Press Release, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee

File photo by Tom Rivers: Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee, in shown in 2025 standing outside the Head Start school on East State Street in Albion.

ALBION – Community Action of Orleans and Genesee is currently assessing the impact of a significant reduction in federal Head Start funding that will affect the organization’s operations, staffing, and future planning.

The reduction totals nearly $1 million, representing approximately one-third of the agency’s Head Start funding. As Head Start accounts for more than half of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee’s overall operating budget, the impact extends beyond a single program and presents challenges for the organization as a whole.

“While this funding reduction is occurring within the Head Start program, it is important to understand that no challenge affects only one area of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee,” said Renee Hungerford, Executive Director/CEO. “We operate as one agency, and changes of this magnitude create ripple effects across our organization.”

In addition to the direct reduction in program funding, administrative funding associated with federal grants is also affected proportionally, creating further financial implications that must be carefully evaluated.

The funding reduction stems primarily from enrollment challenges that have affected Head Start programs in communities across the country. Locally, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee has found it increasingly difficult to maintain full enrollment as more families find themselves caught on the benefits cliff, earning too much to qualify for Head Start services while still not earning enough to comfortably afford childcare and other basic necessities.

These are often minimum wage earners. At the same time, the expansion of Universal Pre-K programs that provide transportation has become the most practical option for many families. Community Action of Orleans and Genesee’s current funding structure makes it increasingly difficult to sustain the cost of busing, creating an additional challenge in serving families who need reliable transportation for their children.

“Our families are making the best decisions they can for their children,” Hungerford said. “When transportation is provided through another program, parents often have little choice but to enroll there. Unfortunately, the current funding model does not adequately account for the rising costs of transportation, facilities, insurance, supplies, and utilities, making it increasingly difficult to sustain services while remaining competitive with other early childhood programs.”

While enrollment has declined, Hungerford emphasized that the funding reduction is not a reflection of program performance or community need.

“The reality is that Head Start remains critically important in our community,” Hungerford said. “The challenge is that eligibility rules and economic realities have changed. Many working families no longer qualify even though they continue to struggle financially. At the same time, transportation has become an increasingly important factor in parents’ choice of early childhood programs.”

Hungerford also noted that Head Start provides far more than preschool services.

“Head Start is much more than Pre-K,” she said. “It is a comprehensive child and family development program. We provide education, health screenings, dental referrals, family support services, and resources that help parents achieve greater stability and independence. The impact extends well beyond the classroom.”

During Program Year 2025-2026, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee’s Head Start program demonstrated significant outcomes for children and families:

• 32% of preschool children successfully transitioned to kindergarten with improved school readiness skills, while another 42% will return for a second year of Head Start services to continue their development.
• 100% of enrolled children received preventive health screenings.
• 76 children were brought up to date on age-appropriate immunizations through coordination with healthcare providers.
• 49% of Head Start children received dental examinations and follow-up care in a region where access to pediatric dental services remains extremely limited.
• 80% of families participated in family engagement activities.
• 100% of families established and made progress toward family partnership goals related to employment, education, parenting, school readiness, housing stability, or financial well-being.

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee also notes that federal funding reductions are typically calculated using a per-child formula. However, those calculations do not adequately account for fixed costs that continue regardless of enrollment levels, including facilities, transportation, utilities, insurance, regulatory compliance, educational materials, and other operational expenses. As a result, the financial impact of enrollment-based funding reductions often exceeds what the formula suggests.

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee’s leadership team is actively reviewing all available options and advocating for every opportunity to lessen the impact of the reduction. Hungerford has begun reaching out to federal, state, and local elected officials to seek assistance and support in protecting critical services that benefit children, families, and communities throughout the region.

“This funding reduction affects far more than our organization,” Hungerford said. “It impacts the children we educate, the families we support, and the communities our elected officials serve. I am asking our federal, state, and local leaders to work with us to protect these vital resources for their constituents and help ensure that vulnerable families do not bear the burden of these cuts.”

Hungerford also expressed gratitude for the support already received from local leaders.

“We are thankful to Orleans County Legislature Chairman Lynne Johnson for her support of our advocacy efforts and her recognition of the importance of preserving these resources for our community,” Hungerford said. “Strong partnerships with local elected officials are critical as we work together to protect services that benefit children, families, and vulnerable residents throughout Orleans County and Genesee County.”

The agency is conducting a thorough assessment of financial and operational implications while pursuing every available avenue to preserve funding and minimize impacts on employees, services, and the families who depend on Community Action of Orleans and Genesee’s programs.

