Thank you 310 Bowery and everyone who came out for our first happy hour fundraiser.

This event exceeded our expectations, just like Duff would, and helped us raise $26,000 from participants and those who were unable to attend.

26…Coincidence? We think not.

FOBB and the campers spent a lot of time on and in the water visiting and planting around their existing oyster farms. The campers were also able to create a new farm. 60,000 oysters were planted into the Sanctuary in the bay thanks to the campers and interns. WELL DONE!

CEED helped the campers create clay sculptures from the bay. As fired clay, the tiles were attached to bulkheads on the shoreline and submerged into the water. Within about a week, baby mussels, crabs and other marine life were seen living and sheltering inside the nooks and crannies of the sculptures. 

Luke is now a student athlete for the University of Bridgeport. He is currently majoring in Business Administration and playing Purple UB Knights baseball team. Well done, Luke.

As we know, Dave’s passion for lacrosse was immeasurable. This year we are mirroring that passion with a multi- year grant of $20,000 to support Harlem Lacrosse.  Harlem Lacrosse started in 2011 as a school based lacrosse program at Frederick Douglas school for inner city students with approximately 400 students in NY.  Harlem Lacrosse provides in school counselors that tutor and mentor students.  Students are often special needs students that are benefitting from this high touch model that includes mandatory study halls.  Student athletes are introduced to college partners as part of their training.  Our grants are providing financial support for the summers of 2023 and 2024 for current 8th and 9th grade classes.

This year the foundation granted $5,000 to the DREAM Charter School. 

DREAM is an inner city charter school with a 30+ year history of creating a learning environment for its roughly 2,000 students. 

The school’s history started on East 100th street, a location that former Mayor Mike Bloomberg described as “ among the most dangerous” in New York City.  That beginning as a little league baseball team led to the creation of a 48 week charter school.

Our $5,000 grant for the DREAM summer program aids continuing support between the school year and the summer months. The team players participate in half a day of academics and half a day in baseball. Studies demonstrate that, on average, students in the United States will lose 39% of school year gains during the summer months. The DREAM Summer program makes sure these players do not fall behind academically, socially, and emotionally.

The INN started as a soup kitchen in 1983 and is now the largest private social service agency of its kind on Long Island.

Over the last 40 years The INN has expanded into the largest soup kitchen on Long Island. In addition, it also provides emergency shelters, a long-term housing program and a free clothing boutique and resource center.

We are grateful for the work that they do and their mission to treat those who walk through their door with dignity, love, and respect.