in the North
Country industrial
landscape: assembly,
manufacturing, and
warehousing/logistics.
Ready4Real
Launched earlier this year
with funding from
Adirondack Foundation,
Ready4Real offers life skills
training and college prep in
regional high schools. In its
early stages the program
has worked with
Beekmantown High School,
Seton Catholic, St. Regis
Falls, and Northern Borders
Academy in Malone. With
additional grant funding the
Ready4Real program will
expand in the 2019-2020
academic year.
SWIPE (School to Work
Initiative Through
Practical Experiences)
aims to help local high
school students in Saranac
Lake and Lake Placid
explore career opportunities
in their own backyards. It is
partnering with schools and
businesses to build skills
and open doors primarily in
18

 the tourism industry.
Launched in spring of 2019
by a retired teacher and a
hotel manager, SWIPE
provides work and interview
experience, introduces
students to industry
professionals, and offers
enriching field trips. The
instructors impart a sense of
pride for their community,
foster a strong work ethic,
and raise awareness about
career advancement
opportunities. Adirondack
Foundation provided seed
funding through its

Generous Acts Program to
help this initiative get
started.
VT Youth Works
Recently launched program
aimed at bridging the gap
between unemployed youth
and regional employers in
Addison County, VT. VT
Youth Works offers 4- and 8week-long career
development classes for atrisk youths or unemployed
adults between the ages of
18 and 24. Participants earn
a stipend. The focus is on

developing
employment/interpersonal
skills and self-confidence for
those entering the
workforce for the first time.
Course offerings include a
carpentry program, career
exploration, internships and
community mentorships.
The program also aims to
provide technical and
academic skills to enter the
workforce or postsecondary education. This is
a partnership with United
Way of Addison County.

Expand Options for Drug Addiction Treatment,
Recovery, and Prevention
Travis Rasco grew up in the town of Saranac and, after graduating from high school fourteen years
ago, moved to Plattsburgh to attend Clinton Community College. But he found that college wasn’t for
him and instead entered the workforce. Around the same time, he also developed a heroin addiction
and for the next decade was in and out of rehab.
After a near fatal overdose in fall 2017, Rasco, with help from staff at CVPH, was admitted to the
Conifer Park treatment facility in Schenectady. From there he went on to the Twin Oaks halfway house
in Plattsburgh, which he says was a critical step on his path to recovery. “For me it really saved my
life,” Rasco said. “There’s no other way to put it.” Rasco, now 32, has been clean for the last year-anda-half and has successfully returned to full time work, first at Novabus and now Pactiv, which
manufactures disposable products for the food services industry.
Opioid addiction and substance abuse disorders including alcoholism have taken a toll on North
Country communities. Rates of binge drinking, alcohol related deaths, and death by suicide are higher
in North Country counties than they are in the rest of the state. Mental health disorders and substance
abuse are often linked. Promoting mental health and preventing substance abuse ranked first and
second regionally as healthcare priorities according to Adirondack Health’s most recent Community
Health Needs Assessment.
Statistics don’t always tell the whole story though. The number of individuals struggling with an
opioid addiction in the Adirondack region may appear to be low compared to the rest of the state. But
social service providers and physicians say the impacts on individuals, families, and communities
have been profound.
19

 Opioid use has fueled a foster care crisis particularly in Franklin County, where the number of children
in the system has more than tripled over the last five years. “We’re seeing a lot more grandparents
having to raise children,” said JoAnne Caswell, executive director of Families First in Essex County.
Options for treatment and recovery are just beginning to catch up with the needs of Adirondack
communities. The first detox center in Clinton County, which has the highest rate of opioid use in the
North Country, opened its doors in October. Nearby a private developer has turned Clinton
Community College dormitories into transitional housing for recovering addicts and the homeless. St.
Joseph’s is in the process of opening an 8 to 10 bed detox center in Saranac Lake. And the importance
of peer counseling in towns and villages across the region is being recognized. Community
Connections, a nonprofit family services agency in Malone, has partnered with Franklin County
Community Services to establish a peer-counseling program in Tupper Lake.
The landscape for those seeking treatment is very different than it was 10 years ago when Travis Rasco
first began struggling with addiction. Now there’s a greater awareness, he says, of what families are
going through and better options for those seeking treatment and navigating the recovery process.
Investing in the future of Adirondack communities will require taking a hard look at the causes of
substance abuse disorder and the support services necessary to combat and prevent it.

