West Hempstead Rotary Awards $29K in Grants

The West Hempstead Rotary Club handed out grants totaling more than $29,000 to local non-profits at its annual awards dinner.

The INN, which serves hungry and homeless Long Islanders, received a $10,000 grant during the Oct. 25 reception. The Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Tanglewood in nearby Rockville Centre received a $2,000 grant, which paid for gifts provided for kids at its annual Spooky Fest.

The Rotary also awarded $1,000 to the West Hempstead Community Support Organization to provide gifts for children who attended its annual holiday party.

The Coalition Against Domestic Violence received $500 to pay for Christmas gifts for kids living in shelters, and $2,500 was set aside for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), which will pay for up to 10 children to attend its youth leadership training program.

Another $1,000 went toward the Gift Of Life Inc. Annual Journal, and $500 for the Hofstra University Diversity Annual Dinner Journal.

The Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation received a total for $1,675, the NY Asian Women and Children was awarded $1,250 and $500 went to the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island. Sunrise Day Care, which runs a camp for kids with cancer, received a $1,000 grant, and Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck, a Long Island camp for children with disabilities, received one for $875. 

The West Hempstead Rotary also awarded $2,500 to the Rotary International Foundation, and $250 to the Special Olympics Long Island Chapter.

Grants, each worth $500, also went to Alliance for Smiles, the Gift of Life Walk, the West Hempstead Public Library, the West Hempstead Scholarship Fund, and the Long Island Caddy Scholarship Fund. Additionally, a $2,000 grant was put toward the "Student of the Year" award.

The Rotary also recognized its generous sponsors  --  Patrick Jolly and Tower Isles Frozen Foods, Tai Wang and WAC Lighting, and Dr. Howard Robins -- throughout the evening.