Russell Sage, Rubin Community Fellows to fund $41K for projects

TROY, N.Y. » Russell Sage College and the Louis and Hortense Rubin Community Fellows Program have announced four projects selected to receive grant funding for 2020-2021.

The Rubin Community Fellows program funds cooperative projects between higher education faculty members and not-for-profit or government agencies in Rensselaer County. This year, all of the partnering faculty members are from Russell Sage College.

“We are pleased to support projects that address childhood obesity, maternal health, human services and the environment,” Program Director Fred Alm said in a news release. “These four organizations were able to adjust their plans to comply with COVID-19 requirements. We are proud to work with these organizations and Russell Sage College faculty members to serve the needs of Rensselaer County.”

The projects receiving funding are as follows:

-The Arc of Rensselaer County will receive $4,000 to develop a training program to prepare direct- care staff to effectively communicate with medical professionals in the event of a crisis. Kathleen A. Kelly Ph.D., dean of the School of Health Sciences, and Tawana Davis, director of student wellness at Russell Sage College, are faculty fellows on the project.

-The Commission on Economic Opportunity will receive $15,000 to support its Babies in Waiting program. Babies in Waiting provides services that support prenatal, intrapartum and postpartum health and wellness. Katrin Ramsey, DSc, assistant professor of physical therapy, and Wendy Gaughan, lecturer in occupational therapy at Russell Sage College, are faculty fellows on the project.

-The city of Troy Environmental Responsibility Project will receive $14,500 to improve environmental stewardship and reduce waste-handling expenditures for the city of Troy, its residents and businesses. Emilly Obuya, Ph.D., professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Russell Sage College, is the faculty fellow on the project.

-The Troy YMCA will receive $7,681 to create a program to address childhood obesity. Children participating in the program will receive a free youth membership to the Troy Y for the duration of this program. Neeti Pathare, Ph.D., adjunct professor of physical therapy at Russell Sage College, is the faculty fellow on the project.

The Louis and Hortense Rubin Community Fellows Program was established in June 1990 with a gift from the Rubin-family. It is administered by Russell Sage College and is a cooperative venture of Sage, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Hudson Valley Community College and Emma Willard School.