Drug Addiction
Treatment, Recovery,
and Prevention:
Challenges and
Opportunities

PROVIDE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR
RECOVERING ADDICTS

EXPAND PEER COUNSELING NETWORKS
INVEST IN EDUCATION, PREVENTION, AND
REGIONAL PLANNING

Drug Addiction Treatment, Recovery, and Prevention: Promising Approaches
Adirondack Regional
Consortium
Substance Abuse Prevention
and Recovery of Clinton
County (SPARCC), Essex
County Heroin and Opioid

Prevention Coalition
(ECHO), Franklin County
Prevention Task Force
(FCPT), and HFM (Hamilton
Fulton Montgomery)
Prevention Council are

volunteer-led initiatives that
work on outreach and
prevention in the North
Country. In the last few
years these groups have
helped to shine a spotlight
20

 on the opioid epidemic and
focus efforts on education
and prevention.
Alliance for Positive Health
In 2015 the Alliance for
Positive Health launched a
syringe exchange program
in Plattsburgh. Soon after
they were awarded a grant
from the state of NY to turn
the exchange program into a
“health hub” for individuals
struggling with addiction. In
addition to the exchange
they provide Hepatitis C
testing and access to
treatment options in the
region. The program has
proven to be successful and
is expanding. In 2016 they
launched a satellite program
in Ticonderoga providing
similar services there twice a
month. To date according to
Diana Aguglia, regional
director for the Alliance,
over 500 people have
enrolled in the syringe
exchange program. They’ve
recently opened a third site
in Warren-Washington
County and are in
conversation with groups in

Tupper Lake.
MHAB Enterprises
Transitional Housing and
Recovery Project
This innovative venture
combines transitional
housing for recovering
addicts with a variety of
social services, peer
counseling, and connections
to area employers. Located
in former Clinton
Community College
dormitories, the rooms are
$400/month and within
walking distance of entry
level manufacturing work.
Local public transit stops in
front of the residence halls.
The main campus will
eventually house a variety of
services for residents
including an industrial
teaching kitchen, peer
counseling, and AA
meetings. The two residence
halls opened on February 1st
and are already more than
half full.
North Country Addictions
Resource Center
This partnership aims to
connect North Country

residents with regional
services. The Center services
Clinton, Essex, Franklin,
Jefferson, Lewis, and St.
Lawrence counties.
Tupper Lake Cares
(Potential collaboration
between Community
Connections in Malone and
Franklin County
Community Services)
This initiative, still in the
development phase, will
improve access to treatment
and recovery services in
Tupper Lake, which is
currently underserved. The
idea is to have a walk-in
recovery center open 7 days
a week that would offer peer
counseling as well as
referrals to St. Joseph’s or
other regional detox or
treatment facilities. Suzanne
Lavigne, director of
community services in
Franklin County, says it
would be a communitybased approach that would
connect those seeking
treatment with people who
have experienced similar
challenges.

