ANNUAL
REPORT
2018
Hello EPIC Friends and Supporters!
We are pleased to present the 2018 Annual Report. Thanks to our valued partnership
with each of you, EPIC made considerable progress in advancing our strategic vision
and delivering quality programs.
With a focus on empowering the adults in children’s lives to support their children’s
growth and development, EPIC relaunched Ready, Set, Read! with new children’s
programming, co-presented our 2nd Annual Family Engagement Conference, and
celebrated 30 years of programming in Central Hudson. Through all EPIC programs, we
placed strong emphasis on the growth of family knowledge, confidence and capacity,
and advanced important mission-driven partnerships including the groundbreaking
Human Service Collaborative efforts to build-out shared space in Buffalo’s redeveloping
Broadway neighborhood. Proud to be tapped by area foundations, we also began
work on the GetSET organizational development program, and successfully grew two
cornerstone fund development events.
We supported new parents with programs designed to address their personal growth
and parenting needs through our Incredible Years program. EPIC continued parenting
programs in Niagara County and provided Car Seat Safety events in both Niagara and
Erie Counties. We implemented early care family engagement trainings with
Community Action Organization to cultivate strong relationships and communication
between child care staff and families. We increased public participation in our
Storytime at Canalside summer series where hundreds of families enjoyed guest
readers and interactive learning activities with their children. As EPIC continues to
develop and deliver programs, we remain laser-focused on supporting families as they
engage with their children around academics, social-emotional growth, and health
and safety.
EPIC Board and staff are grateful for the significant individual and community support
that our many collaborators contribute to our mission. As partners in the work we do
together to support all families, thank you for your commitment to ensuring that every
child has a strong start and a promising future.
Pam Johnson EPIC Board Chair
Tara N. Burgess Executive Director
OurLeadersL E T T E R F R O M
StaffM E E T E P I C
AdministrationTara N. Burgess - Executive Director
CJ Banks - Director of Parenting and Youth ServicesJulanne Durkin - Staff Accountant
Jennifer A. Majeski - Chief Financial OfficerMarvel Miller - Administrative Assistant
Manuella Mwihemuka - Executive AssistantJamie Rackl - Director of Family Engagement and Professional Development
Mary Simpson - Development and Marketing Manager
WNY Staff Ronald Dixon - Data and Intake Coordinator
Laurie Ferris - Facilitator CoordinatorAdrienne Garr - Program CoordinatorRenee Perry - FIT Program Manager
Susanna Schenk - Family Engagement SpecialistDorothy Turchiarelli - Program Coordinator
Central Hudson Staff:Juana Billy - Program Coordinator
Shannon Daniel - Program CoordinatorPhyllis Eig - Regional Director
Jane Sorensen - Program Manager
WNY Facilitators:Tonnalee Batchelor Rosalind Campbell
Rachel Dah Cheryl Dublin
Dixie FarrRanda Hamayel
Nicole Hill
Sandra HoganKandice Hood Alicia Hutton
Shannon JohnsKaren KelchinDavid Lewis
(Car Seat Safety Instructor)
Nancy Mariani
Purnima MohanMary Pachla (Senior facilitator)
James PetersonSabrina Ray
Michael RiveraDaniel Scholz Lekya Slaughter
Central Hudson Facilitators:
Patricia StephensYvette Veira
Sherman Webb-MiddlebrooksMichael Williams Trueletta WilliamsDr. Marvin Wilson
Jessica Zaidel
Lynn Baron Ariel De La Cruz Omnia Elghaly Kathleen Kreiter
Elisa Mendels Jennifer Mitchell
Chrystelle Okwo-WadeMartine Swerdling
Board of Directors2 0 1 8 E P I C
Officers:Dr. Pamela Johnson,Ph.D, Chair
Ready to Learn at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Frederick Zwierlein, CPA, Vice-ChairFreed Maxick & Battaglia
