Ithaca is Community
Simply put, this site was created to help Ithacans find what they’re looking for.
Our Vision
Ithaca.Community strives to cultivate a sense of belonging and inclusion amongst all of Ithaca’s diverse residents. “Ithaca is Gorges” is the motto of our city, and we believe all Ithacans should have access to the many things that make this region a beautiful place to live. Through information and advocacy, we encourage local businesses and landmarks to consider the needs of varied populations, so all residents and visitors can enjoy the perks this city has to offer.
Our Mission
Our mission is to support members of the Ithaca community as they explore what they love most about the region, and to help problem-solve solutions for inequities that prevent access.
We encourage businesses and not-for-profit organizations to listen to the wants and needs of our diverse community in order to cultivate a community where all feel they are thriving and living their best life. By providing resources to the members of the Ithaca Community, we hope individuals feel empowered to make well-informed decisions to meet their individual and family needs.
What does community in Ithaca mean to you?
Weigh in & help us expand this site
We would like to hear from you, how you spend your time exploring the city and places you may have not yet conquered and hope to. We hope that you share with us what keeps you from trying new places and what you look for in new adventures that you take on in the city.
Our goals for this website
1
To empower individuals & families with the info & resources they need to explore our community
2
To support our local businesses, parks, and attractions by making it easier for people to find out about them
3
To encourage local businesses to make choices that benefit Ithaca’s diverse populations
Core Values
Our leadership team works to ensure that our platform:
- Helps individuals and families find resources and activities that meet their needs
- Highlights resources in town that bring people together
- Reflects the diversity of Ithaca through words, imagery, and content
- Gives a voice to traditionally underrepresented groups
- Encourages local establishments to consider family-friendly and accessibility features
- Brings different groups of people together in a positive, collaborative way
- Showcases our community and our local businesses in a way that encourages community exploration
- Continues to evolve through feedback and collaborative introspection
We will not promote or tolerate:
- Organizations or groups that work to divide the community
- Hateful speech or imagery
- Spaces where community members are not safe or have a history of not being safe
The Ithaca.Community Team
This site was created by 4 local moms who think it should be easier to find stuff in Ithaca.
Mariellen VanDyke Brown
She / Her / Hers
Coder / designer
Nicole LaFave
She / Her / Hers
Business development
Laura Vineyard
She / Her / Hers
Writer / editor
Casey Verderosa
She / Her / Hers
Writer / editor
Partners & Sponsors
Thank you to Visions Federal Credit Union for sponsoring Ithaca.Community! Visions is a member-owned and community-focused bank that plans to open an Ithaca branch in 2020. Sponsorships like this help keep Ithaca.Community running and we are grateful for this generous support!
The inspiration behind Ithaca.Community
Ithaca.Community has been floating around in my head since 2012, the year my son was born & when I began to teach prenatal yoga.
I found it difficult to sift through internet search results when looking for family-friendly places to go with a baby/dog/grandparents/etc. I recognized that other moms felt the same way, as my prenatal yoga classes turned into recommendation & support sessions for moms-to-be.
As I worked with Nicole to develop the website with families in mind, I realized that the ability to search for places to go in town according to features (free parking, accessible, nursing area, etc.) is something that all Ithacans can benefit from, not just those who have babies and kids in tow.
Our team is adding new listings, categories, and features each week. We’re excited & interested to see how this site evolves over time, and how we can make it even easier for Ithacans to find the info they need.
Our goal for this website is to equip individuals & families with enough info that they feel comfortable trying out new places in town. I hope it’s helpful for you! If you have ideas or would like to be involved, please send us a message.
– Mariellen