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The aim for the money is to expand services for Jewish children, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth as well as pregnant and parenting teens.
The grants break down like this: $30,000 from the New York Community Trust DeWitt Wallace Fund for Youth to the WJCS Center Lane program and $20,000 from the Nathan Moscow Fund to aid Jewish children affected by adverse life circumstances and financial situations.
WJCS received the Moscow award for the second year in a row.
The Center Lane program will be able to help lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth with community resources and education, extending its activities to northern Westchester communities.
“We’re pleased that the new funds will make our services more accessible so that youth don’t have to travel to lower Westchester, but can go to Peekskill instead,” said Santo Barbagiovanni, director of Center Lane.
WJCS will be able to provide funding for school supplies, clothing and uniforms, camp tuition, medical and dental needs, and childcare through the Moscow grant.
“WJCS is grateful for the increased support this year, which will allow us to provide cash assistance to Jewish children with acute needs,” said Sherry Birnbaum, director of the Center for Jewish Programs at WJCS.
The Dammann grant of $2,500 adds to $15,000 given over the past three years towards the WJCS Young People Achieve! program to teach parenting skills, pregnancy avoidance and health education to more than 80 young women last year.
The fund was founded in 1946 by Milton Dammann, making grants in the areas of mental health and teen parenthood.
For more information on WJCS and affiliated programs, go online to www.wjcs.com.
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