Westchester Community Foundation Awards 22 Grants
(Hartsdale, NY—July 11, 2023) The Westchester Community Foundation has awarded $596,000 to 22 nonprofits, providing support for the arts, environmental protection, and young people.
Among the grants are support to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) to expand its reach to members of Westchester’s Muslim community by providing outreach, civic engagement, and legal services.
“While some examples of injustice toward Muslim Americans are high-profile, particularly hate-crimes, many Muslim New Yorkers endure less visible discrimination and injustice as part of their daily lives,” notes Sarah Jones-Maturo, Board Chair of the Foundation. “Muslims encounter bullying at school or work, racial or religious profiling by law enforcement, undue burdens in the immigration process, and obstacles to travel. Our grant will help Westchester’s Muslim residents get information on their civil rights, access to legal services when their rights have been violated, and opportunities for civic engagement.”
Following is the complete list of grants awarded:
914 United — to help young adults exiting Westchester County Department of Correction plan for their education and reentry.
Action Center Inc. dba Energy Justice Network — to lead a campaign to eliminate county reliance on incinerating solid waste.
African American Men of Westchester — for a scholarship program in honor of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Aisling Irish Community Center — to engage students in a leadership program that builds personal and practical skills.
Catholic Charities Community Services Archdiocese of New York — to increase the availability of immigration legal services.
Council on American-Islamic Relations of New York (CAIR-NY) — to provide civic education and legal support to members of Westchester’s Muslim community.
Dutchess County Pride Center — to create a series of educational workshops, as advised by the Youth Board, on issues relating to transgender youth.
Family Service Society of Yonkers — to advocate for affordable housing policies that benefit kinship caregivers.
Films on Purpose — to support a community film series focused on exploration of critical, current issues and social activism.
Fine Arts Orchestral Society of Yonkers — for a free concert featuring the works of Beethoven.
Generation Citizen — to provide civic engagement lessons and advocacy experience to high school and middle school students in Peekskill, Ossining, and Tarrytown.
Hoff-Barthelson Music School — to support instruction in and performance of German music during week-long music festivals in 2024 and 2025.
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival — to support fellowships for five emerging actors.
MVP Basketball Camp — to help homeless boys from White Plains attend summer basketball camp.
New York Transgender Advocacy Group — to relaunch its Youth Advocacy Fellowship Program, a 6-month leadership development program for TGNCNBI youth. NYTAG will provide training, mentorship, and skill-building opportunities to 12 youth ages 16-25 from Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties.
Resilia — to offer individualized technical assistance and wraparound support to grantees.
Riverkeeper, Inc. — to coordinate a countywide campaign for sewer consolidation.
Taconic Opera, Inc. — for three performances of Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss.
The Hudson Independent — to support a series of Tarrytown-focused stories in the Hudson Independent.
Union Free School District of the Tarrytowns — for a summer youth employment program in Tarrytown.
Westchester Community College Foundation — to provide scholarships to students attending Westchester Community College.
Westchester Jewish Community Services — to build on Center Lane’s Gender Euphoria program, which focuses on aspects of gender dysphoria.