Comments closedA grass-roots initiative has succeeded in raising sufficient funds to fully restore summer educational and recreational programs in Mamaroneck for elementary and middle school students.
Cuts to the Coop Camp at Hommocks and Mamaroneck Avenue would have left 150 students in need of academic intervention with no summer program this year.
A group of parents whose children attend the camps appeared before the Mamaroneck School Board to plead for the program’s reinstatement. As a result, the board agreed to provide $35,000 if an additional $65,000 could be raised through donations.
To aid the effort, Mariana Boneo, the former executive director of the Hispanic Resource Center, teamed with Liz Liscio, a member of the HRC board, and Naomi Lowenthal, a member of the HRC Advisory Council.
They established the “Si Se Puede” (Yes We Can) Fund at the Hispanic Resource Center and quickly launched a fund raising effort. The first goal was $35,000 to restore the program at Hommocks, which serves 100 sixth, seventh and eighth graders. When that sum was reached, they set their sights on an additional $30,000 to reinstate the program for 50 campers at Mamaroneck Avenue School.
“We are happy to report that we have reached our goal of $65,000 and will be presenting a check to the district at the June 16 School Board meeting,” said Ms. Lowenthal.
School Board President Linnet Tse said, “We were very reluctant to cut Coop Camp from the budget and are thrilled that the generosity of the community has enabled us to restore Co-op Camp at both the elementary and middle school levels. As data from MAS shows, this summer program, which includes academic support as well as other enrichment, really does make a difference in student learning. “
“This effort accomplished three things,” added Superintendent Paul Fried. “First, it allowed excellent services to be restored for students who need to extend learning through the summer. Second, many young adults in our community will have jobs, allowing them to earn money as well as gain responsibility and skills from working with children. Finally, it was very gratifying to see a segment of our population that often doesn’t have a voice, come together to use their voice and that their goal was achieved.”
He added, “I have deep appreciation for the group that spearheaded this effort and how the community responded.”
Ms. Boneo said, “We had no idea how this appeal would resonate with others. It was wonderful to see how many different people and organizations came together to support this effort.”
“The camp is the kind of fix-things-in-your-own-community cause that we love to support,” said Elin Kropp, who along with her husband, David Poneman, contributed to the fund.
“We are grateful to the many individuals and community organizations who made this summer’s Coop program possible,” said Ms. Boneo, Ms. Liscio and Ms. Lowenthal . They acknowledged, in particular, Gail Vidales at the Hispanic Resource Center ,who was responsible for administering the fund; the Larchmont Gazette for their $5,000 matching fund drive; RADAR for its $5,000 contribution; the Mamaroneck Schools Foundation for $1,800; Cecilia Absher and David Katz for their contribution and an additional $1,500 in matching funds; and St. John’s Episcopal Church, Westchester Jewish Center and Larchmont Temple for their donations.
They were also grateful to the Town of Mamaroneck for its vote to provide up to $2,000, should it be needed. The Town already contributes $12,000 for the Coop program.
The complete list of donors includes:
| Cecilia Absher & David Katz Lisa Ahmad Catherine & Joseph Aresty Harriet & Kenneth Barish Judy Baumgarten Susan Bell Karen Blumenthal Mariana Boneo Alecia Boskin Jean Marie Brescia Lynne & Robert Buly Joyce & Jack Callahan Sally Cantwell Elaine Chapnick Betsy Cherkasky Carol Chevlowe Marshall Cohen & Ellen Brooks Benita Cooper Marks Margaret Corbett Brenda Coyne Mary Ann & Nicholas De Feis Debra Del Toro Phillips Ann Engelland Jan Feinman Barbara Flickinger, MBIA (matching grant) Judith Friedman Nancy Gardiner Jenny Geer Eileen Gerspach Laurie Girsky John Gitlitz Ruth Glass Jamie Gordon Joan Gottesman Melany Gray Ileen Greenberg Heidi Hanley Myra Harris Rita Hattem Theodore Havranek Patty Horing Karen Isaac Polly Judson Gloria & Richard Kushel Larchmont Avenue Temple Larchmont Gazette Amy Levere Liz & Mark Liscio Naomi & Dan Lowenthal |
Ruth Lowy Mamaroneck Schools Foundation Tara Menezes Wayne Mueller National Photocolor Corp. ( Alan Stern) Valerie O’Keeffe Jane Orans Lee Perlman & Linda Riefberg Nancy Pierson Ellen Poneman Scott Potash Puglisi Fidelity Foundation (matching grant) Valerie & Michael Puglisi RADAR Helen Rafferty Jill Robertson Sarah & Steven Robling Susan Romagnoli Edith Roth Evelyn Sadler Jill Saenger Kathy Savolt Carol Scheffler Ann Schongalla Amy Seife Donna Siciliano Peter Simone Frances Snedaker Mary Sobel St. John’s Episcopal Church Barbara Staffaroni Maria Stanton Lynn Straus Justine & Paul Taaffe Iven Taub & Diane Duckler Alice Tenney Abby Tolchinsky Linnet Tse Nora Tulchin Lorna Waitt William Walters James & Priscilla Warner Marcia Warner Seth Weitzman Westchester Jewish Center Philippa Wharton Barbara Whitman Nancy Winkelstein Elizabeth Witten Lorrie & Mike Zupon |
Sorry, but comments are closed | | 5444