COCOA House Website | Donation Link | Video Introduction | The Why

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Senior captain Josh Kosack of the Union College men's hockey team announced the second annual Kozi's Kids holiday fundraiser to benefit local Schenectady children.

Kozi's Kids was founded two years ago by Kosack in an effort to give children from C.O.C.O.A. House (Children of our Community Open to Achievement) the opportunity to attend Union men's hockey games. The non-profit after-school center for local Schenectady youth is dedicated to providing a safe place for inner-city youth, where they can learn valuable life skills, academic enrichment, and mentorship.  

When the pandemic forced Kozi's Kids to pivot its focus last year, Kosack initiated a holiday fundraising campaign that far exceeded his modest goal and raised over $5,000. The money was used for laptops and iPads for C.O.C.O.A. House that assisted the after-school program's participants with online learning, as well as for Christmas presents distributed to kids in the Tri-City area.

Kosack has once again partnered with Will Rivas, the Executive Director of C.O.C.O.A. House, to launch this year's campaign. The non-profit is expanding to a second building next door, which will create another space for youth to learn and grow. Plans for the second building include a Kozi's Kids Lounge, study rooms, and a state-of-the-art entrepreneurial space equipped with laptops, desktops, and expanded resources.

This year's fundraising goal is $20,000, with the money being put towards the Kozi's Kids Lounge and Christmas presents for local children. A generous donor has pledged to match up to $10,000 in an effort to help reach this year's goal.

C.O.C.O.A. House was founded in 1996 by Union student and Schenectady native Rachel Graham '98 in an effort to create a program that promoted academic success and opportunities for at-risk youth. Starting in the basement of a local church, C.O.C.O.A. House currently operates out of its own facility in Hamilton Hills.