The Eden Community Foundation

12/02/2025

On , please consider supporting us at edencommunityfoundation.org/donate or find us on Venmo – funds go right back into our great community here in Eden! 🙂

Look for our annual newsletter insert in next week's edition of the great Eden North Collins Pennysaver!

09/28/2025

What a terrific day it was for our community playground build at Swartz Field!

Around a hundred volunteers came together, including our board members, to construct various parts of the expansive, all-inclusive playground.

We're so thankful for everyone's involvement and teamwork. It was our pleasure to serve lunch to all build crew volunteers (a special thanks to our grillmaster/president Ed Bugenhagen!).

We're so proud to be a part of this project in cooperation with the Town of Eden, Legislator John Mills, the Erie County, NY Community Development Block Grant program and NY State Parks & Historic Sites!

Special thanks to Glenn McLaughlin for the great action shots from throughout the day!

09/19/2025

See everyone tomorrow for our community playground build at Swartz Field!

If you haven't picked up your T-shirt yet you can do so at the Town Clerk's office today until 4 p.m. – or you can just get it at the build tomorrow.

The shifts are from 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5:30 p.m. – with lunch provided to all at around 12:30 p.m.! We are also planning a group photo at lunchtime!

It will be a great day as our community comes together to build the brand-new, all-inclusive playground at Swartz Field.

(These photos are of a similar great Buffalo-area community playground effort.)

We're so proud to be a part of this project in cooperation with the Town of Eden, Legislator John Mills, the Erie County, NY Community Development Block Grant program and NY State Parks & Historic Sites!

09/06/2025

Sign up to join the community effort to build our fantastic new playground and you'll be able to do so wearing this great T-shirt!

Register by Sunday night at midnight to reserve your free build day T-shirt: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHq0Sp2oBN34d1HB0kPGp_oePXTMStrhNObviowdNFeI_s4g/viewform

The Town of Eden and partners is building a brand-new, all-inclusive playground at Swartz Field. On Sat. Sept. 20 our community will come together to assemble it, and we’d love your help.

Check out these photos of a similar great Buffalo-area community playground effort!

We're so proud to be a part of this project in cooperation with the Town of Eden, Legislator John Mills, the Erie County, NY Community Development Block Grant program and NY State Parks & Historic Sites!

08/22/2025

We'll see you at the community buildout for Eden's new playground on Sept. 20!

We're so proud to be a part of this project in cooperation with the Town of Eden, Legislator John Mills, the Erie County, NY Community Development Block Grant program and NY State Parks & Historic Sites!

We need all hands on deck for this exciting project for all of our children. We are asking for your help to make Eden’s new all-inclusive playground a reality at Swartz Field. Please help us with the buildout Saturday, Sept. 20, and fill out the volunteer form on our website at https://edenny.gov/recreation, or by going to https://forms.gle/rc5WugSkSGZHzDdK9 or through the QR code below.

02/20/2025

"Private Giving for the Public Good" is the north star that guides The Eden Community Foundation, and as we enter our second quarter-century of service, we are looking to build on what was a tremendous 25th anniversary year.

If you are part of a group that has an idea for a project that will benefit the Eden community, go to edencommunityfoundation.org to see how to apply for a grant. The deadline for our spring grant applications is March 1.

We offer our utmost gratitude to the donors, volunteers and supporters who have contributed to our efforts over the past many months.

During our 25th anniversary year, we solicited major project ideas and awarded the largest grant in our history, $50,000 to the Town of Eden for a planned project for some terrific enhancements to the Swartz Field playground.

Also being awarded ECF grants were: Eden Jr. Raiders Football and Cheerleading, the Eden Library, Eden, NY, the Eden/North Collins Food Pantry, the Newell - Faulkner American Legion Post 880, Eden, NY and the Town of Eden Recreation Department.

These good works are only made possible by your donations, and they are carried out by the wonderful people who serve on our Board of Directors (third photo). We would like to pay special tribute to Terry Zittel and Alison Romanowski for their many years of dedicated service as they retire from the board and become Directors Emeritus.

