SVHC Newsletter - January 2026
January 2026
The mission of SVHC is to cultivate local solutions and collaborative actions that advance the health and well-being of the Cortland community.
2026 Cortland Counts Community Forum
Registration is now open for the 2026 Cortland Counts Community Forum, held on Friday, March 13, 2026, from 9 AM to 3 PM at the Cortland Repertory Theatre Downtown. This no-cost, one-day forum brings together stakeholders across sectors to discuss health and well-being in Cortland County.
Organization Tabling Opportunities
As an event that provides a space for collaboration, networking, and resource sharing in support of a healthier Cortland County, organizations are invited to table at the event to showcase their programs, services, and resources to attendees. However, due to space constraints at the venue, there are limited tabling opportunities. Completion of the tabling request form does not guarantee a tabling opportunity. SVHC staff will contact you via email prior to the event to confirm your tabling registration.
Requests for Proposals
As in years past, the forum will align with the New York State 2025-2030 Prevention Agenda. The Prevention Agenda adopts a broad perspective on health, outlining 24 key priorities that are grouped into five domains:
Economic Stability
Social and Community Context
Neighborhood and Built Environment
Health Care Access and Quality
Education Access and Quality
Presenters will have the opportunity to share data, highlight innovative programs, discuss challenges, and offer actionable solutions for Cortland County. Presentations will be approximately 20 minutes in length with time for questions and answers. The deadline for proposals is this Friday, January 16. Presenters will be notified by Feb. 1 if their presentation was selected. More information as well as past agendas and presentations can be found on the Community Forum website.
Event Sponsorship
To keep the forum accessible, registration for attendees will be free. We continue to seek organizations, businesses or individuals to be sponsors to support this vital work and help defray event costs. Event sponsors demonstrate their commitment to building a healthier community and that "Cortland Counts!" Review the sponsorship levels at the link below and connect with SVHC to become a sponsor.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
SVHC partners with dedicated volunteers to offer free tax assistance in Cortland County. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is an IRS initiative designed to promote and support free tax preparation in both urban and rural locations for people who generally make $67,000/year or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and taxpayers with limited English.
As your tax documents begin to arrive in the mail, gather them together and bookmark this information! Appointments will begin in early February, and to make an appointment, simply call 2-1-1 or, if outside the 607 area code, dial 877-221-8667.
The program does not handle farm income, adoption credits, or complex business returns. For more information and for the list of documents to bring to your appointment, visit cortlandfreetaxes.org.
A Record-Breaking Year of Food Rescue
Seven Valleys Food Rescue (SVFR) had an amazing year of food rescue and distribution! In 2025, SVFR distributed 104,933 pounds of food to the community. Of that total, 48,554 pounds of food was rescued, preventing safe and edible food from ending up in the landfill. This is double the amount of food rescued in 2024 and the most food rescued in a year to date. Through Nourish New York funding, SVFR purchases New York produced food and distributes to area food pantries or directly to the community through our food giveaway events. In 2025, SVFR purchased food from 35 NYS farms across 20 counties, including 7 farms in Cortland County.
The disruption to SNAP benefits in November highlighted the need in our community for food assistance. Even though SNAP benefits have resumed, we know that our community members still need support accessing healthy food. Seven Valleys Health Coalition remains committed to supporting our area food pantries with regular distributions and plans to increase giveaway events to the community in 2026. Thank you to our volunteers and donors who help make our work possible!
New SVHC Staff Member: Grace Sterling
Seven Valleys Health Coalition welcomed Grace Sterling in December as a new Social Care Navigator. Grace provides initial screenings for Medicaid members to determine eligibility for support services through the Medicaid 1115 waiver program. Grace works as part of a three-person team within SVHC to coordinate services for Medicaid members and will primarily focus on transportation.
Grace enjoys working with the supportive, inspiring team at SVHC, and says that being part of a team that genuinely cares about each other and the community makes the work especially meaningful.
A fun fact about Grace is that she's a vegan and loves cooking and experimenting with plant-based recipes. In her free time, she cares for her one-year-old and her pets and enjoys reading and hiking!
We are excited to reveal the 2026 community members who committed to kissing a calf at Fouts Farm if Seven Valleys Health Coalition reaches our $5,000 fundraising goal by February 13! Be on the lookout in your email this week for the profiles of our "Kissing Team." The funds raised will support SVHC programs that advance the health and well-being of Cortland County.
Want to give our fundraising campaign an early head start? Donate today!
Connect with Us
Our mission is to cultivate local solutions and collaborative actions that advance the health and well-being of the Cortland community.
Seven Valleys Health Coalition
10 Kennedy Parkway
Cortland, NY 13045
Phone: (607) 756-4198
Fax: (607) 344-0048