Washington, D.C.– Sep 16, 2021 – Special Olympics announced today that it has received its largest single private gift in the organization's 53-year history. Tom Golisano, Paychex founder, philanthropist and father of a son with an intellectual disability, will provide $30 million, his third major gift to Special Olympics, to expand the Special Olympics Healthy Communities program, which provides health services globally for people with intellectual disabilities (ID), a population that has been critically underserved, especially during the pandemic. Read more
Niagara Falls, NY–Jul 30, 2021–Representatives from Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Golisano Foundation celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Golisano Medical Oncology Center today. The $2 million center made possible with a $1.5 million gift from Tom Golisano, is a member site of the Roswell Park Care Network. It has seen more than 2,000 patients in the past year, exceeding expectations and underscoring the importance of this center in Niagara County. Read more
Rochester, NY — May 18, 2021 – Roberts Wesleyan College and community leaders used branded shovels today as they broke ground on the Golisano Community Engagement Center. “Let’s break ground to connect the community!” President Deana L. Porterfield exclaimed as shovels went into the ground where the 25,000-square-foot, two-story center will be housed on the north side of the Roberts campus. Construction starts today and is expected to take 14 months. Tom Golisano made a $7.5 million gift from Paychex founder and philanthropist Tom Golisano to build the innovative new Center. The official grand opening is anticipated to be in summer 2022. Read more & see virtual tour
Syracuse, NY -- April 27, 2021-- Upstate has opened the Golisano Center for Special Needs, designed to streamline autism care for children in the region.The center provides comprehensive, coordinated and scientifically-based medical and behavioral care for children and adolescents with many types of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Tom Golisano donated $3 million for the center and the Upstate Foundation continues to raise funds to support and expand its services. Read more
Special Olympics athletes put together this great video on how Healthy Communities is making a difference and improving their access to health and wellness programs world-wide. Tom Golisano has made gifts of more than $37 million to support the global effort to open doors to inclusive health for people with intellectual disabilities.
Rochester, NY -- March 2, 2021 -- The Golisano Foundation is again joining Special Olympics and Best Buddies to challenge the communities it serves to Spread the Word Inclusion and encourage connection. Wednesday, March 3, is this year's global Inclusion Day of activation. Read more
Rochester, NY -- July 27, 2020 -- The Golisano Foundation announced today that it has awarded the fourth round of COVID-19 Response Grants totaling $229,500. Grants totaling $215,500 have been awarded to six organizations serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Western New York and Southwest Florida. Four grants totaling $14,000 have been awarded by Bailey and Friends to organizations supporting animal welfare in Western NY and Southwest Florida. The grants will assist organizations with urgent needs stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. This round of grants brings the Foundation's total COVID-19 Response Grant funding to $1,337,300. Read more
Rochester, NY -- July 17, 2020 -- July 26, 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of President George H. W. Bush’ssigning into law the Americans with Disabilities Act. To commemorate this landmark law, WXXI and the Golisano Foundation will present special programming, virtual screenings, and news features. The programming is part of Move to Include, a national initiative founded in Rochester by WXXI and the Golisano Foundation that has been expanded to five other communities thanks to a grant from Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Read more
July 16, 2020 -- Niagara Falls, New York -- Proponents of making high-end health care services more accessible to people in Niagara County had reason to celebrate today in downtown Niagara Falls. In a ceremony streamed live on Facebook – an event kept small in accordance with current health guidelines regarding group gatherings – representatives from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center along with Golisano Foundation Executive Director Ann Costello dedicated the new Golisano Medical Oncology Center, a member site within the Roswell Park Care Network. Read more
Rochester, NY -- June 22, 2020 -- The Golisano Foundation announced today that it has awarded $416,000 to 11 organizations in Western New York and Southwest Florida in its third round of COVID-19 Response Grants.
This brings the Foundation's total COVID-19 Response Grant funding to date to $1,107,800. Read more
Rochester, NY -- June 18, 2020 -- The Golisano Behavioral Health and Wellness Building opened on June 18 with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. This building, established in 2017 thanks to $5 million gift from Tom Golisano, and completed thanks to the contributions of additional donors, will help address the rising need for pediatric behavioral health in the region. Read more
Rochester, NY -- May 28, 2020 -- The Golisano Foundation announced today that it has awarded $265,500 to ten organizations in Western New York and Southwest Florida in its second round of COVID-19 Response Grants. This brings the Foundation's total COVID-19 Response Grant funding to date to $691,800. Read more
Rochester, NY -- May 28, 2020 -- The new Golisano Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness Center, will be opening soon! A virtual ribbon-cutting will be celebrated on June 18th. "We are all very excited for the opening, said Michael Scharf, Chief of Clinical Service, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. "Behavioral health conditions impact one in five children and adolescents, leading to a variety of forms of suffering, impairment, and at times disability or life threatening situations. Currently only 20 percent of youth with these conditions ever see a mental health professional. Barriers to access, including service capacity, can lead to delays in care and situations worsening to crisis levels. The children and families of our region deserve better." Read more
Rochester, NY -- May 14, 2020 -- The Golisano Foundation announced today that is has awarded $426,300 in its first round of COVID-19 Response Grants. Now through the end of October 2020, the foundation is redirecting approximately $2 million in grant funding to assist organizations in Western New York and Southwest Florida due to the coronavirus crisis. Read more
The Golisano Institute of Developmental Disability Nursing at St. John Fisher College and the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) in Dublin, Ireland have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work together in the field of intellectual disability nursing. This is the second MoU between WIT and Fisher. The signing took place on February 20 at a symposium on Intellectual Disability Nursing held at WIT. Foundation Director Ann Costello participated in the event. Read more
New York, NY -- February 11, 2020 -- With $3,000 and a credit card, Tom Golisano became a billionaire and grew the company he founded, Paychex, to a $30 billion market valuation and more than 670,000 customers. How? By spotting an opportunity that giant established competitors did not: that more money could be made off of the 95% of the payroll services market that are small businesses than the deep-pocketed corporate giants getting chased by everyone else. Now he share his inisght in his first book, Built, Not Born. Read more
Rochester, NY -- February 5, 2020 -- The Golisano Foundation, Special Olympics, and Best Buddies are joining together to host the first ever Festival of Inclusion on Sunday, March 1. The inspirational day of fun and games is free and will be held at the new Golisano Training Center at Nazareth College, 4245 East Ave in Rochester from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The new event will kick-off the annual Spread the Word Inclusion campaign. Read more