Develop Support Networks for an Aging Population
The Adirondack population is rapidly getting older. By 2030, according to projections from the New
York State Office for the Aging, more than one third of the population in most North Country counties
will be over the age of 60. New York State itself ranks fourth in the nation in the number of adults over
60. And state-wide the fastest growing population is over 85. For the remote towns and villages of the
Adirondack region, this represents a challenge and an opportunity.
21

 Even as the population is aging the number of home health care aides in the region has declined. Just
ten years ago North Country Home Services (NCHS), the only home health care staffing agency in the
Adirondack region, had about 350 aides on its payroll. Today they are down to just 200. This means
many seniors are not getting the care they need. Every week, 1,000 hours of home health services
mandated by Medicaid or Medicare go unfilled. The onus typically falls on family members, friends, or
volunteers, which can add to financial stress and insecurity. Or it manifests itself in the form of costly
emergency room visits straining the health care system and other resources.
Despite the shortage in home health care aides there is a statewide push to age in place rather than
expand the network of skilled nursing facilities. But in order for this approach to work the number of
home health aides in the region and services for seniors, who often face social isolation and difficulty
accessing transportation, will need to grow dramatically.
Home health care work is challenging. It does not typically pay well. You have to have reliable
transportation and be willing to travel long distances year-round. But the work can also be rewarding,
and local nonprofits and state agencies are working to draw attention to the crisis. This spring North
Country Home Services raised its hourly wage to $14/hour and, for the first time, began paying those
who attend the agency’s three- to five-week training session. Sixteen new aides completed the most
recent training session and NCHS executive director Becky Leahy attributes the higher enrollment
numbers to the payment offer and the promise of a better hourly wage.
Volunteer networks are also helping to meet the
needs of elderly residents. Mercy Care, founded
in 2007, now has a network of more than 100
“friendship volunteers” primarily serving the trilakes region and has also opened a satellite
office in Malone. Meanwhile there’s a push by
the state to invest in wrap around services for
the elderly and New York was the first state in
the nation to enroll in the AARP Network of AgeFriendly Communities. Offices of the Aging in the
North Country have and will continue to play a
crucial role in providing services across the region.
In order to meet the challenges of a growing elderly population we must recognize the importance of
an aging demographic to Adirondack communities and the regional economy. Elderly residents
contribute socially, economically, and philanthropically. Assisted living facilities can also help to
bolster local economies. Champlain Valley Senior Community in Willsboro, owned and operated by a
local family, opened its doors in 2013. With a grant from the USDA the owners were able to convert
and restore the old Willsboro School, which would have otherwise been torn down and is now on the
national historic register. CVSC has 68 employees, is nearly at capacity, and has become an economic
engine for the region.
Donna Beale, Executive Director of Mercy Care, says investing in the service and infrastructure to
create age-friendly communities will make the region more inviting to people of all ages and

22

 backgrounds. “If we’re going to have strong communities in the Adirondacks we need strong
relationships among all of the generations,” Beale said.

Develop Support
Networks for an Aging
Population: Challenges
and Opportunities

INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HOME HEALTH CARE
AIDES

INVEST IN AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES
(HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, SOCIAL
INCLUSION)
EXPLORE AFFORDABLE ASSISTED LIVING MODELS
AND SENIOR HOUSING

Develop Support Networks for an Aging Population: Promising Approaches
HomeShare VT
Founded in 1982 this
program connects
homeowners with renters
who are able to provide help
around the home in
exchange for a portion rent.
For elderly adults and also
those in need of housing the
benefits can be far reaching.
Having someone living with
you can help to combat
isolation and help with a
variety of household needs.
Due to the program’s
growth, HomeShare
Vermont became an
independent nonprofit in
2005.

Homeward Bound:
Bringing Healthcare Home
This newly launched
program in the greater Glens
Falls area offers primary
care services in the home for
older patients who may be
unable to travel. A team of
nurses and doctors works
with patients and their
primary care providers to
bring needed services to the
home. Among the services
provided are routine and
acute visits, physical exams,
palliative care, advance care
planning, health
maintenance and diagnostic
testing.

