The Founders’ Fund is a Community Service Project of the Western Zone. It was started
in 1959 and was originally called the Home Fund. That year Gertrude Tucker of Alden gave a
legacy of $30,000 to the Western Zone to establish a fund, which would create a retired teachers’ home in Western New York. Emma Lodge, in her will, also gave a legacy of $12,365 to this Fund. Over the years, with the interests and additional legacies that were given, the Fund grew. However, the cost of the retired teachers’ home grew much faster, and it was unable to be established. In keeping with objectives of the Fund, the interest income of the Fund has been used to assist the needy of the Western Zone.
In 2023, the Western Zone of the New York State Retired Teachers' Association, moved the
Founders' Fund investments into a nonprofit 501c3 corporation, the Western Zone Retired
Teachers Founders' Fund, Inc. The Western Zone Retired Teachers' Founders' Fund, Inc.
continues to support our local Meals on Wheels as well as other charitable organizations in the
areas of our 5 counties (see below).
The money in the Founders' Fund is invested by the investment committee in certificates
of deposit. The Fund specifies that only the interest earned by the funds can be disbursed. The Founders’ Fund Board approves all of the distributions from the Fund. The committee members were contacted, and the following agencies and groups were identified as the recipients of the Founders' Fund donations for 2023-2024. This year we received over $7,500 from the interest of Founders' Fund investments.
This is a list of local organizations we donate to:
Network in Aging of WNY
WNY Veterans Housing Coalition
FeedMore WNY
Meals on Wheels (MOW) of: Ken-Ton, Alden, Springville, Amherst, Jamestown, Genesee
County, Seneca Nations Cattaraugus Reservation
Niagara County Office for Aging
Cattaraugus County Dept of Aging-MOW
Meals on Wheels of Niagara Falls, Inc.
Twin City Meals on Wheels.
Organizations other than MOW:
South Buffalo Community Table (Soup Kitchen)
Aurora Senior Center
Lovejoy Outreach and Food Pantry
St. Susan Soup Kitchen, Jamestown.
The Founders' Fund Distribution Committee consists of the following: Vicki Smith, Karen
Schlum, Dolores Scanlon, Rob Roy Griffith and John Cardarella. Also, helping with distribution
of checks are Michelle Claus and Carol Cascio.
PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOUNDERS FUND IN YOUR WILL AND ESTATE.
