New York University employees faculty, staff, and administration this year made donations totaling more than $92,000 to the NYU Community Fund to support over 60 community-based organizations in Lower Manhattan. With this year’s grants, the Community Fund hit a million dollar milestone — since it’s inception in 1984 the NYU Community Fund has raised and distributed $1,021,884.00. In addition, the University announced its annual T.G. White Fund awards of $30,000. Together these gifts aim at making the city a better place to live, both by helping those in need and by brightening everyone’s life through the arts and education.
Recipients this year include such varied organizations as the University Community Soup Kitchen, Friends of Sauer Park, the Amato Opera Theatre, Inc., the Greenwich Village Little League, and the Henry Street Settlement.
NYU Vice President and Deputy Chancellor Debra James will host a special reception on Wednesday, May 7, at 5:30 p.m. in the John Ben Snow Room, 12th floor of NYU’s Bobst Library, 70 Washington Square South, at which time the check presentations will be made.
“NYU feels special pride in making these awards because they reflect a very personal initiative by NYU people to benefit others in our midst,” said James. “This is giving on almost a face-to-face basis. Resources are sharply focused to alleviate specific needs we see every day, and the results are just as vivid and rewarding to us all.”
This year’s NYU community Fund awards go to 62 neighborhood groups dedicated to such purposes as encouraging at-risk young people to stay in school, providing services for the elderly, maintaining shelters for the homeless, operating soup kitchens, supporting projects for people with AIDS and other health efforts, and helping to produce operas for special audiences.
The NYU Community Fund, now in its thirteenth year of operation, distinguishes itself from many other fundraising drives by incurring no overhead costs; all administrative expenses are covered by NYU, and every dollar contributed by employees goes directly to neighborhood organizations.
In addition to the NYU Community Fund awards, several organizations serving children and older youths in Greenwich Village are among recipients of this year’s awards from the T.G. White Fund. Among the groups receiving these awards are local schools, recreation centers, baseball and soccer clubs, and community service organizations. The T.G. White Fund was established by long-time Greenwich Village resident Theodore Greeley White, who died in 1913. He left his estate to NYU for the support of charitable Greenwich Village organizations which aid young people. The T.G. White Fund is administered by the NYU Office of Government and Community Relations.
Along with the awardees, local elected officials, NYU deans and vice presidents and community service representatives will witness the check presentations.
The NYU employees’ campaign begins the second week of October and concludes the second week of January. Community groups may apply for grants beginning December 1. The committee reviews requests and makes decisions by the end of April, when recipients are notified.