Mercy Care for the
Adirondacks
Established in 2007, Mercy
Care through its network of
volunteers seeks to enhance
the lives of elders in the TriLakes region. A nonprofit,
Mercy Care has developed a
unique program that
connects elderly adults with
“friendship volunteers” who
can help to combat social
isolation and bridge some of
the gaps in social service
programming. Mercy Care’s
growth over the last decade
is a testament to its success
and the demand region wide
for more robust elderly care
networks. Mercy Care now
has a satellite office in
23

 Malone and is working on
establishing a tool kit for
creating similar programs in
other rural areas.
Senior Planet North
Country Initiative
Offers technology classes,
lectures and workshops,

weekly film series, one-onone tech help, and social
engagement for seniors. An
offshoot of the Older Adults
Technology Services
program, Senior Planet
offers classes in Plattsburgh
and Malone as well as inperson training to residents

of Clinton and Franklin
Counties unable to access
onsite programs. Helps to
combat social isolation and
provide connections to
services and programming.

Create Pathways to Post-Secondary Education
Justina Hewitt grew up in a big family in Lake Clear, the second of five siblings. A bright, ambitious
student she knew she wanted to attend college but also recognized that she’d need to seek out the
resources and support necessary to achieve her goals. She didn’t come from a family of college
graduates. Nor would she have the financial resources that some of her peers had. In her sophomore
year at Saranac Lake High School, Hewitt enrolled in Upward Bound, a federally funded college prep
program that provides pathways to post-secondary education for students whose parents have not
gone to college or who come from low-income families. Hewitt says the program was an invaluable
resource, particularly in helping her to navigate the college application process and preparing for the
SATs. Hewitt, who graduated in 2016, applied to eight schools. Next year she’ll graduate from Harvard
with a degree in Integrative Biology and a minor in Psychology.
Hewitt was one of more than 200 students enrolled in Upward Bound, which currently works in 16
school districts in Clinton, Essex, and Franklin counties. Over 90 percent of the students who complete
the program go on to college, the vast majority staying in the region or state. The longstanding
program—it was launched as part of President Johnson’s war on poverty—shows that developing
pathways for high school students can be enormously successful. With enough resources and support
from the school districts, Upward Bound “could easily serve every school in the North Country,” said
Brian Post, who directs the program.
Whether it’s providing opportunities
for youth in the Adirondack region to
further their careers or to attend a
four-year liberal arts college,
investing in the next generation is key
to the long-term vitality of
Adirondack communities.
Across the Adirondack region school
districts tend to have high graduation
rates: typically between 80 and 90%
of students obtain a high school
diploma. But a much smaller
percentage of those students go on to
24

 a four-year college especially when compared to more affluent areas. For 2016-2017 only 38% of
students in Essex County went on to a four-year college. In Franklin County the figure was 39%. And in
Clinton County 47% enrolled in a four-year school. For Hamilton County the figure was 59%.
Nationwide less than one third of low-income students go to college.
In many cases students may not be aware of the opportunities available to them. They may lack the
financial resources or support at home to attain a two- or four-year degree. Support networks like
Upward Bound or Brilliant Pathways, which also helps to prepare high school students for postsecondary education or technical school, can help fill a critical gap. According to Rick Dalton of
Brilliant Pathways if high school students in the region don’t receive the skills training or postsecondary education required by area employers, the labor gap will only grow.
Addressing the education gap is also important in the context of declining college enrollment across
the region in both public and private institutions. Green Mountain College in Poultney, Southern
Vermont College in Bennington, and the College of St. Joseph’s in Rutland all closed within the last
year, raising troubling questions about the viability of rural colleges. Enrollment at Paul Smith’s
College is well below their goal of 1,200. Clinton Community College has seen a nearly 50% decline in
its student body over the last decade. Other community colleges are experiencing a similar downward
trend. In rural areas colleges serve as economic anchors and cultural institutions—if they shut their
doors it is a loss to the community. Creating pipelines from our school districts to in-state institutions
of higher learning is a win-win.
Hewitt, who will graduate next year, says she’d like to pursue a graduate degree in education and has
her sights set on becoming a Harvard Teaching Fellow. The fellows do a yearlong residency, teaching
in an area school and get a Master’s degree in education. After that Hewitt says she may come back to
the North Country. “It’s obviously my home,” she said. “And I think the North Country could use some
good teachers.”

