Community Action Fund announces monetary awards

CLIFTONPARK, N.Y. » Those generous souls who donate their returnable bottles and cans to the town during their stops at the Transfer Station have helped 25 community groups with their funding needs.

The money generated throughout the year from the collection of the returnables goes into the Community Action Fund. During the year non-profit community groups and other similar organizations submit applications for financial support of programs and projects that will result in a tangible benefit to the town and its residents.

This year the Community Action Fund Committee met on Oct. 13 to review all the applications. The fivemember Committee, which includes Town Supervisor Philip Barrett, met virtually via Zoom conference.

After making a thorough review, the Committee recommended awarding a total of $15,415.00. The awards ranged from $250 to $1,000.

Only money generated from redeeming donated bottles and cans is used for the grants. In 2019, the initial year for the Fund, the town collected $8,400 and awarded 15 grants.

The Town Board unanimously approved the committee’s 2020 recommendations at the Oct. 19 town Board meeting. Checks made out to the organizations and they were presented during the regularly scheduled Nov. 2 Town Board Meeting. This year the meeting was held in the programing room of the Clifton Park Senior Community Center.

Those appl ications awarded funding this year will help with a book lending library for parents where they can read about parenting and raising children, safe sitter back pack kits for teen babysitters, refrigeration equipment for a food pantry, elevated garden boxes for seniors, stocking hats for young cancer patients, and a neutering, spaying and vaccination program for stray and feral cats.

A list of all the award recipients, the amounts awarded, and their projects follow.

Chase the Cure - $500 – support to help raise funds formedical research on Neimann Pick C Disease (childhood Alzheimer’s disease).

Clifton Park Girl Scout Junior Troop 2509 - $375 – to build and install a Little Free Library.

Clifton Park Elks Lodge # 2466 - $800 – for Boy Scout Troop 4246.

Saratoga Center for the Family - $1,000 – funding to provide free mental health and supportive services to clients in the Shen School District.

Clifton Park& Halfmoon Emergency Corps - $480 – purchase babysitting resource kits for town teens who participate in the Safe Sitter Babysitting Safety Classes.

Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York - $750 – Clifton Park Girl Scout Service Unit 208 – purchase and install freestanding bicycle fix it stations.

Nicole’s Hope - $550 – purchase Paint at Home Kits for children spending long hours in treatment at Albany Medical Center.

Saint Peter’s Hospital Foundation - $850 – establish a parents book lending library.

Albany- Saratoga Base,

United States Submarine - $250 – Kap (SS) 4 Kid (SS) program - members visit medically fragile children at the Albany medical Center and the DoubleHRanch in Lake Luzerne with programs and stocking caps.

Friends of Shenendehowa Crew - $500 – scholarship programs for families who otherwise not able to afford membership dues.

Clifton Park Elks Lodge #2466 - $250 – a steak roast for live-in residents at the Stratton VA Hospital.

Clifton Park Elks Lodge #2466 - $500 – to purchase dictionaries for third graders in Niskayuna School District who reside in Clifton Park.

Clifton Park Elks Lodge # 2466 - $ 500 – for the lodge’s 50th anniversary Family Fun Day.

Clifton Park Elks Lodge #2466 - $500 – for the volunteers who support Elks’ programs.

Community Animal Action Project - $1,000 – spaying and neutering stray and feral cats.

Hi- 5 Sports - $500 – to purchase sporting equipment for individuals with special needs so they can learn the positive values of recreational sports.

Shenendehowa Neighbors Connecting - $1,000 – honoraria for program presenters.

Faith Baptist Church - $1,000 – to purchase resources for the food pantry.

Saint Edward the Confessor Roman Catholic Church - $1,000 – Our House Missionary –to help the missionary to continue to expand.

The Community Hospice Foundation - $1,000 – for the purchase of pediatric craft boxes and bereavement books for families or schools suffering a traumatic loss.

Boy Scout Troop 4045 - $250 – for the purchase of materials for a small shed for storage of troop equipment.

Boy Scout Troop 4045 - $360– for the purchase materials to build and install raised garden boxes for Coburg Village.

Town of Clifton Park G. R. E. E. N. Committee - $300 – for Repair Café incidentals.

Corpus Christi Church - $250 –Cub Scout Pack 4044 – for pack activities.

Twin Bridges Rotary Club - $1,000 – Southern Saratoga Interact Club – for help with planting of trees at the entrance of Garnsey Park.