Thousands Coming To Forest Hills From NYC's 2022 Budget

FOREST HILLS, NY — The record-high $99 billion budget passed by the City Council last week includes millions of dollars flowing to Forest Hills.

Billed as a "recovery budget" by Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Speaker Corey Johnson, the spending package for the 2022 fiscal year — which starts Oct. 1 of this year — was bolstered by billions of dollars in federal stimulus funds.

In addition to major citywide items, like $4 million for CUNY scholarships, the budget also includes smaller neighborhood funding allocated by Forest Hills's Council member, Karen Koslowitz.

Patch reviewed the two public budget documents and picked out some notable neighborhood funds from Koslowitz — here they are:

$180,000 to Jewish Institute of Queens - Emergency Food Program to support the Emergency Food Program.

$90,000 to Jewish Institute of Queens to provide funding support for the JIQ After-School Program teen lounge.

$50,000 to Forestdale, Inc. to fund the Strong Fathers Program, which prepares fathers to become more active and involved caregivers through job training and placement, classes on bonding and playing with their children, and learning co-parenting techniques.

$50,000 to Young Israel Programs, Inc. to fund general program expansion by providing support for rent, utilities, communication, food, supplies and other general operations and program related expenses.

$50,000 to the LGBT Network to provide general operating support for the Queens LGBT Center.

$50,000 to Queens Community House, Inc. to provide young adults with work-readiness training certification, and job placement services in the food sector.

$50,000 to Queens Economic Development Corporation to teach classes in business planning, operations, finance, marketing as well as an overview of how to start a small business.

$42,500 to Beth Gavriel Bukharian Congregation to support an after-school program that helps kids with homework and extracurricular activities.

$41,000 to Selfhelp Community Services Inc., to provide staff support for painting/drawing classes, arts and crafts, ESL classes, technology classes and more.

$35,000 to Queens Jewish Community Council, Inc. to provide support services to seniors immigrant and families, including Meals-on-Wheels, immigrant services, assistance and medical insurance facilitation for Medicare and Medicaid in Council District 29.

$30,000 to Beth Gavriel Bukharian Congregation t support the expenses associated with youth programming including arts/crafts, music, literature activities and sports.

$29,500 to Jewish Institute of Queens to support the emergency food program which provides food pantry bags to those in need.

$28,000 to Project Lead, Inc. to support the emergency food pantry, serving families throughout Kew Gardens and Richmond Hill.

$25,000 to the Lexington center for Mental Health Services, Inc, to provide mental health services for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing and their families.

A whopping 30 lines of the budget were devoted to funding projects at schools in District 19, including $100,000 to Bayside High School.

The budget also includes many smaller allocations to the following:

• $5,000: Kehilat Sephardim of Ahavat Achim - Food Pantry
• $5,000: Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research - FOOD Program
• $5,000: Queens Interagency Council on the Aging, Inc. - Monthly Senior Center
• $5,000: Asian Americans For Equality Inc. - Homeownership Counseling and Education
• $5,000: Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services, Inc - Senior Services
• $5,000: Chabad of Reg Park Corona Inc. - Teen Programming
• $5,000: Chamber of Commerce Borough of Queens, In.c - Small Business Resources
• $5,000: Department of Education - Forest Hills High School
• $5,000: Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce of Queens, Inc. - Jazz Thursday
• $5,000: Forest Park Trust, Inc. - Family Events