By Hank Russell
A handful of Nassau County nonprofits are waiting for the county Legislature to approve funding they are slated to receive from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) after the Rules Committee voted in favor of it. The Legislature is scheduled to vote on these grants on November 20.
The Nassau Empowerment and Support for Tomorrow (NEST) food pantry at Nassau Community College (NCC) is on track to receive a $10,000 ARPA grant. NEST is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization focused on promoting health and wellness by maintaining a free-choice food pantry that provides food, personal care items, and support services to students, employees, and families in need. Their philanthropic efforts are supported by the NCC community, Long Island Cares and Island Harvest, corporate donors, civic and religious organizations, and more.
“Last month, I had the privilege of touring NEST’s facilities at the College, and I was blown away by the passion that director Sharon Masrour and her entire team have for serving the community and honoring the dignity of their clientele,” Legislator Debra Mulé (D-Freeport) said.
The food pantry at the Roman Catholic Church of St. Christopher in Baldwin is expected to receive a $50,000 ARPA grant in support of its hunger-fighting food ministry. “During the pandemic and in its aftermath, food insecurity has been one of the most heartbreaking effects, and no community has been exempt from this challenge,” Mulé said. “For years, the food ministry at St. Christopher’s has done outstanding work to meet the needs of the Baldwin community and neighboring areas.”
The Rules Committee approved $50,000 in ARPA funding for the Freeport-based Cedarmore Corporation in support of its mission of youth enrichment and education. For more than 25 years, the Cedarmore Corporation has committed itself to educating, elevating, and empowering local youth to excel in every aspect of their lives. Spanning academics and athletics to financial and holistic wellbeing, Cedarmore provides “dynamic, cutting-edge programming designed to develop tomorrow’s leaders today” through experiential learning.
“As a father, I am keenly focused on ensuring that we equip our youth with the real-world skills that will position them to thrive in future leadership roles,” Legislator Seth I. Koslow (D-Merrick) said. “Since opening its doors, Cedarmore Corporation programs have touched the lives of more than 35,000 participants, and these ARPA funds will help them fully rebound from the pandemic and further amplify their outreach to communities they have served so well for more than a quarter of a century.”
Rising Stars Youth Foundation, also based in Freeport, is waiting for the county Legislature to approval its $100,000 grant in support of its mission of youth enrichment and education through athletics. The Rising Stars Youth Foundation seeks to change the lives of local youth and their families through team sports and education. Rising Stars is based in a state-of-the-art, 16,000-square-foot facility that hosts activities including basketball, volleyball, pickleball and more. The facility serves as a host for Rising Stars events and a universal sports hub for the greater Freeport community.
“Through my involvement in youth athletics as a coach, I have witnessed the transformative power of team sports and how it can be a vessel for imparting the values of hard work, sportsmanship, fair play and teamwork into participants,” Koslow said. “I am looking forward to working with Rising Stars as they apply these funds toward strengthening their outreach into the greater Freeport community and building upon their nearly three decades of dedication to enriching the lives of our youth and their families.”
Port Washington-based Plant a Row for the Hungry is on track to receive a $50,000 grant to support its hunger-fighting mission. Founded in 2010 by longtime resident Marvin Makofsky, Plant a Row’s mission is to “mobilize the Port Washington community to grow and distribute locally grown produce to our food-insecure families and impact climate change as it relates to growing food.” Since its inception, the organization has delivered more than 62,000 pounds of produce to food pantries in support of hundreds of needy Port Washington residents, and Plant A Row’s Outreach program has worked with various local organizations to teach children and families how to grow their own vegetables and share with those in need.
“For nearly 15 years, Plant a Row has done incredible work to fight hunger in our region and teach the community – and especially young people – about the importance of being vigilant environmental stewards,” Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D-Glen Cove) said. “These ARPA funds will give Marvin and his team a tremendous boost in the pursuit of their noble and life-affirming mission.”
The Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), a nonprofit based in Hempstead, is awaiting approval of its $50,000 grant in support of its philanthropic mission. Starting as a small soup kitchen in 1983, the INN has since grown and evolved into a regional network of soup kitchens to feed hungry Long Islanders and expanded its scope a year late to provide emergency shelter for unhoused individuals. Today, the INN operates the largest soup kitchen on Long Island, emergency shelters, a long-term housing program and a free clothing boutique and resource center.
“I have had the privilege of working closely with the INN on numerous occasions to devise innovative, comprehensive programs. One recent example is the Journey Program, which provided nutrition assistance, temporary emergency shelter and access to bilingual mental health counseling resources for dozens of Nassau’s most vulnerable residents,” Alternate Deputy Minority Leader Siela A. Bynoe (D-Merrick) said. “Their track record makes it abundantly clear they will be excellent and thoughtful stewards of these resources.”
“Born of humble roots and a desire to give back, the Interfaith Nutrition Network has grown to become a regional philanthropic leader in efforts to combat hunger, homelessness and poverty in our region,” Legislator Scott Davis (D-Rockville Centre) said. “We are blessed to have the INN based in the First Legislative District, and I know they will put these funds to tremendously good use as they continue to address these critical needs.”
Funding for the Plainview-based Mid Island Y JCC is on track to receive a $950,000 grant in support of vital programming that advances its cultural and community service missions. The mission of the Mid-Island Y JCC is to provide “vital services and foster Jewish identity, personal growth, family strength and community” and offer an array of programs and services that are open to everyone in the community serving individuals of all ages, abilities and challenges.
“Throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mid Island Y JCC was an around-the-clock community hub where Rick Lewis and his outstanding team served as a conduit for essential public health services, comfort and direction during an unprecedented crisis,” Deputy Minority Leader Arnold Drucker (D-Plainview) said. “In doing so, they expended tremendous resources, and this influx of ARPA funding will go a long way toward recouping losses and equipping them to continue serving our community.”