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Home » Valentine's Day » Penn Yan Theatre Company gets $5,000 grant from Yates Emergency Relief Fund

Penn Yan Theatre Company gets $5,000 grant from Yates Emergency Relief Fund

The Penn Yan Theatre Company will get some help paying for programming and administrative costs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

They were awarded a $5,000 grant from the Yates Community Endowment’s Yates Emergency Relief Fund.

“We are very thankful to have received this generous grant award to continue our programming efforts despite the ongoing health crisis,” states Dusty Baker, PYTCo President. “Last year was challenging for the entire performing arts community, but we came together to find a way to make something happen. This grant will allow us to continue to explore virtual programming options as we continue to navigate these new waters and take those programs to the next level.”

The Emergency Relief Fund was established at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to provide emergency, recovery, and resiliency funding throughout Yates County. More than $150,000 was raised from individuals, families, businesses and other organizations and, to date, 29 grants totaling $136,000 have been distributed.


The Yates Community Endowment is under the guidance of an all-volunteer, all-local advisory board and a geographic affiliate of Rochester Area Community Foundation. Since its beginning in 2011, the Endowment has distributed more than $700,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations serving Yates County. These grants have provided scholarships for Yates County youth to attend summer camp, helped with disaster relief efforts after the flood in 2014, assisted in the creation of the HOPE Center, and connected people in need with programs to help improve their lives.

PYTCo is a non-profit organization that provides performing arts entertainment and education to the area. They are also working to revitalize the historic Sampson Theatre on East Elm Street. To learn more about PYTCo or the Sampson Theatre or to donate to the organization, visit www.pytco.org.