Editorial of September 24, 2026

Mohawk Valley Gave

Last week’s editorial was a nod to “Mohawk Valley Gives,” a community-wide giving day to benefit nonprofit organizations serving the Mohawk Valley. It seems only fitting that we should give a shout-out this week to Otsego County’s top performers.

Mohawk Valley Gives was initiated in 2022 by the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties and powered in part by the Upmobility Foundation. The Staffworks Save a Life and Community Foundation of Otsego County campaigns run concurrently.

This year, Mohawk Valley Gives fell on Friday, September 18, with early donations beginning on Monday, September 14. There were 441 participating charitable organizations, and a number of Otsego County groups finished in the top 120.

At number 16 overall, the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals led all Otsego County nonprofits, raising $100,494.00 from 371 donors via the Staffworks campaign, according to the MVG website. Glimmerglass Festival was number one in the CFOC campaign and number 16 overall, with $69,160.00 from 101 donors.

Rounding out Otsego County’s top 10 were: CFOC itself (24th overall with $62,660.00 from 91 donors); Cooperstown Food Pantry Inc. (35th overall with $48,465.00 from 128 donors); Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society (89th overall with $17,978.00 from 38 donors); Hyde Hall (100th overall with $14,800.00 from 27 donors); Cooperstown Concerts (105th overall with $13,885.00 from 59 donors); Charles N. Gordon Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Inc. (106th overall with $13,741.00 from 55 donors); Otsego County Conservation Association (112th overall with $12,955.00 from 53 donors); and Otsego Land Trust (116th overall with $11,970.00 from 41 donors).

In total, Mohawk Valley Gives raised more than $8 million this year, with 16,822 gifts from 9,235 donors. According to CFOC Executive Director Jeff Katz, Otsego nonprofits raised almost $520,000.00, including his organization’s new “Feed Otsego” initiative, which garnered $50,000.00 in support.

Participating organizations also had the opportunity to compete for prizes in a number of categories.

Glimmerglass Festival won the $500.00 Wayne Bank “Bank Roll Prize,” awarded to the organization participating in the CFOC’s sub-campaign that received the highest online donation on September 18. Hyde Hall Inc. won the $250.00 Steve Zerby Design Build “Make a Mark Prize,” awarded to the organization with a primary cause area of arts and culture participating in the sub-campaign that received the most online donations on September 18. The $250.00 NYCM Insurance “Best Coverage Prize” for the most unique online donors on September 18 went to the Legal Aid Society of Mid New York Inc. and the Susquehanna SPCA won the $250.00 “Community Care Prize” from NYCM for most online donations on September 18.

The Otsego Land Trust won $750.00 from the Community Foundation of Otsego County for The Eva Davy “Most Green Donations Prize,” awarded to the organization with a primary cause area of environment that received the most online donations on September 18. The Otsego County Conservation Association also walked away with a $750.00 Eva Davy “Most Green Supporters Prize” for the most unique online donors on September 18.

Sponsored by the Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation Fund at the Richland County Foundation, the $400.00 “Top Dollar Prize” was awarded to the Charles N. Gordon Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Inc., which raised the most in online donations from September 14-18. Another $400.00 award from the Richland County Foundation, the “In It To Win It Prize,” was earned by the Cooperstown Food Pantry Inc. for receiving an online donation closest to 08:59:59 on September 18, and the Greater Oneonta Historical Society won the Steve Zerby Design Build “Otsego History Prize,” awarded to the history-related organization with the most donors on September 18.

All in all, a very successful year for Otsego County charitable organizations. But it is important to remember that there were more than 90 such local causes represented in the CFOC sub-campaign that could use your support, among them the Hartwick Food Pantry, The Smithy Pioneer Gallery Inc., The Brookwood School, the Milford Central School Education Foundation, and Family Resource Network, to name just a few.

Remember—no gift is ever too small.