The Hancock Community Education Foundation was founded in 1999 by Ron DeLuca, Wellington Lester and George Elwood as a New York State not for profit corporation. The Foundation received it’s 501 (c) (3) status from the IRS in February 2000. The Foundation currently provides 10 educational and social programs for the youth and parents of Greater Hancock.
The mission of The Hancock Community Education Foundation(HCEF) is to provide educational support from birth to post graduation and to encourage a greater percentage of students to go on to higher education.
The HCEF vision is to achieve 100% graduation and to improve the quality of life and education for Hancock children and families resulting in them becoming successful, contributing community members.
Hancock is one of the poorest towns in the poorest county in New York State. The New York State Department of Education’s predictors of school failure impact the Hancock School District: Poverty, Single Parent Households, Parental Education. Despite the rampant poverty that exists is Delaware County, the Hancock Community Education Foundation has achieved remarkable success over the past 17 years with it’s “Birth to College” program.
HCEF cannot hope to accomplish our mission by simply offering scholarship aid to students already committed to college. We must break the cycle of defeat that has kept generations of rural Americans inadequately educated and as a result, in poverty. We must start at the beginning and provide a new paradigm of educational support that nurtures and sustains the student from birth to college graduation. What has been referred to as the “replication of the home effect” as perceived in those communities where the parents of school children have college degrees and sufficient income to support the best school systems and the college careers of their children.
The Community has responded generously to the support of the foundation’s programs for the children of Hancock, as have numerous private foundations. The foundation has been the recipient of a 21st Century government grant for our 7th and 8th grade after school program and in 2017 was awarded a Round 7, 21st Century Grant for our K through 9th Grade After School Program.
Since the Foundation’s beginnings in the year 2000, it has invested over $2,000,000 in Hancock. $1,205,200 of the funding has been put towards scholarship grants to date. The remaining has assisted with educational support programs for students and adults. The foundation employs 22 part time educators and tutors as well as one full time Executive Director. Our goal is to provide something more than jobs or money. We provide hope and with your support we will continue to help build a bright future for our children.