Inspiring Hope, One Grant at a Time
Some of the most meaningful ways we give back begin with a chapter we never would have chosen for ourselves.
For Stephanie and Steve Lowe, that chapter was a seven-year journey through infertility. It was filled with hope, heartbreak, difficult decisions, and the emotional and financial challenges that so many individuals and couples quietly face while trying to grow their families.
Many people in our region know Stephanie through her work as a partner at Cooley & Lowe Wealth Management and Steve as the owner and president of Valley Signs. For Stephanie, Birdies Fore Babies is part of a continued commitment to charitable and community initiatives throughout the Mohawk Valley. Her involvement reflects the kind of local leadership that reaches beyond the workplace, bringing people together around meaningful causes and offering support where it is needed most.
Both Stephanie and Steve have built careers grounded in service, but one of the most personal and meaningful ways they have given back grew from their own experience with infertility. Although their own journey did not end the way they had hoped, it led them to a new purpose.
In 2021, Stephanie and Steve founded CNY Birdies Fore Babies, a nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals and couples pursuing fertility treatment. Through financial grants, the organization helps ease the burden for those who may not have the insurance coverage or resources needed to continue their journey.
Their mission is simple: Inspire hope, one grant at a time.
Infertility is often an invisible struggle. By sharing their own story, Stephanie and Steve are helping bring greater awareness to the challenges so many people face while letting others know they are not alone.
Every grant awarded is about more than financial assistance. It represents another chance, another step forward, and the hope of building a family.
Support for Birdies Fore Babies comes from donations, sponsorships, volunteers, and the generosity of people throughout Central New York. The organization’s annual charity golf tournament has become its signature fundraiser, bringing together golfers, businesses, families, and supporters who believe in its mission.
This year’s tournament will be held Friday, September 11, 2026, at Cedar Lake Club.
For those who attend, the impact is impossible to miss. Throughout the course, signs display photographs of babies whose families received Birdies Fore Babies grants. As golfers make their way from hole to hole, they are greeted by smiling faces that serve as a powerful reminder of what generosity can make possible.
Those photos tell the story better than words ever could. They are a celebration of hope fulfilled and a tribute to the donors, sponsors, volunteers, and supporters whose kindness helped make each family’s journey possible.
“Our infertility journey didn’t end the way we had hoped, but it led us to a purpose we never expected. CNY Birdies Fore Babies is proof that hope, compassion, and community can transform heartbreak into something meaningful and help make other families’ dreams come true.” Stephanie Lowe
Stephanie and Steve know firsthand that every family’s path is different. Through Birdies Fore Babies, they have transformed their own experience into a lasting gift for others, helping hopeful parents continue their journey and reminding them that they don’t have to walk it alone.
It is a beautiful example of how compassion, perseverance, and a caring community can come together to change lives, one grant, one family, and one baby at a time.
“As recipients of the CNY Birdies Fore Babies grant, we can honestly say you changed the course of our lives. IVF made it possible for us to become parents to our incredible son, Ardi. Your generosity gave us more than financial support—it gave us the chance to build the family we had dreamed of. We are forever thankful.” – Kelli, Chris and Ardi Rimer
Every gift to CNY Birdies Fore Babies helps give an individual or couple the chance to keep moving forward on their journey to parenthood. To learn more, support the annual tournament, or make a donation, visit visit cnybirdiesforebabies.org or scan the QR code below. Your generosity could help place another smiling face along the course in the years ahead.
