East End Communities Receive Grants For Local Charities

Several East End communities recently received grants totaling $50,000 for local charities from the Long Island Community Foundation and the Board of the All For the East End (AFTEE) Fund.

The communities received $2,500 each as part of the second round of grants of its Building Stronger Neighborhood Program, to support organizations serving Long Island’s East End communities of Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton, Southold, and East Hampton.

“Once again, we received an overwhelming number of proposals and it really validates the extent of the needs out on the Island’s east end,” David M. Okorn, executive director of the Foundation said. “We are proud to support this collection of organizations and feel it addresses those diverse and important set of needs within these communities.”

A total of 20 proposals were approved to support projects and programs in the fields of health and welfare, the environment, arts and culture, education, youth development, and animal welfare with input from the AFTEE Advisory Committee which included representation from each of the five East End towns.

The committee members are Laura Anker, Greg Blass, Debra Halpert, Ken Pysher, Diane Radigan, and Vince Taldone.

“I’m honored to have been a part of this program and grateful for the invaluable experience to participate with leaders and activists from these East End communities,” Laura Anker, AFTEE Advisory Committee Member and Distinguished Service Professor at SUNY Old Westbury said. “AFTEE’s Building Stronger Neighborhood Program provides an important mechanism for sharing knowledge and resources and creates the possibilities for positive change in these underserved communities.”

Details of the grants by Town can be seen below:

East Hampton:

• Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons – for a program that provides a safe haven for pets whose owners are in a period of crisis or difficulty
• Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center - to integrate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) into a summer program for children between the ages of 3 and 5
• Food Pantry Farm - to hire interns to assist with children programming and field visits to the farm  Inspirational Triathlon Racing International - for a series of hands-on family nutrition workshops
• The Retreat - To provide career guidance and financial education to survivors of domestic violence

Riverhead

• East End Arts and Humanities Council - for the creation of promotional materials to engage the Spanish-speaking Riverside community in the JumpstART program
• East End Disability Associates - for acting classes for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Hallockville Museum Farm - to provide summer camp scholarships to children from families within Riverhead’s Latino community
• Open Arms Care Center - to replenish the emergency food pantry stock
• Peconic Community Council - to provide overnight supervision at a homeless shelter

Shelter Island

• Shelter Island Historical Society - to expand an Oral History program for students
• Sylvester Manor Educational Farm - for costs associated with designing, and installing interpretative and informational signs throughout the farm

Southampton

• Children’s Museum of the East End - to host a series of family-centered art programs at four East End community organizations
• East End Hospice - to add a music therapy component to a one week bereavement summer program for children and teens
• Lucia’s Angels - to provide non-medical supportive services for women diagnosed with late stage women’s cancers
• Sag Harbor Community Food Pantry - to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables to supplement the pantry’s food stock
• Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center & Museum - to include community members in the restoration of Wikun Village and promote cultural awareness and stewardship

Southold

• Community Action Southold Town, Inc. - for the purchase of new books and toys for the Parent-Child Home program year
• Group for the East End - to organize three East End coastal cleanup projects
• Family Service League - to continue to provide mental health screenings and non-clinical interventions for elementary school children