Students Donate $10,000 to the South End Children's Cafe
By Indiana Nash
ALBANY, N.Y. (June 11, 2026) — In an effort to address poverty in the Capital Region, more than a dozen University at Albany students awarded $10,000 to the South End Children's Cafe through the Student Philanthropy Fund.
The fund is housed at UAlbany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and aims to inspire and educate a new generation of philanthropists and community leaders. Supported by Rockefeller faculty, alumni and private individuals, it’s part of the undergraduate class "Nonprofit Organizations, Private Philanthropy, and Solving Public Problems," taught by Associate Professor Susan Appe, where students research nonprofits and determine which to support.
Students in the class voted to award funding to the South End Children's Cafe, which is located on Rensselaer Street in Albany, because the community hub addresses food insecurity and provides enrichment opportunities for children through a variety of programs, including school tutoring, sport activities, field trips, senior programming and daily group dinners.
"The South End Children's Cafe is incredibly grateful for the generous $10,000 donation," said Executive Director Tracie Killar. "This gift will directly support our ability to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner, and enrichment programming and field trips, to our children this summer. What makes this contribution especially meaningful is that it comes from college students who are learning about philanthropy and the power of giving back."
The $10,000 award is unrestrictive, with no conditions to how it is spent—only that it serves the South End Children's Cafe’s mission.
Inside look
Through the class, students also got an inside look at United Way’s Blake Annex, a nonprofit-focused coworking office space in downtown Albany operated by the United Way of the Greater Capital Region. They met with staff and discussed data collection and research on "Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE)," which refers to working households that are often earning above the federal poverty level but can’t afford the basic cost of living in their community.
"We really appreciate how Rockefeller students come to visit us, and that they ask good questions based on what they are learning and thinking about in regard to public problems," said Heather Senecal, who is the director of learning and evaluation at United Way of the Greater Capital Region and Rockefeller, MPA alum ’10. "We see them in real time making connections between ALICE and the complex challenges in our community," Senecal added.
For Grace Olney, an undergraduate student studying public policy, the class changed the way she thinks about her career aspirations.
"This class has shaped the way I view my goals as a public policy undergraduate student by showing me how vital non-profit organizations are in supporting community needs and addressing public problems,” Olney said. “I have learned that making a difference does not always require wealth, but instead compassion and a strong dedication to causes that matter. This course has also helped me grow personally by strengthening my appreciation for community work and has inspired me to become a more thoughtful philanthropist in the future."
"Our partnership with University at Albany continues to be a strong and valued one, and it is wonderful to be supported by our local college and by future leaders who serve as positive role models for the children we serve every day. Their investment in our youth today helps build a stronger community for tomorrow and being selected by this class is an honor," Killar said.
Beyond the South End Children's Cafe, the class also awarded funds to the Herren Project in Tiverton, Rhode Island, which provides alcohol and drug addiction recovery services, and to Safe Horizon, a victim service agency in New York City.
Since 2019, students have helped distribute more than $58,000 to nonprofit organizations in the Capital Region through the fund, which is supported by Rockefeller faculty, alumni and private individuals.
"We are pleased that our local philanthropic dollars are supporting such an outstanding organization," one donor noted. "The Student Philanthropy Fund not only allows us to invest in impactful local nonprofits but also gives UAlbany students a unique opportunity to learn about philanthropy firsthand along the way. These students leave the class with a stronger commitment to philanthropy that will continue to shape their lives and communities."
Nonprofits interested in being considered for future funds should contact Susan Appe at [email protected] for more information.
Organizations the Student Philanthropy Fund has supported
Spring 2026 - $10,400
- $10,000 to South End Children's Cafe, Albany, NY
- $200 to Herren Project, Tiverton, RI
- $200 to Safe Horizon, New York City, NY
Spring 2024 - $10,500
- $10,000 to Unity House, Troy, NY
- $250 to Planned Parenthood in Troy, NY
- $250 to Jazzy Sun Birthdays in Albany, NY
Spring 2022 - $15,500
- $1,000 to The MoonCatcher Project in Schenectady, NY
- $4,000 to Soul Fire Farm in Petersburg, NY
- $10,000 to In Our Own Voices in Albany, NY
- $250 to Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE) in Albany, NY
- $250 to Shatterproof in Norwalk, CT
Spring 2021 - $4,559
- $1,665 to The MoonCatcher Project in Schenectady, NY
- $1,665 to The Connect Center in Cohoes, NY
- $1,665 to Homeless and Travelers Aid Society in Albany, NY
Fall 2020 - $10,200
- $10,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region in Albany, NY
- $100 to The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York in Latham, NY.
- $100 to BronxWorks in New York, NY
Spring 2020 - $3,000
- $2,000 to Capital Region Community Covid-19 Response Fund in Albany, NY
- $500 to Albany Damien Center in Albany, NY
- $500 to Jajja's Kids in Latham, NY
Fall 2020 - $3,000
- $3,000 to Commission on Economic Opportunities in Troy, NY
Spring 2019 - $1,500
- $1,000 to Youth FX in Albany, NY
- $500 to The MoonCatcher Project in Schenectady, NY