Long Island Community Foundation gives $937,500 in grants to 34 nonprofits

The Long Island Community Foundation awarded $937,500 in grants to 34 nonprofit organizations this week, bringing the total given to Long Island groups this year to more than $3.3 million.

Organizers said the third round of grants awarded this week help multiple causes including career development for Black, Latino and disabled students; $60,000 for the North Shore Animal League to rescue dogs from puppy mills and other grants to improve infant safety, programs at children’s museums and $40,000 to protect land in the pine barrens of Long Island.

The community foundation awards competitive grants for a wide range of causes including protecting the environment and drinking water and other social programs, said Marie Smith, the foundation’s director of donor relations and communications.

The foundation is supported by donations from individuals, families and businesses.

“These grants are made possible by generations of Long Islanders who have included the Long Island Community Foundation in their wills, as well as recent contributors to our work. The foundation is committed to responding to emerging needs throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties to improve the quality of life for all Long Islanders," said David M. Okorn, executive director of the foundation.

Among the grants was $50,000 to Cohen Children’s Medical Center to fund a baby safety program to reduce the risk of infant injuries.

The grant funds the hospital’s Think First program and a curriculum, said Jillian Savino, injury prevention manager at the hospital, which serves as a Level 1 pediatric trauma center.

 Falls are the leading injury in babies under 1-year-old and most commonly are off a bed, Savino said.

The parenting instruction started as a pilot program and the grant will fund the hiring of a bilingual health educator to expand the program in Spanish.

The grant will also help provide supplies to families such as car seats, pack and plays and thermometers to families experiencing homelessness or  otherwise in need.

“The most important part is offering education and breaking down barriers for families to reduce health disparities and distribute products based on need,” Savino said.

The foundation allocated a number of grants for education programs to prepare students for college and workplace training, Smith said.

Among the grants, the Long Island Children’s Museum received $25,000 for its STEM program for students in the Westbury Union Free School District.

The museum partners with the district’s elementary schools to bring students to the museum where they learn about science in an effort to cement the students as lifelong learners. Previously, the partnership only included first- and second-grade students, but this year the district and museum expanded the program to include third-graders and special education students.

The program is free for the district and also includes a museum membership for each student’s family.

From November to June, students leave their classroom behind once a week when the museum is closed to the public to immerse themselves in science, technology, engineering and math. There, museum educators and the students' teachers collaborate to introduce the students to experiential learning, where they learn by doing hands-on activities.

The community foundation also awarded a $50,000 grant for veteran mental health, including $25,000 for legal assistance to veterans struggling with mental health.

The Mental Health Association of Nassau County received $25,000 in funding from the LICF to help veterans and their families adjust to civilian life.

The association created the Veterans Health Alliance, a conglomerate of organizations that provide a “one-stop shop” for veterans, said executive director Jeffrey McQueen. The funds from the community foundation will benefit that program and expand the alliance’s offerings for women veterans and the families of veterans, he said.

The association works with some 4,000 veterans each year, including outreach events. 

“Wellness is not just with the individual,” McQueen said, adding that the association tries to take a holistic approach to veteran care and resources for their families.