The Retreat Receives AFTEE Grant
The Long Island Community Foundation and the board of the All For The East End (AFTEE) Fund announced Wednesday that The Retreat was among the winners of a second round of grants through its Building Stronger Neighborhoods Program, supporting organizations serving Long Island’s East End communities of Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton, Southold, and East Hampton.
“Once again, we received an overwhelming number of proposals and it really validates the extent of the needs out on the Island’s east end,” said David M. Okorn, the executive director of the foundation. “We are proud to support this collection of organizations and feel it addresses those diverse and important set of needs within these communities.”
The Retreat has received a grant of $2,500 to provide financial literacy tools and education to victims of domestic violence in order to help them become more financially self-reliant, and to reduce risk of experiencing further abuse.
“The Retreat is grateful to the board of All For The East End for their efforts to support local nonprofits,” said Loretta K. Davis, the executive director of The Retreat. “We are proud of the work we do in the community helping survivors of domestic violence transition from crisis to self-sufficiency.”
With input from the AFTEE Advisory Committee, which included representation from each of the five East End towns, 20 proposals were approved to support projects and programs in the fields of health and welfare, the environment, arts and culture, education, youth development, and animal welfare. The committee members are Laura Anker, Greg Blass, Debra Halpert, Ken Pysher, Diane Radigan and Vince Taldone.
“I’m honored to have been a part of this program and grateful for the invaluable experience to participate with leaders and activists from these East End communities,” says Anker, a distinguished service professor at SUNY Old Westbury. “AFTEE’s Building Stronger Neighborhoods Program provides an important mechanism for sharing knowledge and resources and creates the possibilities for positive change in these underserved communities.”