State Assemblymember Dana Levenberg recently awarded $300,000 from funds secured in the most recent state budget to thirteen organizations in Assembly District 95. The grant recipients are:
- Bethany Arts Community for their youth arts programming ($35,000)
- Carnegie Hall for the Musical Connections program they facilitate with Sing Sing ($35,000)
- The Ossining MicroFund for non-loan programming costs ($15,000)
- Project Ready of Ossining & Briarcliff for vocational training and community inclusion programs for youth with developmental disabilities ($25,000)
- Black Diamonds in Peekskill for their college tour program ($20,000)
- The John C. Hart Library in Shrub Oak for their Library of Things ($25,000)
- The Buchanan Fire Department for brush suits ($20,000)
- Homeless Remedies Inc. of Peekskill for their JOBS training program, transportation and materials ($20,000)
- The Blue Card for their retreat program for Holocaust survivors ($20,000)
- Guardian Revival for their peer-to-peer support training program for first responders ($15,000)
- Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic for Putnam County Reproductive Health Coalition programming ($10,000)
- Clearwater for their Hudson River Environmental Education Program ($35,000)
- The Town of Philipstown for their composting program ($25,000)
The grants are intended to help defray the cost of projects that will help grantees better serve their surrounding communities. Of the awards, Levenberg said: “I’m proud to support these worthy projects with state funding. Each will contribute in its own way to the vibrancy of the 95th Assembly District. I look forward to seeing the innovative programming that these investments will help make possible.”
Bethany Arts Community Executive Director Bonnie Bradley said, “Bethany Arts Community is tremendously grateful for this incredible $35,000 award in support of our Youth Arts Programming made possible by Assemblymember Dana Levenberg and the New York State Legislature! This much needed funding will support a wide range of Youth Arts Programming at Bethany Arts Community and provide greater access to the arts for youth in our district. BAC Youth Arts programming includes: our annual Teen Arts Residency, Bethany Kids CREATE Saturdays, afterschool workshops, Bethany Kids CREATE Summer program, and our annual community arts festivals. More than half of our local population includes youth with economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and it is our priority to keep our programs accessible by removing barriers to entry in all ways possible.”
Carnegie Hall Chief Education Officer Sarah Johnson said, “Carnegie Hall is grateful to Assemblymember Levenberg for funding re-entry support, which is an essential part of our Musical Connections program. We are proud to support the men who have participated in the Hall’s musical residency at Sing Sing as they transition home. This funding helps ensure that they continue to have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.”
Buchanan Engine Company #1 First Assistant Chief Kieran Outhouse said, “This funding will help ensure our firefighters have the specialized protective equipment they need to safely respond to brush and wildland fires. We thank Assemblymember Levenberg for her support of Buchanan’s volunteer firefighters and her investment in the safety of both our members and the Village of Buchanan.”
Ossining MicroFund Board President Jennifer Molinoff said, “The Ossining Micro Fund is deeply grateful to Assemblymember Dana Levenberg for her support of our organization’s long-term sustainability through a capacity-building grant. This investment will strengthen our ability to serve working families facing financial emergencies by enhancing our organizational infrastructure, expanding community partnerships, improving volunteer coordination, and increasing support for borrowers beyond the loan itself. Thanks to this grant, we will build a stronger organization that will continue to help families for many years to come.
