(Assemblymember Aravella Simotas’ Office)
Nov. 15, 2019 By Allie Griffin
A new community center for the immigrant justice organization Make the Road New York (MRNY) just got a boost of funds thanks to Assemblymember Aravella Simotas.
Simotas secured $125,000 in funding for the new Queens community center currently being built in Corona. Construction of the building, located at 104-19 Roosevelt Ave., began in February and is expected to be completed in 2020.
The 24,000-square-foot community center will increase MRNY’s programming space by 88 percent. MRNY was founded in 1997 and supports immigrant and working-class New Yorkers through free services primarily for low-income immigrants and their families.
The three-story building will be used for services such as English language and computer literacy classes, citizenship exam preparation, and for healthcare and legal service resources. It will include several private offices, multiple classrooms, a community gathering area, flexible education space, outdoor space and a commercial kitchen and shared dining area.
“This landmark community center will enable a dramatic expansion of our programs and services to better meet the needs of our communities,” said Deborah Axt, Co-Executive Director of Make the Road New York. “In a time when many from our community are living in fear, this building is a sign of hope and a place where we all belong. We are extremely grateful to Assemblymember Simotas for this support to help make this dream a reality.”
The new center will be less costly to operate in terms of ongoing maintenance, which means more funds can be dedicated to services.
A number of green features are also being built into the community center including natural ventilation, non-toxic finishes, low flow fixtures and on-site rainwater collection.
“All immigrants should have access to suitable spaces where they can develop their skills for professional success, obtain the resources they need, and nurture their intellectual abilities,” Simotas said in a statement. “MRNY’s community center will be a place where they can achieve those necessities.”
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5 Comments
Just like welfare , Free money !
God bless America.
This organization protested against Amazon coming to LIC. So now we give money to organizations that take up political fights and hurt our economy? Where’s Danny Dromm? He loves this group.
I’m sick and tired of politicians using taxpayers money to fund organizations that support people that come into this country illegally. I don’t pay taxes for this, I pay taxes to support the American poor and homeless, NOT ILLEGALS.
Trump promised Mexico would make a “one-time payment” for Mexico.
When that lie was exposed, we had the Trump Shutdown to beg taxpayers for money. Another failure.
Why is Trump so soft on border security?
so my tax dollars go to support an organization that aids and abets illegal immigration so that i can spend even more of my tax dollars to pay for their free ride ?? is the assembly woman gonna make sure the NYC employees retirement health fund which is short by 100 billion now will be properly funded also??