The Peacemaker Program Inc. was founded in 1994 to respond to a growing community need for juvenile delinquency prevention and conflict resolution services.

     In 1995, the agency brought the state and nationally affiliated Court Appointed Special Advocate Program for abused and neglected children to Oneida and Herkimer Counties.

     In 2001, the agency became the designated dispute resolution center for Oneida County, by the New York State Unified Court System. Through the past 10 years, Peacemaker has added many new specialty programs around the areas of advocating for vulnerable children, and dispute resolution (with businesses, families and the community.) We now host more than 30 programs.

     In 2005, we served nearly 1,700 individuals in the Mohawk Valley and had more than 300 volunteers.

     Expansion of the Surrogate Decision Making Committee Program (SDMC). SDMC is a program that provides medical advocacy for adults with mental and physical disabilities who cannot make decisions on their own behalf and have no family member to do so. The Peacemaker Program administers hearings staffed by panels of volunteers who determine if the requested procedure is the best interest of the client. In November, expanded reach from eight to a total of 14 counties with the addition of: Tompkins, Chenango, Tioga, Broome, Delaware and Otsego.

     The agency strategic plan for 2007 includes opening a Herkimer satellite office, strengthening the Web presence and developing divorce mediation and parent education programs, as well as to continue fund-raising efforts through the annual Come to the Table event held in March, and Glow Golf Tournament in July.

     Challenges include finding donors and funding to support both on-going programs and expansion efforts.