In 2008 the Elias Foundation was honored to support the Westchester-serving community organizations listed below. We continued to fund core community-led and grassroots organizations in Westchester County that are committed to the long-term pursuit of systemic change for social justice.
Anti-Racist Alliance of Westchester County
Bronx, NY $20,000
www.antiracistalliance.com
This grant supported space in which to conduct community organizing by the Racial Justice Alliance.
Climate Convergence / WESPAC Foundation
White Plains, NY $5,000
www.wespac.org
This grant subsidized a diverse group of Westchester residents' participation in the Northeast Climate Convergence, a gathering of activists to discuss ways to combat the root causes of climate change.
CLUSTER, Inc.
Yonkers, NY $25,000
www.clusterinc.org
Support for the Police/Youth Dialogue Project to promote better understanding between two critical communities in the 4th Precinct of Yonkers.
Community Voices Heard
Yonkers, NY $26,000
www.cvhaction.org
This program grant continued support of an outreach worker to organize residents of Yonkers' low-income housing projects who seek to advocate for their unmet needs.
Grandpower Advocates / Family Service Society of Yonkers
Yonkers, NY $20,000
www.fssy.org
This project supports older Yonkers residents, caring for their dependent grandchildren, who organize their peers and advocate for benefits to which non-relative caregivers are entitled.
Groundwork Hudson Valley
Yonkers, NY $48,000
www.groundworkyonkers.org
This grant supports ongoing community development work in Southwest Yonkers as well as a new Neighborhood Builders program designed to expand community outreach and advocacy training in Nodine Hill.
Hispanic Resource Center
Mamaroneck, NY $40,000
www.hrclm.org
This grant helps to fund community outreach and a worker center for day laborers in Mamaroneck.
Hudson Valley Community Radio Inc./WDFH
Ossining, NY $20,000
www.wdfh.org
A general operating grant supports the signal expansion and ongoing operation of a lower Hudson River Valley non-commercial community radio station.
Hunger Action Network New York State
Mount Vernon, NY $10,000
www.hungeractionnys.org
A first year grant to support the mobilization of Mount Vernon residents who seek to improve the quality of services provided by the Mount Vernon Department of Social Services.
Jacob Burns Film Center
Pleasantville, NY $20,000
www.burnsfilmcenter.org
Support for a video journalism program for incarcerated youth between the ages of 16 - 21 at the Westchester County Correctional Facility.
Jeffrey Deskovic Speaks / WESPAC Foundation
Pleasantville, NY $10,000
A general operating grant to support Mr. Deskovic, exonerated after 17 years in prison, in his organizing work in the fight against wrongful convictions.
Lower Hudson Valley Social Forum / WESPAC Foundation
White Plains, NY $15,000
www.wespac.org
Support for the first Social Forum bringing activists together to strengthen local organizing and relationships for social justice and movement building.
Neighbors Link
Mount Kisco, NY $25,000
www.neighborslink.org
A general support grant for an organization that seeks to enhance economic and social development for immigrant workers by teaching basic organizational skills, community building and empowerment.
Parent leadership Institute / Ossining Union Free School District
Ossining, NY $30,000
www.ossiningufsd.org
A second year grant for the Parent Leadership Institute, an innovative program developed by the public school system, involving minority parents in the life of their children's schools through service leadership and social justice organizing.
Schools, Streets and Beyond / Thomas Slater Center
Mamaroneck, NY $5,000
www.schoolstreetsandbeyond.org
This grant supported this organization to produce an "Education for Liberation" youth education conference, which took place at the White Plains High School in June of 2008.
WESPAC Foundation
White Plains, NY $40,000
www.wespac.org
A general operating grant supports WESPAC's continuing growth and efforts to promote local peace and justice activism.
Westchester Hispanic Coalition
White Plains, NY $20,000
www.hispaniccoalition.org
This grant supports a community organizer to develop and implement grassroots advocacy networks and coordinate mobilization of Latino-serving agencies, volunteers and initiatives.
Westchester MLK Jr. Institute for Nonviolence
Mamaroneck, NY $35,000
This grant supports the hiring of an executive director to further the goal of exposing young people to Martin Luther King Jr.'s work and philosophy, inspiring them to express their own ideas and values of non-violence through the medium of hip hop music.