Melissa Biersbach, CPA, Treasurer
Local Edge
Sam Costa, SecretaryBaillie Lumber
Directors:Brian Baker
Delaware North Valerie Cooley, Ph.D
Educator(Retired)Nina Heard
General Motors
Sean KeenanWalsh Duffield
Maureen Lehsten, CPAHospice Buffalo John MurphyBuffalo Bills
Brian Rochford KeyBank
Craig SpencerRich Products
Stephen Yonaty, Esq.Cannon Heyman & Weiss LLP
Committees:
Ex-Officio:Sandra Rifkin
Baby Expo (B) - Finance (F) - Development & Special Events (D) - Marketing (M) - Program (P)
Linda Croglia - PTara Erwin - M
Nancy Gaglione - DTiffany Lankes - P
Samantha Keller - FAnna Michotek - BCarol Murphy - D
Brenda Palmer - MChristine Pilozzi – M, DChristie Panagakis - P
Rakee Rai - MHoward Rich – DDana Roman – B
Richard Romer - F
Dr. Pamela Johnson,Ph.D,(as chair, serves on all committees)
STATISTICS
Youth Services29%
Parenting25.2%
Family Engagement22.9%
Professional development22.9%
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT &PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT
Family engagement is a
shared responsibility between the
community, organizations, families, and
schools regarding supporting children’s
learning, development, and academic
success. Effective family
engagement cuts across and reinforces
learning in the multiple settings where
children learn- at home, in
prekindergarten programs, in school, in
after school programs, in faith-based
institutions, and in the community.
PARENTING AND YOUTHSERVICES
EPIC’s parenting programs are all grounded in
current research and utilize evaluation and
research designs to illustrate the success to
demonstrate effectiveness in creating positive
change in parents’ abilities to impact their
children’s development. While EPIC focuses
primarily on parents, we also offer workshops in
developing character in students, Pre-K through
8th grade; and social, emotional and life skills
workshops for teens..
Impacting Over
Individuals& Families
30 Years& Counting...In 2018, EPIC celebrated 30 years of
service to children and families in the
Central Hudson region of New York State.
Agencies, Schools and Partners:2 0 1 8 E P I C
BuffaloNiagara/Western New YorkArt Services InitiativeBest Self Behavioral HealthBlueCross BlueShieldBoys N Girls Club of BuffaloBuffalo Pre-Natal Peri-NatalBuffalo Public School - South Park High SchoolCheektowaga Central School DistrictChildren's Foundation of Erie CountyCommunity Action Organization of WNYErie County Department of Mental HealthGarman Family FoundationGeneral MotorsGloria ParksJM McDonald Kelly for Kids FoundationLiberty PartnershipM&T BankNiagara Area FoundationNiagara County Community CollegeNiagara County Department of Social ServicesNorthwest BankNorthwest Buffalo Community CenterOffice of Alcohol Substance Abuse ServicesOffice of Child & Family ServicesPeter C. CornellRich ProductsRite-Aid FoundationSisters of MercyState FarmTegnaUnited Way of Buffalo & Erie CountyWegmansWNY Women's Foundation Central HudsonCounty of RocklandCounty of SullivanMonticello Central School DistrictMy Brother's KeeperRockland County - Emergency ShelterSullivan County Youth BureauTargetUnited Way of Rockland CountyNYS Office of Children and Family Services
Beyond NYSReady at Five, MDMaryland Department of Education, MD Lorrain County Board of Mental Health, OH CoalitionsAfterschool Network of WNYBPS Parent SummitCare Management CoalitionClinical and Translational Science InitiativeConnecting the DotsHealthy Moms, Healthy Babies Human Services CollaborativeLockport Family Focus GroupMEB (Mental, Emotional, Behavioral Health)CommitteeNY Education TrustNYS Family Engagement CoalitionRaising New York & Infancy Leadership CircleUpstate NY CBO Consortium West Side Promise NeighborhoodWNY - Birth to Eight CoalitionWNY - Px 21 Prevention CoalitionWNY - Muslim & Immigrant CommunityCollaborative
Financials2 0 1 8 E P I C