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Local nonprofits press borough president for discretionary funds for seniors, arts and autism services
Summary
A group of Staten Island nonprofits asked the borough president’s office for discretionary operating and capital funding to support senior housing and case management, arts programs and archives digitization, autism services, mental-health walk-in capacity and Meals on Wheels expansion.
Several nonprofits used the borough president’s discretionary budget consultation to request operating and capital support for programs serving seniors, people with disabilities, arts students and LGBTQIA+ residents.
Victoria Munro, executive director of the Alice Austen House, told the consultation the museum received repatriation of the Alice Austen archive last October and is undertaking a two-year digitization project to make more than 7,000 images available. “That is over 7,000 images and glass plate negatives,” Munro said, and she requested funding to hire staff and cover digitization costs so the archive can be used for teaching and public programs.
The Pride Center of Staten Island described rising demand for mental-health walk-in services and a waiting list for counseling; a presenter for the center said flexible discretionary funding is needed because many grants are program-restricted and do not cover essential operational costs. “Without flexible funding, the very safe space that makes our life saving programs are possibly at risk,” the presenter said.
EDEN2, representing services for people with profound autism, marked its 50th anniversary and requested support to build an adult senior center tailored to adults with autism and to expand residential and day programs. A representative said EDEN2 currently serves more than 500 individuals in day programs and supports roughly 60 people in residential sites.
A longtime Meals on Wheels provider described purchasing a new site on Forest Avenue and the constraints of capital grant timing—capital grants are disbursed after project completion—and noted the program’s unique delivery of two meals daily. The presenter said buying an additional delivery truck could cost about $74,000 and that the organization continues to rely heavily on volunteers for delivery.
Nut graf: The testimony highlighted a mix of capital and operating needs—archive digitization and staff for museums, expanded facilities and transportation for senior services, and flexible operational dollars for community centers. No formal funding allocations were made at the consultation; the borough president’s office will review applications and make award decisions through its standard process.
Speakers also described smaller-scale program proposals, including a vocational baking program for people with developmental disabilities and scholarship initiatives for arts education. Attendees asked clarifying questions about program reach and timelines; presenters emphasized the role discretionary funds play in sustaining free or low-cost services.
Ending: The consultation collected requests and clarifications; the office of the borough president will notify applicants after internal review and prioritization. No votes or formal awards were made at the meeting.