Create Pathways to
Post-Secondary
Education: Challenges
and Opportunities

CREATE PATHWAYS TO POST-SECONDARY
EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

ADDRESS DECLINING ENROLLMENT IN AREA
COLLEGES

ENSURE STUDENTS HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED
TO THRIVE IN COLLEGE

25

 Create Pathways to Post-Secondary Education: Promising Approaches

CFES Brilliant Pathways
Based in Essex, NY, Brilliant
Pathways now operates in
twenty states and works
with approximately 25,000
kids across the country.
Through mentoring and
college prep the program
aims to help students
become career or college
ready. In the North Country
Brilliant Pathways works
with 13 schools in an effort
to build what they consider
“essential skills.” In 2018
Brilliant Pathways received
an $11.6 million GEAR UP
Grant to work in a number of
those school districts
including Ticonderoga,
Beekmantown, Crown Point,
Malone, Moriah, Willsboro,
and Ausable Valley. The
funds will be used to

increase college and career
readiness.
Upward Bound
Federally funded program
that provides resources,
mentoring, and summer
college experience and
coursework for high school
students whose parents
have not gone to college or
who come from low-income
families. Currently Upward
Bound counselors work in
16 districts in Clinton, Essex,
and Franklin Counties. The
success of the program
depends on active
participation and
engagement with individual
school administrators. As a
model this kind of outreach
and early involvement with
students in high school can
have far reaching impacts.

Vermont - Advance
Vermont
In 2017 the state of Vermont
launched a new initiative to
increase the number of
working age-adults with
college degrees or skills
training. Dubbed 70 x 2025
the goal is to ensure that 70
percent of the population
has the post-secondary
education or credentials
needed to enter the
workforce by 2025. Now
under the umbrella of
Advance Vermont the
partnership of leaders from
business, education,
government, nonprofits and
philanthropy is pushing to
increase educational
attainment in Vermont.

26

 Closing Thoughts from Adirondack Foundation
Adirondack Foundation proudly serves as a trusted hub for community philanthropy and a catalyst for
positive change. We celebrate the bright spots and identify gaps. This report does both.
It allows us to share our knowledge as a community foundation, positions us to be proactive and
informed in our grantmaking and serves as a complement to Generous Acts—our most exciting area of
growth and impact in granting and giving.
While the issues identified on these pages may not be new, the way they are presented is different from a
typical report. Each section tackles daunting social issues and makes them more tangible and accessible
through personal stories.
This report invites all of us to gaze into a reflecting pool of needs and opportunities in our region – and
encourages action. It is meant to be informative but by no means exhaustive.
If you are a philanthropist, we hope the report provides some insight into community challenges,
introduces you to promising initiatives, and helps guide your generosity. We invite you to give with
Adirondack Foundation and stand ready to support you.
If you work for a nonprofit or a public agency, we hope it affirms the important work you do, helps you
learn about similar initiatives, and prompts collaboration and dialogue. Please let us know how we can
help you.
If you are a community leader, we hope it brings attention to many interconnecting factors that influence
the health, safety, and security of many of our neighbors, shines a light on good work being done, and
sparks ideas for public/private partnership.
It takes a concerted effort to track issues and actions across our vast geographic area. Adirondack
Foundation is uniquely suited to take on this task.
Ultimately, this report is for you, the community we serve. We welcome your questions and suggestions
and thank you for sharing our commitment to the people of the Adirondacks today, tomorrow, and
always.

