October 2017 grants made






The Westchester Community Foundation has announced grant awards totaling $677,000 to address a broad range of needs in the county. The Foundation confirmed its commitment to building a strong economy in Westchester through a system that matches employer needs with a skilled workforce.
It has commissioned a comprehensive report from JobFirstNYC on the opportunities for out-of-work young adults in Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle. It has renewed its commitments to the White Plains Education and Training Center so that it can continue to build employer partnerships in the medical, technology and culinary sectors, and to Westhab, to provide post-employment support to graduates of a workforce readiness program.
“A strong economy begins with a skilled workforce that means the needs of today’s employers,” notes Laura Rossi, the Foundation’s Executive Director. “The Foundation is committed to ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to contribute to the region’s growth.”
City of White Plains, for an education and workforce training program in White Plains, $100,000
Community Center of Northern Westchester, to provide food to hungry Ossining residents, $15,000
Community Resource Center, to help low-income immigrant families become self-sufficient, $35,000
Community Voices Heard, to engage low-income residents in advocating for improved housing conditions, $30,000
EarthLinks, to support a job development program for both former and current homeless individuals, $10,000
El Centro Hispano, to help low income immigrant families become self-sufficient, $15,000
Family Services of Westchester, to provide ex-offenders who are mothers with parenting classes and job training services, $15,000
Foundation for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, to support college trips and SAT prep classes for needy Tarrytown juniors, $10,000
Hudson Valley Justice Center, to provide legal counseling and representation to low-wage workers who are victims of workplace abuse, $25,000
Jacob Burns Film Center, to support a series of documentary films and panel discussions on topics of local interest called “Community Matters,” $12,000
JobsFirstNYC, to create employment opportunities for youth in Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle, $65,000
New York Immigration Coalition, to expand access to driver’s licenses for residents who do not have a social security number, $20,000
Ossining Union Free School District, to support a leadership program for immigrant parents, $30,000
Power Inspires Progress, to support a year-long pre-employment job training program for individuals with multiple barriers to stable employment, $10,000
Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, to support a family literacy program for immigrants living in Tarrytown, $20,000
Sarah Lawrence CURB at Beczak, to advance water protection in the Lower Hudson Valley watersheds through water quality testing, $30,000
Strategies for Change Now, to facilitate the Nonprofit CEO Learning Lab, $40,000
Strength in Numbers Consulting Group Inc., to conduct a needs assessment for the LGBT community in Westchester County, $35,000
Tarrytown Music Hall, to support free and low-cost family-friendly concerts in Tarrytown, $15,000
Westchester Green Business Challenge, to expand membership in a certification program that promotes environmentally sustainable business practices, $25,000
Westchester Jewish Community Services, to provide emergency cash assistance to support the basic needs of poor Jewish youth, $20,000
Westchester Jewish Community Services, to provide support services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in Westchester County, $30,000
Westchester Philharmonic, to support community concerts and classroom education programs on the life of Ludwig van Beethoven, $20,000
Westhab, to provide extended post-employment support to graduates of a workforce development program, $50,000