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PARC Receives $85,000 in Grants to Support Numerous Programs
With a legacy of 53 years providing exceptional services and extensive programs which offer new and exciting initiatives to participants and family members, PARC, more than ever, is attracting the financial attention and support of funders locally and nationally.
Over the past few months, PARC received notices from The Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation, The Kraft Employees Fund, MBIA Foundation The New York State Senate/ Vincent Leibell, The New York State Assembly/Gregory Ball, and The Rite Aid Foundation of grant awards totally $85,000. The grant funds will be used to support PARC's after school program, PARCentral; respite services; PARC Preschool; and the new Regional Autism Resource Center.
Recognized as a 501 c (3) in 1954, PARC provides programming and advocacy for over 650 children and adults with developmental disabilities within Putnam County and in southern Dutchess and northern Westchester counties.
A grant for $35,000 from the Kraft Employees Fund (KEF) will directly support PARCentral, PARC's after school and after work program for young people with developmental disabilities. PARCentral, based at PARC Center in Carmel, offers a nurturing and safe environment for young people during the week. The program runs until 6pm each evening, also offering respite time for parents who need to work late to support their families.
"All of us at KEF Northeast take special pride in knowing that our grant will support your important work," said Mari Hourwitz and Karen Woros of the KEF Leadership Council.
The Thomas and Agnes Carvel Foundation awarded its second grant to PARC since 2006, $20,000 to support PARC's new initiative, the Autism Resource Center. The center is a multi-tiered approach to offer the best and most valuable autism information to parents and caregivers in the region. The first phase of the center is to create an on-line clearinghouse of information easily accessible to parents and caregivers. Over the next year, the center will expand to host support groups and information meetings on autism at Mahopac Public Library and increase the library's current collection of media related to autism care and support.
An additional $10,000 from New York State Senator Vincent Leibell will also assist with the development of the center's website, www.autismresourcecenter.info, which is currently in production.
New York State Assemblyman Gregory Ball was successful in securing a community grant for $5,000 to support PARC's Preschool for children with autism and special needs based in Mahopac. The preschool recently graduated 15 children into local school district kindergarten programs and will serve nearly 70 young people this year.
And two grants, $10,000 from Westchester County-based MBIA, and $5,000 from the national Rite Aid Foundation, will directly support PARC's extensive respite program.
Respite services are one of PARC's longest running programs and proves essential to a healthy home environment. Similar to how children attend day care or after school care, interact with peers and adults outside the family, and stay with a child care provider while their parents enjoy an evening out, respite care provides these same opportunities for children with special needs. Respite can be provided on an hourly or daily basis in the home of the family. Respite providers perform a variety of services including personal care, cooking, light housekeeping, and watching other siblings.
"The Rite Aid Foundation is pleased to be able to partner with worthwhile organizations, such as yours, to reach our neighbors," said Gayle Rife, manager of the Rite Aid Foundation. This is the third year Rite Aid has donated to PARC's respite services program.
For more information about any of the programs mentioned in this story, please call 845- 278-PARC or log onto www.PutnamARC.org.
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