September 2026
Y e a r s o f S e rv i c e
We’re so glad to be providing you updates on all the wonderful things happening at St. Catherine’s Center for Children – all of which are made possible through “Friends of St. Catherine’s” – like you! Thank you for your support. We hope you enjoy our newsletter!
Kids’ Corner Crafting in the Residential Program The children at Byron and Hubbard House were excited to dig into art kits the William K. Sanford Town Library donated to our Residential program! Each bag was filled with a paint by numbers kit, coloring book, a bag full of watercolors and more. A special thank you to the library for their thoughtful donation, and to our incredible volunteer, Lisa Ricci Housel, for coordinating this exchange and leading this craft workshop where they created colorful stickers using foil!
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Program Spotlight Kinship Care Program
In honor of National Kinship Care Month we’re spotlighting St. Catherine’s award-winning Kinship Care program! When a family member or close family friend assumes the responsibility of caring for a child full-time, that relationship falls under Kinship Care. St. Catherine’s launched its Kinship Care program to support kinship caregivers in Albany, Schenectady, Greene and Ulster counties. Our one-year program connects caregivers to community and public support services to aid in the care of the child, or find alternative permanency arrangements. Wanda Parsons assumed custody of her niece’s four year old daughter, Ohana, last year (pictured top right). “My niece was 42 years old. She is looking at us now through sunflowers growing all over the world,” Parsons said. She uses language such as “sunflowers” to speak to Ohana about her mother, who adored them, and had sent Wanda and Ohana a video of her in a large field of towering stalks in full bloom shortly before her passing. “Now I have a beautiful five-year-old that is in my care, and she is full of energy and light and love, and we just love her dearly. We are fortunate to have her in our lives, but it’s a walk that without St. Catherine’s would be difficult for me,” Parsons said. The Kinship Care program not only offers group, individual, and peer support sessions, but also helps with caregiver education, respite services, advocacy, and connections to community resources. These resources may include financial assistance, services for the aging, legal information, and more. The emotional support has been the most impactful for Parsons. Having a community of other kinship caregivers to speak with made her feel less alone. In addition, working with staff provided her with the guidance she needed. “Kortnee (Phillips) has been amazing helping me with finding a doctor, a dentist, registering for school, finding information on immunizations – she walked me through and made sure our goals were met. My kids are 37 and 40 so I hadn’t thought about this kind of stuff in years,” Parsons said. “St. Catherine’s makes you feel successful, and that you can do this. Please reach out to them, and know help is out there, you are not alone,” Parsons said. To learn more about our Kinship Care program, visit: www.st-cath.org/kinship-care or click the button below!
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Upcoming Events 8th ANNUAL
Dr. Arthur J. Wallingford MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
SEPTEMBER 14TH COLONIE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Foursomes & sponsorships still available!
CLICK TO REGISTER
For more than 140 years, St. Catherine’s has been a beacon of hope to adults, children, and families in need throughout the Capital Region and beyond. Events like the 8th Annual Dr. Arthur J. Wallingford Memorial Golf Tournament make that work possible. By participating, sponsoring, or supporting this event, you are helping St. Catherine’s provide: • • •
Thanksgiving Food Drive hELP THOSE IN NEED THIS SEASON
Safe and nurturing environments for children healing from trauma Transitional housing for families who have lost their home Critical counseling services for those recovering from abuse, neglect, addiction, and more.
Be a part of the tradition. The Annual Dr. Arthur J. Wallingford Memorial Golf Tournament continues to grow each year thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of our community. We invite you to join us on the course, and be part of an event that brings people together to make a difference. For more information about this event, including sponsorship details, visit www.st-cath.org/golf/ or click the button below!
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SCAN ME
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Upcoming Events SAVE-THE-DATE! ELVIS AND BUDDY: WHEN LEGENDS MEET
NOV. 21 THE EGG ALBANY Tickets and sponsorships available now!
PURCHASE TICKETS
Elvis and Buddy: When Legends Meet It has never been easier to make a difference in the lives of children, families, and adults in our community who are in need. These individuals suffer from the lasting effects of abuse, neglect, family instability, homelessness, and other traumas. You can help by attending our fundraiser, “Elvis and Buddy: When Legends Meet” happening at The Egg, November 21, 2026, at 7 p.m. This benefit concert features Buffalo native Nathan Pittorf as Buddy Holly. Performing the memorable songs that rocketed Holly to fame before his untimely death at the age of 21, Nathan brings a decade of stage experience to his high-energy tribute to Holly. Dan Fontaine — New England’s premier Elvis tribute artist — will follow with his award-winning tribute to the King, performing some of Elvis’s most popular hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s. With a vocal range that covers three octaves, Dan is recognized as one of the best vocalists in the world of Elvis entertainers. Backed by The Memphis Sun Mafia — gifted musicians who faithfully recreate the King’s extensive catalog of hits — Dan’s show will entertain and delight audiences young and old. Albany native and special guest Luke Barnhart will open the show with some of the early songs that helped Elvis launch the Rock & Roll revolution. Buddy Holly once said, “Without Elvis, none of us would have made it.” Elvis and Buddy will not only entertain you, but will also remind you why these two groundbreaking artists were inaugural members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. All proceeds from this event directly benefit the programs and services provided by the agency, serving 10 regions, 37 counties and 54 school districts across New York state. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets, visit www.st-cath.org/elvis-and-buddy-holly/ or click below!
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Volunteer Spotlight Community Based Services We are sending a huge thank you to our friends from Community Based Services for their help with our annual Back to School drive! Volunteers spent the afternoon organzing school supplies and filling backpacks for children throughout our programs.
The Bonadio Group For the third year in a row the Bonadio Group partnered with us for their annual Purpose Day! Thank you to the volunteers who filled hundreds of backpacks with school supplies. To learn more about how you can get involved, click the button below!
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SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY, OCT. 11 METLIFE STADIUM
A fundraiser to support St. Catherine’s programs and services. A portion of ticket sales will go to St. Catherine’s. More information coming soon!