27

 Acknowledgments
Adirondack Foundation thanks the following individuals for their contributions to this report.
Diane Aguglia
Regional Director, Alliance for Positive Health
Reid Anthony
CEO, Citizen Advocates
Elisha Bartlett
Community Development Director, Housing
Assistance Program Essex County
Jamie Basiliere
Executive Director, Child Care Coordinating
Council of the North Country
Jessica Bassett
Communications Director, Center on Rural
Innovation, Vermont
Brian Bearor
CEO, YMCA of the Glens Falls Area
Linda Beers
Director of Public Health, Essex County
John Bernardi
CEO, United Way of the Adirondack Region
Erika Bezio
Community School Liaison, Saranac Lake
Central School District

Dr. Roger Catania
Superintendent of Schools, Lake Placid Central
School District
Jessica Chanese
Community Engagement Manager, Adirondack
Health Institute
Sarah Clarkin
Executive Director, Harrietstown Housing
Authority
Deb Cleary
President/CEO, ETS Staffing, Recruiting,
Consulting
Russ Cronin
CEO, Adirondack Credit Union
Patrick Crouse
Project Coordinator, Four Rivers Alliance of
Hamilton County
Rick Dalton
President & CEO, CFES Brilliant Pathways
Cathy Dove
President, Paul Smith’s College
Kristine Duffy
President, SUNY Adirondack

Roberta Bly
Commissioner, Hamilton County Department
of Social Services

Rebecca Evansky
Project Manager, Adirondack Health Institute

Mike Carpenter
President/CEO, The Northeast Group

Christina Frederick
RN, Franklin County Public Health

JoAnne Caswell
Executive Director, Families First Essex County

Bruce Garcia
Chief Executive Officer, Joint Council of
Economic Opportunity of Clinton and
Franklin Counties
28

 Sylvia Getman
President & CEO, Adirondack Health
Mark Hamilton
Executive Director, Plattsburgh Housing
Authority
Connie Hammaker
High school Counselor, Lake Placid Central
School
Greg Hart
North Country Regional Director, Workforce
Development Institute
Anthony Hayden
Labor Market Analyst, NYS Department of
Labor
Joe Henderson
Professor of Environmental Studies, Paul
Smith’s College
Robin Hill
Executive Director, CAP-21
Ernie Hough
Manager, Samaritan House
Jessica Humiston
HR Manager, Mold-Rite Plastics
Chris Hunsinger
Employment and Training Director, Warren
County
LeAnn Java
Transportation Navigator, Mental Health
Association, Essex County
Alan Jones
Executive Director/CEO, Adirondack
Community Action Programs

Angela Kelley
Community & Workforce Development
Specialist, Clinton Community College
Russ Kinyon
Director of Economic Development, Franklin
County
Bob Kleppang
Director, Hamilton County Community
Services
Dr. John Kowal
Vice President for Academic Affairs, Clinton
Community College
Mary Lamica
Resource Specialist, Tri-Lakes Center for
Independent Living
Suzanne Lavigne
Director of Community Services, Franklin
County Community Services
Becky Leahy
Director, North Country Home Services
Rich Loeber
President, Ecumenical Council of Saranac Lake
Renee MacFarlin
Director of Economic Development, Clinton
County; Executive Director, County of Clinton
Industrial Development Agency
William Miller
Executive Director, Tri-Lakes Center for
Independent Living
Bruce Misarski
Executive Director, Housing Assistance
Program of Essex County
Vance Mortensen
Saranac Lake Service Unit Volunteer, Salvation
Army
29

 Greg Olsen
Acting Director, New York State Office for the
Aging
Theresa Paeglow
Population Health Improvement Program
Manager, Adirondack Health Institute
Ken Parkinson
Executive Director, MHAB Enterprises
Amber Parliament
Director of Marketing and Engagement, ETS
Staffing, Recruiting, Consulting
Jeremiah Pond
Supervisor, Franklin County Department of
Social Services
Brian Post
Director, SUNY Plattsburgh Upward Bound
Becky Preve
Director, Franklin County Office for the Aging
Sam Purington
Executive Director, Volunteer Transportation
Center
Joe Riccio
Director of Communications and Government
Affairs at Citizen Advocates
Christine Richardson
Program Director, Volunteer Transportation
Center

