Hempstead Town Awards $2.8 Million In New CARES Act Grants

HEMPSTEAD TOWN, NY — The Town of Hempstead today approved five new initiatives to give more than $2.8 million in funding to that will help support organizations impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Hempstead Town Board voted unanimously to award the money from the $133 million grant it received from the federal CARES Act to help municipalities and organizations deal with the pandemic. The programs the board voted to fund will help provide residents food and medical care.

“I’d like to once again thank Sen. Schumer for his part in securing the funding for the initiatives that continue to help the residents of America’s largest township through these unprecedented times,” said Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin. “We are grateful to be working so closely with community-based organizations that continue to utilize these resources in a creative and helpful manner to benefit residents, especially those who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The new initiatives are:

• Northwell Health will be implementing both rapid and PCR testing exclusively for first responders and essential workers who work and live in the Town of Hempstead.
• The United Way of Long Island will be investing in air filtration units in an effort to help protect hundreds of senior citizens with underlying conditions.
• The town is supporting the Long Island Federally-Qualified Health Centers (LIFQHC) in its initiative to provide COVID-19 rapid testing to all town residents, particularly in under-served communities.
• The town will also provide financial support to the Oceanside, Hewlett Bay and Franklin Square and Munson fire departments for expenses related to their responses and efforts throughout the pandemic.
• The Marion and Aaron Gural Jewish Community Center ("the JCC") in the Village of Cedarhurst will receive funding to reimburse the purchase and distribution of necessary food items to at-risk residents.