New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced today he has secured $50,000 in state grant funding for the Yorktown Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8328 to complete a series of facility improvements.
The renovation project includes repairing and repainting interior walls, replacing aging windows, installing a new outdoor awning, and replacing the Post’s walk-in cooler, which has been in service since the 1970s.
“The Yorktown VFW has served as a welcoming gathering place for veterans and the broader community for years, but aging infrastructure and outdated equipment were beginning to limit its ability to fulfill that role,” said Harckham. “These improvements will ensure that local veterans will continue to have access to a reliable and comfortable space where they can gather, organize, and remain actively engaged in serving the community.”
The upgrades will address several longstanding needs at a facility that has seen few major improvements in recent years.
The new windows will improve energy efficiency, address heating issues, and help maintain compliance with building codes. The addition of an outdoor awning will enhance the building’s appearance while creating a more distinct identity for the VFW Post, reducing confusion with the American Legion Post located down the street. A new walk-in cooler will provide safe, reliable food storage to support events, community functions, and other activities hosted by the Post.
“On behalf of everyone at Yorktown VFW Post 8328, we are extremely grateful to Senator Harckham for securing this critical funding,” said Post Commander Alex Mandarra. “These improvements will address issues we have been experiencing for years and allow us to use the facility to its fullest extent to remain a dependable community institution for years to come.”
Funding for the project was provided through the Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology (CREST) program, which supports critical infrastructure improvements for nonprofit organizations and municipalities. The program helps recipients strengthen operational efficiency, enhance resilience, and better serve their communities.
Since taking office in 2019, Harckham has secured more than $40 million in capital funding for towns, cities, villages, schools, and nonprofit organizations throughout New York State Senate District 40.