“These are difficult conversations, and we recognize the uncertainty they create for our staff, our families, and our community partners,” Hungerford said. “Our commitment is to approach every decision thoughtfully, strategically, and with the long-term sustainability of the agency in mind.”

Despite this challenge, Community Action of Orleans and Genesee remains focused on its mission and its commitment to helping local residents overcome barriers and achieve self-sufficiency.

“Community Action has weathered challenges before, and what has always carried us forward is the strength of our people,” Hungerford said. “Every day, our staff make a meaningful difference in the lives of children, families, and individuals across our communities. We remain committed to serving those who depend on us.”

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee will continue to provide updates as additional information becomes available and decisions are made.

Photos courtesy of Greg Jones

ALBION – A plaque was unveiled on Monday evening dedicated the playground at Bullard Park for Katherine “Kathy” LaLonde.

She passed away at age 54 from cancer on Oct. 6, 2013. She was an active volunteer in the community and was part of the team that worked to revitalize Bullard Park.

LaLonde helped write successful grant applications for Bullard Park improvements, leading to new playground equipment, a new spray park, pavilion with bathrooms and amphitheater.

LaLonde spearheaded efforts to develop a long-term master plan for the Bullard Park. She volunteered on the village’s Recreation Committee and personally served refreshments to children at some of the local parks.

Many of Kathy LaLonde’s family members attended the playground dedication on Monday. From left in front include daughter Joyce LaLonde, husband Steve LaLonde holding Joyce’s daughter Katherine, and sister Julie Sanford. In back from left: sister-in-law Diane Church, nephew Brad Sanford, niece Molly Church, son-in-law Nate Birnbaum (Joyce’s husband), brother Sanford Church, and brother-in-law Scott Sanford.

Kathy LaLonde volunteered her time to write grants and help formulate a vision for Bullard Park. The Rebuild Bullard Committee wanted to turn the park into a bigger community asset. In the 2000s and early 2010s, Bullard had aging playground equipment and was a far cry from the center for recreation it has become.

Her efforts helped land a $499,605 state grant in 2016 for the spray park, pavilion, bathrooms and amphitheater. She worked on other grants for the playground equipment.

On Monday evening, village officials and the Greater Albion Community Recreation & Events unveiled the plaque and dedicated the playground in honor on Kathy LaLonde.

“This serves as a reminder of the unwavering strength and determination that Kathy put forth to enhance Bullard Park and of her love of the youth of this community and beyond,” the plaque states.

As a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Albion, LaLonde was involved in many youth programs, including Pray and Play, Sunday school, mission trips, the Heifer International Ark Fundraiser, the many Christmas pageants, and TGIF.

Betty Sue Miller retires; Elizabeth Haibach starts as executive director

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Betty Sue Miller, center, chats with Elzabeth Haibach, left, and Gretchen Schweigert on Saturday at Hoag Library where there was a reception to honor Miller for her 11 years as executive director.

Haibach has worked at Hoag since 2018, starting as a reference librarian. She has been the assistant director since 2022.

Schweigert works for the Nioga Library System as an outreach and advocacy consultant.

Miller joined Hoag as interim director in February 2015. She was retired as a library director at Holley Central School.

Miller said the experience at Holley made her love working with teen-agers, especially, and prepared her for her time at Hoag, where she worked hard to make the library a welcoming space for everyone in the community, including people who are unhoused.

“This is the best job I’ve ever had,” Miller said on Saturday.

Miller helped build a staff where seven of the employees have master’s degrees, and all bring passions that have helped the library expand programs and outreach.

Miller was well known for asking visitors to the library, even people working on road construction in front of the library, if they had a library card. She said the card gives users access to not only Hoag’s collections of books and magazines, but a massive online trove of e-books and other materials.

Miller is staying on in a part-time role to see through some special projects, including a book drop by the curb so people don’t need to leave their vehicles. The Hoag board also wants to replace the dividing curtains from the three meeting rooms with curtain that are more sturdy and soundproof.

Elizabeth Haibach, center, is greeted by Roz Sarkweather, right, and Mary Witkop and her son George. Witkop is vice president of the board of trustees.

Haibach said she is very grateful for the opportunity to lead a library in her hometown. She said she will continue to look ways for Hoag to serve the community, outside of the traditional roles for a public library.

She helped bring in lawyers from Neighborhood Legal Services for monthly office hours and staff from the Homeless Alliance to assist local people without a residence. Haibach also welcomed a mobile mammography service to Albion that parks in the Hoag parking lot.

