FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: August 4, 2025
Contact: Erin Marteal, Ithaca Children’s Garden
giving@ithacachildrensgarden.org | | (607) 319-4203

Ithaca Children’s Garden Announces Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation to Ensure a Vibrant Future

Ithaca, NY – Ithaca Children’s Garden (ICG) proudly announces a new endowment fund in partnership with the Community Foundation of Tompkins County. This milestone ensures sustainable, long-term support for the Garden’s mission, programs, and joyful learning experiences for generations to come.

The fund was established with a lead gift from Beth Anderson, a longtime supporter and dedicated volunteer. The endowment will provide perpetual funding for ICG’s operations and programs.

“My grandchildren love visiting the Garden, especially for special events like Mud Day.” Anderson shared. “I wanted to help ensure this wonderful place continues to thrive for future generations. From my own experience in fundraising, I know how challenging it can be for small nonprofits to build and manage endowments. That’s why I’m so grateful the Community Foundation offers this powerful resource for donors and the causes they care about.”

Managed by the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, the endowment fund will provide stability through annual distributions while preserving and growing the principal over time. It also allows ICG to receive a wide range of gifts —including cash, stocks, cryptocurrency, real estate, and estate gifts — offering flexible options for donors at all levels.

George Ferrari, Jr., Community Foundation CEO, emphasizes the accessible nature and long-term benefits of the fund: “A gift of any size at any time is valuable to advance the vision of Ithaca Children’s Garden. Part of the advantage of having a fund at the Community Foundation is that we aggregate those gifts from multiple donors, making the fund larger than it could be from any single donor.”

ICG’s Executive Director, Naomi Sukenik, reflected on the importance of the fund: “It’s truly inspiring to step into an organization with an endowment fund already in place. It shows how deeply our community believes in the Garden’s future. This fund ensures ICG will continue to spark wonder, joy, and environmental connection for generations.”

“At Ithaca Children’s Garden, we dream in decades,” adds Erin Marteal, Development Director at ICG. “This endowment is about building the future our children deserve — one rooted in nature, curiosity, and care. We’re deeply grateful to Beth and to every donor who helps us plant seeds that will grow for generations.”

Contributions to the Ithaca Children’s Garden Endowment Fund can be made directly through the Community Foundation’s website at https://www.cftompkins.org/giving/give-online/ or by contacting any staff member at 607-272-9333.

For more information, visit https://www.cftompkins.org or www.ithacachildrensgarden.org.

About Ithaca Children’s Garden

Ithaca Children’s Garden is a three-acre public children’s garden located on the Cayuga Waterfront Trail. With a mission to inspire and connect children to nature, the Garden offers dynamic programs and welcoming spaces for children of all ages to learn, grow, and play.

As a nonprofit organization, ICG depends on the support of the community to provide children with opportunities to connect with nature, nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards. Please consider supporting ICG’s mission by visiting https://www.ithacachildrensgarden.org/support/

About Community Foundation of Tompkins County

Community Foundation of Tompkins County, established in 2000, brings people and resources together to build a more equitable community by inspiring diverse philanthropy, catalyzing collaborations, and championing inclusion and justice. The Foundation was co-founded by the late John Semmler, who also served as a founding board member and donor of Ithaca Children’s Garden, and who remembered ICG in his estate. We are deeply grateful for his vision and legacy.