Everyone deserves hope during the holidays!

The Romano Auto Dealerships donated $37,500 to local non-profit charities during the 2023 holiday season. 15 local organizations were awarded $2,500 each to help those in need. 

Meet our first $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Sullivan Food Cupboard, Inc.. Sullivan Food Cupboard provides a variety of nutritious foods to eliminate hunger. They will use this gift to supply Christmas Baskets (turkeys and all the fixings for Christmas dinner) and gifts for 100+ needy families in their Town of Sullivan, NY community on 12/16/23. Everything is paid for by donations. We are amazed by all the kindness this group does for its community.

Meet our second $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Jessica's Heroes!. Jessica’s Heroes Foundation was formed in 2018 with the mission to ease the financial stresses of those battling cancer. Their project aims to provide assistance with fuel and heating costs to patients in the area. Due to rising inflation, there is a great need as we head into the long, cold winter months. Also, it is never too early to mark the date in your calendar for next year's Jessica’s Heroes annual 5K run and walk. Always on the third Saturday in September! 

Meet our third $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Sleep in Heavenly Peace - NY, Syracuse. No child should ever have to sleep on the floor, and thanks to this fantastic charity, kids in our local community are receiving beds! Built local, delivered local; Sleep in Heavenly Peace will use the donation to buy mattresses and lumber to build beds for children in Central NY. Those beds will be provided free of charge! We are in awe of all that you do; THANK YOU!!

Meet our fourth $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Hospice of Central New York and Hospice of the Finger Lakes. Hospice is our community’s expert on end-of-life care and never turns away patients for an inability to pay for their services. This year they are expected to serve 1,315 patients and families and have budgeted for 51,100 patient care days. This gift will help ensure those in our community can experience end-of-life with the care and dignity they deserve on their terms. Thank you, Hospice, for all you offer to our community.

Meet our fifth $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Food Bank of Central New York. Food Bank of Central New York is a not-for-profit organization working to eliminate hunger through food distribution, education, and advocacy in cooperation with the community. This donation will be used to acquire and distribute nutritious food to individuals and families experiencing hunger in our community and will help provide enough food for 7,500 meals! Thank you, Food Bank of Central New York, for all you do in our community!

Meet our sixth $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse provide a safe haven for youth, giving them an opportunity to discover their great futures. Their Power Hour Program provides additional academic support to club members ages 6-18. This program helps members succeed academically by providing homework assistance, tutoring and high-yield learning activities. To support the program, they will need to purchase educational books, games and various school supplies.  

Meet our seventh $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Minoa Fire Department. This $2500 gift will assist over 50 volunteer members who take time to help protect the residents in the fire protection district of Minoa within the Town of Manlius. Their members spend countless hours away from their families to help the community. We appreciate your dedication to the Town of Manlius families.

Meet our eighth $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Joseph’s House. Joseph's House not only provides for the basic needs of a woman and her child but offers a comprehensive long-term program for up to 2 years with a goal of supporting women as they work to heal, grow, achieve their own personal goals and obtain independence in their community. The full-time Counselor, Life Skills Coordinator, and Case Manager work with a team of staff to provide 24/7 care and support in our home. Women can continue participating in the JH program after returning to the community through the Exodus program. This gift would be used to provide the necessary basic supplies and food for pregnant, homeless women and their children on their move into Joseph’s House. Women come with the clothes on their backs and not much else. Joseph’s House helps provide for basic needs to help restore dignity. If you or someone you know is pregnant, parenting young children (under age 5), and facing homelessness, please call 315-288-0319.

Meet our ninth $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, The Fayetteville Senior Center. The Fayetteville Senior Center meets the senior community's challenges by offering social activities, education, health and recreation programs, nutrition programs, and other activities in friendly, comfortable surroundings. They provide meals to the senior population in the greater Fayetteville Area. They also offer lunches, drive-thru dinners and holiday meals for free or minimal donation. This donation will help the Fayetteville Senior Center and their new amazing Chef continue providing homemade meals and socialization for our greatest generation.

Meet our tenth $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Erin's Angels. 14% of children are food insecure in CNY. Erin’s Angels distributes meals to students who rely on subsidized school meals in the Phoenix and West Genesee School districts. Participating students are sent home with food for the weekend. This act shows each student they are loved and cared for! We truly appreciate all you do for the Phoenix and West Genesee School District children.

Meet our eleventh $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Hope for Heather. Their mission is to raise funds to support ovarian cancer research, to promote education and awareness, and to help provide comfort to women and their families devastated by cancer. Hope for Heather is a nonprofit organization honoring the memory of Heather Weeks, who was an advocate. The $2500 gift will be used for chemotherapy comfort bags for patients to take to treatment, including a custom port-accessible shirt. These shirts are designed for warmth and comfort and unzip at the neck for port access. We are blown away by all the good you do for the community!

Meet our twelfth $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Chadwick Residence. Chadwick Residence is a nonprofit providing safe long-term housing and various professional services for homeless women and children for over 38 years in CNY. They are in need of new furniture in the family living room so women and children can gather together in a comfortable, homey environment. Outdoor lights need replacement. This gift will help contribute to their various needs. The Chadwick Residence is an amazing, long-standing, but under-recognized organization. We proudly support them and greatly appreciate everything they do for the community.

Meet our thirteenth $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Lourdes Camp. Lourdes Camp’s mission is to provide children an opportunity to grow spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially in a wholesome, caring outdoor environment. It is a learning experience filled with sporting events, arts and crafts, water activities and more available to children between the ages of 7-14. This gift would go directly to the Lourdes Camp Campership Fund. The Lourdes Camp Campership Program is designed to allow children the opportunity to enjoy an experience at summer camp who otherwise might not get that chance. Many of our Romano Auto Dealership employees enjoyed time at Lourdes Camp, and it is amazing to see generation after generation have the opportunity to grow and share the same experiences.

Meet our fourteenth $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Griffin’s Guardians. Griffin’s Guardians is a recognized nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that supports and financially assists children battling cancer in Central New York. They work hand in hand with Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital to stay current on the patients’ and families’ current needs. When a child completes radiation, Griffin’s Guardians will transform their mask into anything the child wants. The meaning is to celebrate the end of radiation, which is a HUGE milestone. We are absolutely blown away by this amazing organization!

Meet our fifteenth $2,500 recipient of the Holiday Hope Project, Mothers and Children in Crisis, Inc. Mothers and Children in Crisis is a not-for-profit organization striving to build a residential substance abuse treatment center for women and their young children in Onondaga County. This gift would be used toward temporary housing for those in crisis. Food and clothing will also be provided as needed.