FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Laura Rossi
(914) 948-5166 ext. 3 | lrossi@thenytrust.org
Peter Panepento
(202) 531-3886 | peter@turn-two.co
NEW YORK, NY (July 10, 2024) – The New York Community Trust today announced $1,150,000 in new grants to 17 nonprofits working to meet Westchester County’s pressing needs, from engaging future voters in civic education to developing green infrastructure that will reduce flooding and address extreme heat.
With these latest grants, The Trust’s Westchester office has delivered $1.8 million so far this year to support nonprofits working to create a healthier and more equitable county. The grants are fueled by the generosity of hundreds of donors who have established permanent funds to benefit Westchester.
“We’re grateful to donors like Harry Mortimer, who established a fund to support Native American youth,” said Laura Rossi, The Trust’s executive director for Westchester. “A grant from his fund will help launch a program to provide learning, healing, and personal growth for Stockbridge-Munsee young people.”
Several other grants also support brighter futures for Westchester’s young people. A grant to Generation Citizen will engage and educate future voters in Peekskill and Tarrytown schools, and a grant to Westhab will help young people with justice involvement resolve errors on their rap sheets, understand their rights, and deal successfully with challenging job interview questions related to their past experiences.
To help connect young people with jobs and address the shortage in child care workers, a grant to Yonkers Montessori Academy will prepare high school students to work in early childhood education and child care.
Grants totaling more than $400,000 will be invested in green infrastructure projects and job training through grantees Soulful Synergy and Groundwork Hudson Valley, helping Westchester prepare to mitigate the impacts of climate change as the county swelters through what is predicted to be the hottest summer on record in New York State.
Other newly announced grants include support for access to health services for Westchester’s transgender and gender nonconforming community, arts and music events in the Rivertowns, and a leadership program for immigrant parents.
As New York’s community foundation, The Trust brings together the contributions of donors past and present to address the region’s immediate challenges and advance long-term systemic change, while honoring the charitable goals of donors.
The following is a list of the grants announced today. Longer descriptions of the programs supported are available upon request.
Health
The Loft: The Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center: $30,000 to expand access to health services for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.
Youth Development
914 United: $50,000 to help young adults exiting Westchester County Department of Corrections plan for their education and reentry.
Westhab: $45,000 to help justice-involved youth correct errors on their RAP sheets.
Aisling Irish Community Center: $40,000 to involve young people in leadership training, study abroad, and community service.
Alliance for a Viable Future: $25,000 to provide cultural and leadership programming for Native American youth.
MVP Basketball Camp: $2,000 to help five boys from Port Chester attend summer basketball camp.
Public Schools of the Tarrytowns: $5,000 for a summer youth employment program in Tarrytown.
Community Development
Council on American-Islamic Relations of New York (CAIR): $60,000 to provide civic education and legal support for Westchester’s Muslim community.
Civic Affairs
Family Society of Yonkers: $60,000 to advocate for affordable housing policies that benefit kinship families.
Generation Citizen: $60,000 to provide civic engagement lessons and advocacy experience to students in Peekskill and Tarrytown.
Public Schools of the Tarrytowns: $70,000 to support a leadership program for immigrant parents.
Release Aging People in Prison Campaign (RAPP): $100,000 to advocate for the release of elderly prisoners.
Conservation and Environment
Groundwork Hudson Valley: $150,000 to reduce flooding and address extreme heat in Southwest Yonkers through green infrastructure.
Arts and Culture
Rivertowns Arts Council: $10,000 to increase access to public arts programs along the Rivertowns and to support a German music concert.
Social Services
The Bridge Fund of New York: $50,000 to help low-income families in Westchester secure housing and increase their income.
Jobs and Workforce Development/ Education
Yonkers Montessori Academy: $150,000 to prepare high school students to work in early childhood education and child care.
Soulful Synergy: $250,000 for a green building and clean energy workforce training program.
About The New York Community Trust
As New York’s largest community foundation, The New York Community Trust fosters and engages in enduring and innovative philanthropy, making grants that bring together the diverse, local knowledge and expertise of its team, nonprofits, and partners to help donors fulfill their vision for the causes they love. From education and the arts to health care and the environment, The New York Community Trust seeks to improve every aspect of the cultural and civic life of New York City, Long Island, and Westchester. The New York Community Trust celebrates 100 years of impact and looks forward to the next 100 years of improving life for New Yorkers. This is philanthropy for New Yorkers, by New Yorkers.
