WCCRC ANNUAL REPORT 2025
This has been a big year for WCCRC! We expanded services, launched exciting programs, and received a variety of new grants. In fact, of the over 30 MILLION DOLLARS in grants WCCRC has written and been awarded since our inception in 1981, 20%, or 6.3 million has been in the last 4 years alone. This growth is due to the dynamic team of individuals on staff lead by a dedicated Executive Director and a caring Board of Directors.
This year we were happy to announce the creation of the Business Assistance and Training Program lead by Simona David. With the concept of “Make It In the Catskills” to support and educate local entrepreneurs, a series of workshops were launched with topics including Marketing, Power Point, Writing Business Plans, MWBE certification, and Working with AI. In the fall, a highly successful two-day Entrepreneur Boot Camp was held at the beautiful MTC Conference Center in Margaretville. During this event workshops were held on numerous topics led by leaders of the business community.
As always, our HUD certified Housing Counselor conducted workshops including Radon Education and Testing, Avoiding Scams, and the Home Ownership Academy. We received a grant from AARP Community Challenge to hold Disaster Preparedness Trainings and create Emergency Go Bags. Seniors from our Stamford Village Apartments assisted in stuffing 75 bags including MREs, First Aid Kits, and Hygiene supplies to be distributed during the trainings to community members.
Among the new programs WCCRC has become involved with is Care Compass for individuals with Medicaid. This program has expanded our services to cover all of Delaware as well as the new addition of Otsego County. Through this program we can conduct accessibility modification, mold remediation, pest removal, and improve air quality. We have also been pre-qualified as an organization to administer the Rapid Home Repair Grant for all of Delaware, Greene, and Schoharie County in the event funds are released following a state declaration of emergency.
We are currently managing nearly 3 million dollars in grants including those from RESTORE for emergency repairs for seniors, Access to Home for accessibility repairs, Housing Rehabilitation through the Affordable Housing Corporation, and Manufactured Home Replacements through MMHR. We also are working on completing a large Community Development Block Grant program with Schoharie County and starting a new one in the Town of Lexington. Through these grant funded programs, we strive to remove environmental hazards such as Lead, Asbestos, and Radon from our homes. Our work is done by local contractors; our supplies are purchased locally. We support women, minority, and disabled veteran owned businesses and fair housing initiatives.
Our two apartment buildings and two senior and disabled apartment complexes remain fully rented and well maintained. Our commercial storefront and carriage house continue to support women owned enterprises. This provides safe and affordable housing as well as business support to our community.
If you didn’t get a chance to make it to our Open House this Spring, please feel free to stop by and say hello in our newly renovated office and community room. We look forward to continuing to assist the community for decades to come!
Antonia Besculides
Executive Director
July 4, 2025