NBT Bank Commits $100,000 to ICAN’s New Family Resource Center and Children’s Museum

The $100,000 gift contributes to the overall project total of $14 million, which includes site improvements, museum exhibit design and the addition of a rotunda—a signature architectural element on the south side of the building at 106 Memorial Parkway, Utica. This gift includes the naming opportunity for The Meeting Place, a dedicated area located in the glass rotunda that will welcome school groups and many other visitors. It is a space where groups can orient themselves, parents can relax and watch their children play in the climber and which serves as a starting/ending destination for the Children’s Museum experience. Movable tables and chairs will make this space very versatile and can host museum programming, activities, events and more. 

Regional President David Kavney said, “Beyond professional duties, we at NBT take our role as a community bank seriously and believe that it is also our responsibility to serve the communities in which we live. That is why we’re honored to support ICAN’s new family resource center and the evolution of the Children’s Museum, a beloved regional asset.”

ICAN CEO/Executive Director Steven Bulger added, “A project of this magnitude, with such great impact for our region’s children and families, takes bold and significant support from our partners. NBT Bank has risen to the occasion and we are literally seeing their contribution at work right now as construction on the rotunda and The Meeting Place is in full swing.”

The Family Resource Center will unite two of our region’s greatest assets: ICAN’s youth and family programs and the Utica Children’s Museum. A hub for learning, wellness, connectedness and FUN, this will be the first time that a children’s museum is co-located and partnered with a human services non-profit.

ICAN staff moved into the new building in early September. Supervised Visitation, Healthy Families, Nurturing Parenting, Community Education and Training, and School Based Programs are housed on the first floor. Administrative departments – Human Resources, Finance, Marketing and Development, Quality Improvement, Strategic Planning and IT – provide shared services to ICAN and the Children’s Museum on the third floor.

The new museum will be located on the second floor and in the rotunda of the Family Resource Center. It will provide a space and be a catalyst for post-pandemic healing for all and will offer needed socialization, connection and joy as well as hands-on educational experiences aligned with school curricula to help students get back on track after an extended loss of learning. Close to the Parkway Recreational Center, Val Bialas Ski Center, Utica Zoo and the John S. Dyson New York Energy Zone, the museum will enhance this family-friendly district of the city. Regional and national experts are assisting with the project from architecture and conceptualization to creation of museum exhibits and ensuring Universal Design principles are integrated.

NBT Bank offers personal banking, business banking and wealth management services from locations in seven states, including New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut. The bank and its parent company, NBT Bancorp., are headquartered in Norwich, NY. NBT Bancorp had assets of $11.64 billion as of September 30, 2022 and is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol NBTB. More information about NBT is available online at www.nbtbank.com. Member FDIC.