Billy Crystal to Help Fund New Long Beach Training Program

LONG BEACH, NY - The City of Long Beach and the Family and Children's Association announced they will be offering a new training program for young adults in Long Beach using a grant funded by actor Billy Crystal.

The program, Long Beach Ladders to Success, will be designed to help residents between the ages of 16 and 24 get "on their feet" by providing career coaching and job placement services that will be administered by the FCA.

“This mentoring and job placement program will go a long way in helping our residents who are not just looking to find work, but to chart a career path” City Manager Jack Schnirman said. “Our community development team is engaging members of our community to identify opportunities and policy solutions through various means, including the Empower North Park initiative which aims to alleviate barriers and expand opportunities for our residents.”

The grant supporting this program was provided by Crystal, a Long Beach native, and his wife Janice. The funds will be used specifically to provide local young adults with the skills they need to enter the workforce through vocational education, career coaching, case management, transitional housing, and financial literacy education.

“When Jack Schnirman told us about this opportunity, Janice and I were excited to get involved,” Crystal said. “We have seen firsthand the power that mentoring can have on young people’s lives, and this program can truly help those who need it the most.”

In addition, there will be a variety of clinical/counseling programs through the partnerships FCA has with local universities, trade schools and progressive employers.

The program will be based at the Long Beach MLK Community Center on 615 Riverside Boulevard.

“It’s no secret that Long Beach was hit very hard, and still continues to struggle in the aftermath of the devastating storm," FCA President/CEO Jeffrey Reynolds said. "We are honored and delighted to partner with the key stakeholders in Long Beach as we move forward to improve the lives of Nassau County’s most vulnerable families.”

For more information about the program, contact Donna Raphael, Director of Youth Services/Community Relations, at (516) 486-7690 ext. 1.