Felipe Rivera
Chief of Staff & Vice President for Strategy and
Communications, Vermont Community
Foundation
Lee Rivers
Executive Director, Mental Health Association
of Franklin County (Community Connections)
Bob Ross
President/CEO, St. Joseph’s Addiction
Treatment and Recovery Centers
Jessica Rubin
Executive Director, Hudson Headwaters Health
Foundation
Eli Schwartzberg
President, Champlain Valley Senior
Community
Tucker Slingerland
CEO, Hudson Headwaters Health Network
Ben Strader
Executive Director, Blue Mountain Center
Erin Streiff
Program Coordinator, Franklin County Public
Health
Donna Tanner
SEPN Parent Trainer, Southern Franklin/Essex

Christy Wilt
Director, Hamilton County
Economic Development & Tourism
Special thanks to Bryon Connolly, Leslie Desrocher, Katie Falzetta, Justina Hewitt, Shelli and Craig
LaPlante, Jeffrey Langlois and Travis Rasco for sharing their stories.

30

 Finally, we are grateful to the following Adirondack Funders for supporting this research: Cloudsplitter
Foundation, Margot Ernst, Grabe Family Fund, Meredith Prime Fund, Prospect Hill Foundation,
Weatherup Family Foundation, Charles Wood Foundation, and the following advisory committee
members for sharing their insights and expertise: Linda Beers (Essex County Department of Health),
Russ Cronin (Adirondack Regional Federal Credit Union), Joanne Caswell (Families First), Mel Eisinger
(Cloudsplitter Foundation), Kristen Flynn (Glens Falls YMCA), Bruce Garcia (Joint Council for Economic
Opportunity in Clinton and Franklin Counties), Heidi Kelly (Minerva Central School), Dave Mason (ADK
Futures), Bill Owens (attorney; former Congressman), Tom Pastore (Crary Foundation), Maxine Perry
(Plattsburgh Housing Authority), Jessica Rubin (Hudson Headwaters Health Network Foundation),
and Ben Strader (Blue Mountain Center).
About the writer
Adam Federman is an investigative reporter whose writing has appeared in the Nation magazine, The
Guardian, Slate, The Washington Post, Columbia Journalism Review, Gastronomica, Adirondack Life
and other publications. He is the recipient of a Polk Grant for Investigative Reporting, a Middlebury
Fellowship in Environmental Journalism, and a Russia Fulbright Fellowship. His biography of British
food writer Patience Gray, Fasting and Feasting, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize
and a New York Times notable book of 2017. He grew up in Saranac Lake and serves on the board of
the Adirondack Explorer.
Image descriptions and credit
Cover (clockwise) - Brant Lake Summer Literacy Program, © Erika Bailey; Clifton-Fine Hospital, © Erika
Bailey; Alice Hyde Memorial Hospital, © Lisa Godfrey; Indian Lake Central School, © Jamie McGiver;
page 1 - ribbon cutting at the wellness center in Chestertown, © Adam Federman; page 5 - Katie
Falzetta and family, © Erika Bailey; page 13 – Akwesasne Early Childhood Learning Center © Lisa
Godfrey; page 16 – Justin Duprey, a Saranac Lake High School junior and participant in SWIPE, © Erika
Bailey; page 22 – Sleeping Giants Senior Center BBQ in Minerva, © Lisa Godfrey; page 24 – Indian Lake
Central School, © Jamie McGiver; inside back cover: Brant Lake YMCA, © Erika Bailey.

31

 Brian Bearor never imagined that the
YMCA would open a branch in the
southern Adirondacks. Initially the
idea seemed beyond the scope of
what the organization could do.

32

 Adirondack Foundation   PO Box 288, Lake Placid, NY 12946
518.523.9904   adirondackfoundation.org   adirondackbt3.org   adirondackgives.org 33