Binghamton University Students Donate Thousands to Local Charities

Students in a philanthropic program at Binghamton University are awarding over $14,000 dollars in grants to nonprofit organizations in Broome County this year.

Students in the Master of Public Administration program raised the money as part of their training to become future nonprofit sector leaders.

 This year, $4,165 dollars is going to support the Greater Good Grocery Store on the North Side of Binghamton, operated by the Broome Council of Churches.  The store finally addresses a food desert that has plagued the neighborhood for years and provides a source of healthier food and fresh produce for the underserved community.  The Broome County Council of Churches uses the funds from the store to match spending by low-income patrons.

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Undergraduates from the Philanthropy and Civil Society course gave $7,500 to Gigi’s Playhouse that provides services to people with Down Syndrome and their families and $2,500 a new financial literacy program called the “STACK Project.”  That organization helps young people become better equipped to manage their money and make financial decisions.

The students are being praised for being able to raise the money they donated in spite of being unable to hold in-person events due to restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic.