The Ashokan Center is grateful to announce that the Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation has awarded us a $3,000 grant in support of our Arts & Outdoor Education Outreach programs—helping ensure that more children and families can experience the transformative power of nature, creativity, and hands-on learning. We were honored to welcome Samantha Awand-Gortel to campus for a special check presentation ceremony on behalf of the Foundation.
Nestled on a 385-acre historic preserve in the Catskills, the Ashokan Center is a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring learning and building community through shared experiences in nature, history, music, and art. Since welcoming our first school groups in 1967, we have served thousands of students each year through immersive field trips, outreach programs, camps, and community events that foster curiosity, confidence, and connection—both to the natural world and to one another.
This generous funding will directly support programs such as our free Arts & Adventure Summer Camps, which provide meaningful outdoor and arts-based experiences for youth who might not otherwise have access. Through these programs, participants explore forests and streams, engage in environmental discovery, learn traditional arts, and build confidence through music, teamwork, and creative expression. For many children, these experiences mark important firsts—hiking a wooded trail, holding a musical instrument, collaborating with peers, or discovering a sense of belonging in nature.
Support from community partners like the Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation allows Ashokan to remove financial barriers and focus on equity and access in everything we do. We are deeply grateful to Samantha Awand-Gortel, John Finch, EVP/EEO, and the entire Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation team for their continued investment in the vitality of our region and the well-being of young people.
As we look ahead, partnerships like this help Ashokan continue to grow our impact—welcoming more school visits, expanding outreach, and nurturing the next generation of learners, artists, and environmental stewards.
Join us in this work.
If you’re interested in supporting Ashokan’s mission or learning how your gift can make a direct impact, we invite you to connect with our Development team or visit ashokancenter.org/donate. Together, we can ensure that access to nature, the arts, and community-centered learning remains at the heart of Ashokan for generations to come.