Politics & Government

Community Center's Bilingual, Senior Programs Receive Funding

The Five Towns Community Center recently received a $96,000 Town of Hempstead grant for its bilingual and senior services programs.

“The Five Towns Community Center has enjoyed a long-standing tradition of service to area residents, and our township’s strong financial standing enables us to support the organization’s diversity of programming,” Supervisor Kate Murray said in a release. “The center enhances quality of life and raises public spirit.”

The Five Towns Community Center relies on government grants such as the one Hempstead provides annually. Last year, deep Nassau County cuts resulted in a loss of $400,000 to the center, most of which was restored later in the year. 

Find out what's happening in Five Townswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A bulk of the funding, $85,000, will go towards the center’s bilingual program, which helps participants with school registration, immigration paperwork and other translation needs. The rest of the money will go towards socialization and recreational programs for seniors.

“Throughout our township there are non-profit organizations such as the Five Towns Community Center that do remarkable work with tight budgets and limited staffing,” Councilman James Darcy said. “These non-profits are important to the fabric of a community, and Hempstead Town values the opportunity to keep them vital and vibrant.”

Find out what's happening in Five Townswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Meanwhile, the town also awarded a $17,498 grant to Peninsula Counseling Center’s Friends Program, which pairs a high school student volunteer with a "little brother or sister" who is in need of support and guidance.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here