The Rochester Area Community Foundation held its annual Philanthropy Awards Ceremony and Report to the Community Luncheon today, before a record 615 people at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.
President and CEO of the Community Foundation, Jennifer Leonard, said it's been a record year for them, with $99 million dollars in new gifts.
She says the Foundation handed out grants totaling a record $28 million dollars.
"Many of those grants go for education, that's our biggest area of interest, and we give grants both specified by donors and grants that are competitive and awarded by our board," she says.
Leonard adds those competitive grants go to supporting a more equitable community, and strengthening regional vitality.
She says the theme of the event was "Change in the Air."
"We are feeling it, we are seeing it, there's a buzz that says we can work together to combat poverty."
The report to the community comes after the Foundation and ACT Rochester released a report indicating the poverty rate in Rochester continues to grow.
That report, however, was based on data collected before the Rochester-Monroe Anti- Poverty Initiative was formed.
Five individuals were honored with Philanthropy awards, including Dr. Sidney Sobel and his wife Barbara.
They established radiation oncology centers to meet the needs of cancer patients living in rural areas.
He says the notion of giving was instilled in him and his future wife when they both were children, through the practice of tzedakah.
"Which means sharing with those who have need, not for recognition or for gratitude," he said, adding giving back is just the right thing to do.
Deborah Lattime and her sister Mary Fisher received the Foundation's highest award for their charitable endeavors.
"Both Mary and I have talked about this, and we believe it really came in our early years with our parents who were very, very giving and caring people. And they planted the seed and it probably grew a little," she said.
Dilip Vellodi of Mendon received a philanthropy award, while the YWCA received the Ames-Amzalak Award for Nonprofit Excellence.