LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
Samaritan Daytop Village received more than $630K in grant awards from the New York City Council and the New York State Assembly for FY2024. Legislative appropriations support current services and enhance the client experience across our network of programs.
In gratitude for their generosity, we are highlighting each of these grant awards:
Opioid Prevention and Treatment Initiative - $50,000
Sponsor: Speaker Adrienne Adams and Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala
Thanks to members of the NYC Council and Speaker Adrienne Adams, we received $50K in funding from the Council’s Opioid Prevention and Treatment initiative. The award will fund our community Narcan training program for the fourth consecutive year. PARC (Peer Alliance Recovery Center) in Queens and the Bronx runs the Narcan training virtually. With these funds, PARC’s Harm Reduction Outreach teams can take the training to high-risk neighborhoods in the boroughs they serve.
Young Mothers Program - $29,000 (combined)
Sponsor: Council Member Shaun Abreu and the Manhattan Delegation
The Young Mothers Program in Manhattan received two New York City Council grants to expand our current list of trauma-informed services for pre- and post-natal moms in treatment. Council Member Shaun Abreu helped secure $19K in funding while the Council’s Manhattan Delegation added another $10K.
Mental Health Services for Vulnerable Populations - $100,000
Sponsor: Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council Member Julie Won
Speaker Adrienne Adams sponsored a $100K grant to create an Afterschool Zone at our Belt Park Family Residence in Queens. The Afterschool Zone offers children at the family residence a quiet space to complete their homework, relax, and study. The grant will fund the cost of building the space, as well as purchasing school equipment, computer stations, educational materials, and supplies for the children. This grant was subsequently reallocated to support both the Belt Park and Delight Stay Hotel Family Residences as a result of Councilmember Julie Won's advocacy. The funds will be used to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to the families at the two locations.
Health & Wellness Fairs - $5,000
Sponsor: Council Member Althea Stevens
Council Member Althea Stevens sponsored a $5K grant to help us create Health and Wellness Workshops at the Highbridge Residential Treatment Program in the Bronx. With the funds, we will also hold our Highbridge Health Fair alongside the 12th Annual Kalief William Basketball Tournament, which we are hosting again this year.
Trauma-Informed Waiting Room for the Staten Island Outpatient Program - $5,000
Sponsor: Council Member Kamilla Hanks
The Staten Island Outpatient Treatment Program received $5,000 to create a trauma-informed waiting room, a calming oasis for new and returning clients alike. Features will include natural lighting, comfortable seating, warm colors, plants, new signage, soft background music, and aromatherapy. We thank Council Member Kamilla Hanks for helping secure the funding.
Times Square Family Residence Afterschool Zone - $10,000
Sponsor: Council Member Keith Powers
Council Member Keith Powers secured $10K in funding to create an Afterschool Zone at our Times Square Family Residence in Manhattan. The space will increase academic support, offer much-needed school supplies, and provide a quiet space where school-aged residents can study and do homework.
Boulevard Family Residence Afterschool Zone - $50,000
Sponsor: Council Member Shekar Krishnan
The Boulevard Family Residence in Queens received a $50K grant, with Council Member Shekar Krishnan's support, to continue operating the on-site Afterschool Zone. As a quiet space for schoolchildren, Boulevard’s Afterschool Zone has helped increase the children’s academic performance and attendance levels. Because of its positive impact, the space will serve as a model for similar Afterschool Zones we are building at two other family residences.
Support Our Older Adults / Woodside Older Adult Center - $36,000 (combined)
Sponsor: Council Member Julie Won
Thanks to Council Member Julie Won for sponsoring two grant requests totaling $36,000. The discretionary funds will extend our current slate of programs and services at the Woodside Senior Center. We will continue to offer members a range of health and wellness classes such as yoga and physical fitness, trips, and outings. In addition, our staff will have the funds needed to continue providing nutritious, low-cost meals at the center and to homebound senior members.
Mental Health Services for Veterans - $96,000
Sponsor: Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council Member Robert Holden
Our Veterans Programs was awarded $96K by Council Member Robert Holden and the NYC Council’s Manhattan and Queens Delegations. The awarded funds were granted under the Mental Health Services for Veterans initiative. The dollars will support our Veteran Sober Engagement Program, which introduces veterans to sober activities and hobbies that promote wellness and community. We will also use the funds to host Family Day picnics and events, as well as the annual pilgrimage to national military monuments and parks in Washington, DC.
Belt-Park Family Residence - $250,000 (Capital funding)
Sponsor: Assembly Member Vivian E. Cook
The New York State Assembly awarded $250,000 in capital funding to the Belt Park Family Residence. The funding request was sponsored by Assembly Member Vivian E. Cook. With the funds, we will modernize the existing Outdoor Learning Playground and create an Afterschool Zone to offer relaxed, safe spaces where the children can exercise, play, and learn with their peers. In addition, both spaces will serve as social-emotional resources where kids can feel empowered, discover, and explore new interests. Plans are to integrate new environmentally friendly materials and developmentally appropriate activities into the playground. The study area will include a computer station with five laptops and a new library offering a wide range of books, magazines, and educational materials for school-aged children.
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To donate funds that will further enhance the services we provide our program clients, contact the Development team at Samaritan Daytop Foundation at (718) 206-2000 or email development@samaritanvillage.org.