Haibach said her father, retired Albion teacher Tim Archer, has been a strong role model for service, as has her mother Patty Archer’s family with Haibach’s grandparents, Dr. Ronald Harling and the late Suzanne Harling.

“I have a deep connection to the community,” Haibach said. “I’m motivated to help be a servant to the community. I want to increase our community partnerships.”

She praised Miller for setting a strong example of leadership and for building a well established team of employees at Hoag.

“Betty Sue has a big personality and she is always out and talking to people,” Haibach said. “She has built a really good team here.”

Haibach also encourages people to check out the library. Today’s library is much different from the former Swan Library in Albion, which operated out of a cramped mansion.

Hoag has study areas, Internet access, three meeting rooms, and the library rents out fishing gear and even binoculars for people who want to go birding.

“Public libraries are ever-changing,” she said.

Haibach starts today as executive director and leads a staff of four full-time employees and seven part-timers.

This photo shows a printout of a Dollar General rendering of a proposed store on East Avenue in Albion, across from the high school.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Demolition has begun to clear the way for a new Dollar General store in Albion. A contractor is knocking down the current building, which previously was used for auto sales and a warehouse.

Dollar General will be building a new 10,640-square-foot retail store across from the high school, a project that received final approval from the Village of Albion Planning Board on March 12.

Many nearby residents and other community members expressed concerns about having the store in a congested area near the school where there are many kids walking to and from school.

But the Village of Albion Planning Board said they anticipate the store will have a small impact on traffic and pedestrians.

The site at 327 East Ave. is in the general business district. The store fits with the zoning.

This photo shows a printout of a Dollar General rendering of a proposed store on East Avenue in Albion, across from the high school.

The Broadway Group, developer for Dollar General, has removed three underground tanks and will do other site remediation to meet Department of Environmental Conservation standards.

The Orleans County Planning Board on Feb. 26 recommended Albion approve the site plan for the project, saying the store is consistent with a general commercial district and isn’t expected to have any significant negative impacts to the nearby residents or school.

The site is in a school zone with the speed limit at 20 miles per hour during school hours, and there is an ice cream business next to the site.

Delivery trucks will come outside of peak hours to the Dollar General and will be limited to exiting from the east only. That was a stipulation by the state Department of Transportation.

John “Mercury” Morgan urges crowd to embrace Gospel message

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – John “Mercury” Morgan jumps with a bike over two Albion police patrol vehicles and a SWAT vehicle, and then goes through a wall of fire in a stunt at Bullard Park on Saturday.

It was part of Family Fun Day at Bullard, where several churches shared the Gospel message, and gave away back-to-school supplies, food and put on activities. There were more than 500 people watching the stunt.

Morgan, 61, of Rochester makes it through the wall of fire and lands on the ramp.

He has been a stuntman on bikes since he was 15. He was inspired by Evel Knievel, the famous daredevil.

Morgan shared about moving from Lake Placid to Rochester when he was 7. He struggle din Rochester, getting into trouble often and selling marijuana. He was in a “scared straight” program at the Attica prison when he was 14.

Morgan said he became a Christian at 15. He runs Leap of Faith Evangelism, doing stunts and sharing the Gospel message.

He urged people to have courage to follow Jesus, and take a leap of faith.

John “Mercury” Morgan leads a group in prayer after the bike stunt. At least 500 people watched the event at Bullard.

The team with Mercury pours gasoline on cardboard that will be raised in frame. Mercury would then plunge through the wall of fire.

Albion firefighters doused the flames.

Theresa Ottaviano shared this photo of Morgan breaking through the wall of fire and landing on the ramp.

Jovannie Canales, lead pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship, helped lead Family Fun Day which had about 100 volunteers from many local churches in the community. They gave away back-to-school backpacks with supplies, hot dogs and water. There was also live music, bounce houses and face painting. The churches also gave away four bicycles, a TV and a laptop.

More than 1,000 people attended the Family Fun Day.

Pastor Canales said there were 232 decisions for Christ and 14 were baptized. In addition, 18 agencies and ministries participated, along with 85 volunteers who helped make the day possible.

“This event would not have been possible without God and the incredible support of the 15 churches, local businesses, and community partners who contributed and supported the event in various ways,” Pastor Canales said. “We are very grateful for everyone who came together to make Family Fun Day such a meaningful day for our community.”

A baptismal tank was set up by the amphitheater. There were many agencies and churches at Family Fun Day. When this photo was taken, most of the crowd had moved from the tents to see a stuntman.

Jeff LaFountain of Newfane did caricatures, including this one of Hollea Mackie and her children, baby Jordyn and son Ashyr, 10.