We welcome new Board of Directors members Anthony Burgio and Jack Cuddihy, two talented individuals who join us in our mission of improving the lives of those of us fortunate enough to call Eden our home.

For more information on our mission, how to support us, or how to apply for a grant, go to edencommunityfoundation.org

09/20/2024

07/25/2024

Thank you so much to the Eden North Collins Pennysaver for helping us get the word out in today’s edition!

The Eden Tornado Relief Fund has been established to assist those in our community who were affected by the tornado on July 10.

edencommunityfoundation.org/tornado-relief

Donations can be made by credit, debit or Paypal.

Checks are payable to The Eden Community Foundation, Inc.; please note “Tornado Relief” in the memo area and include your name and address on the check. Checks can be mailed to Eden Tornado Relief Fund, P.O. Box 96, Eden, NY 14057.

Cash donations are also being accepted at the Eden Town Clerk’s office during normal business hours.

All gifts qualify as charitable donations.

The Eden Tornado Relief Fund was established through the joint effort of the Town of Eden, the Eden NY Chamber of Commerce and the Eden Community Foundation. A committee has been formed from these three organizations to oversee the distribution of funds.

The damage from the tornado was significant. Several homes, barns and farmlands were destroyed. Your donation will go to those who suffered losses beyond what is covered by insurance, government programs and other sources. An application is being developed to determine eligibility.

We are proud to live in a community that is so generously stepping up to help their neighbors.

Thank you to everyone in Eden and throughout Western New York for your support!

For additional information, contact Eden Town Supervisor Richard Ventry at (716) 992-3408.

07/18/2024

Donate to edencommunityfoundation.org/tornado-relief today! Thank you Eden!

Donate to enrich the lives of Town of Eden NY residents - Find out how you can help the Eden Community Foundation.

06/21/2024

We are celebrating 25 years of growing and giving by awarding what could be the most impactful grants in our history.

“Our entire mission is to benefit the residents of Eden, and we’re very proud of the many projects we've supported over the years,” said Eden Community Foundation president Bob Penna.

“Thanks to our donors, board members, and community, we’ve reached this special anniversary and we’re seeking to celebrate a quarter century of giving in a special way. We are looking to help Eden nonprofit organizations achieve ambitious goals that might otherwise be out of reach.”

Established in 1999 with the aspirational goal of “private giving for the public good,” the Eden Community Foundation is a community-supported organization that funds projects that strengthen and improve the quality of life in Eden.

We have awarded over $270,000 to over 50 different community groups in our 25 years, supporting a wide array of projects.

Some recent grants include: Over $12,000 to various Eden organizations for AED machines to promote heart health and safety; a $15,000 matched grant to the Town of Eden for the beautification of Main Street; and a $3,925 award to the Eden All Sports Booster Club for the Eden Central Schools Robotics Team.

This year we are seeking to support even larger projects that will leave a lasting impact for the next quarter century and beyond.

“It’s a big year for us,” said ECF board member Kate McShea, “and we’d love to make it a big year for Eden.”

Our organization – which is one of just a handful of such community organizations in all of Western New York – supports projects that strengthen and improve the quality of life of Eden residents, giving preference to projects that improve the hamlet of Eden Center, develop spaces for community activities, or provide new programs or activities for Eden residents.

Local groups and organizations are encouraged to apply for this special grant cycle with projects that will have a significant positive influence on the lives of the Eden community. Grant applications must be submitted by August 1.

Grant application forms, guidelines and frequently asked questions are available at edencommunityfoundation.org.

For questions about the grant application process, please contact ECF board member Kristin Kent at (716) 992-9935.

06/01/2024

Thank you Eden Historical Preservation Alliance for all that you do for our great town!

What a nice addition to our town...an Historic Points of Interest Map funded by The Eden Community Foundation ! Thanks to all who made it happen.