Carrie Narrow, former Cortland ReUse Executive Director, Moves on to Executive Director of the YWCA

Lily Byrne, X101 News:

Carrie Narrow, who spent four years at Cortland ReUse, is now bringing her expertise to her role as Executive Director of the Cortland YWCA.

Narrow, a native of Norwich and graduate of SUNY Binghamton, succeeded Kelly Tobin in the role at the beginning of September. The public is welcome to meet Narrow and say their goodbyes to Tobin at the YWCA’s Transitions and Tomorrow event, which is 4-6 p.m. on Nov. 12.

“I am just absolutely excited,” Narrow said. “It’s the longevity and loyalty of everybody here… At least half our childcare staff has been here for 10, 15, 20, 30 years; in an industry that has tons of turnover.”

She is also excited for Chefs Take a Stand, which is October 7 at The Lookout at Hope Lake Lodge in Virgil. It is the YWCA’s biggest fundraiser of the year for Aid to Victims of Violence, which provides services to victims of violence, rape, sexual assault and other crimes.

“The YWCA has been here over 100 years, so I’m mostly excited to continue to support the mission: ending racism and supporting victims of violence,” Narrow said. “We have the most robust trifecta of programs. The childcare, the Aid to Victims of Violence, and our wellness. All I can do is continue to support the quality of all of them, and promote women empowerment.”

The YWCA’s Aid to Victims of Violence is one of the best in Upstate New York, she said. As far as childcare goes, they plan to grow current programming, while having scholarships available for it, she said.

“Cortland residents are well-aware of the significant shortages in local childcare recently, and the recent initiatives in town with the CNY Community Foundation funding and the Parker School and SUNY issues,” Narrow said. “Myself and the team are most excited to continue to support how we can.”

Narrow is still helping out at Cortland ReUse every week, and shopping there every other day. She will likely join their board once she is settled at the YWCA, she said. All the projects she and the ReUse team have been working so hard are really coming to fruition right now, she said.

“I’m just excited that I get to grow with the organization and all of these programs,” Narrow said about the YWCA. “I’m really excited to work a lot with minority groups of women. The women on this board are so empowering. It’s the most intellectual group of out-of-the-box thinkers.”