Yorktown VFW Lands $50K State Grant For Much Needed Upgrades

YORKTOWN, NY — Yorktown VFW Post 8328 will receive $50,000 in state grant funding for a list of facility improvements, according to New York State Sen. Pete Harckham.

The funding will support repairs and upgrades at the Yorktown veterans hall, including interior wall work, replacement windows, a new outdoor awning and a new walk-in cooler.

Harckham announced the funding for the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Yorktown and said the work is meant to address aging infrastructure that has limited use of the building. The walk-in cooler now in service dates to the 1970s, according to the announcement, and the facility has seen few major improvements in recent years.

“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served as a welcoming gathering place for veterans and the broader community for years, but aging infrastructure and outdated equipment were beginning to limit its ability to fulfill that role,” Harckham explained. “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 renovation project includes repairing and repainting interior walls, replacing aging windows, installing a new outdoor awning, and replacing the Post’s walk-in cooler. The new windows are expected to improve energy efficiency, address heating issues and help maintain compliance with building codes. The awning is also intended to give the post a more distinct identity and reduce confusion with the American Legion Post located down the street.

“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, or CREST, program. The program supports critical infrastructure improvements for nonprofit organizations and municipalities to strengthen operational efficiency, enhance resilience and improve community service.

The announcement noted that 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.