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LI Unitarian Universalist Fund gives $108k in grants to support East End nonprofits

The Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund, in partnership with the New York Community Trust, has given $108k in grants to East End nonprofits that serve North Fork communities. Among the recipients were Tu Prensa Local, The Butterfly Effect Project, Sound Justice Initiative, OLA of Eastern Long Island and The Pine Barrens Society.

“We look for local grassroots organizations that have their finger on the pulse of what is needed, both geographically in their specific neighborhoods, as well as [with] the population that they’re trying to serve. We really look to ensure that there is cultural competence in whatever the issue and or population that the groups are working with,” said Sol Marie Alfonso-Jones, Senior Program Director at the New York Community Trust Long Island division. 

This mission aligns with the principals of the Unitarian Universalist Church, which places a high value on the environment, community and social justice. LIUUF grants about $400,000 a year to be distributed to nonprofits looking for social change in the Nassau/Suffolk region. An advisory committee makes grants that help with education, advocacy, and progressive social change, according to David Holstein, a member of the LIUUF advisory committee.

The Butterfly Effect Project secured a grant for $23,000 for their leadership initiative for young people of color to learn about civic engagement and advocate for change in their communities.

“It is really important that we remember our reasons why, and when you are speaking about civic engagement and learning and educating yourself, it’s really hard in today’s society to face an opinion without knowing the whole story,” said Tijuana Fulford, founder and executive director of the Butterfly Effect Project.

“Our organization is very culturally responsive. We want to make sure every person, voice, story and history is a part of the fabric of our future. And I believe that aligns with [Unitarian Universalist principles] because they, too, are open, accepting and willing to learn, and understand that no one comes to the table with all facts, all truths, all knowledge. We’re willing to create a community of great listeners and problem solvers and critical thinkers to move the mission of human rights forward.”

The Long Island Pine Barrens Society received $5,000 to teach sixth graders civic engagement skills by helping them address local environmental issues. Nina Leonhardt, acting executive director for the Pine Barrens Society, pointed out how this aligns with the Unitarian Universalist mission.

“We are teaching the young people advocacy, and that ties into to this particular group’s interests, because it’s environmental justice,” said Ms. Leonhardt. “We are teaching the young people how to be advocates for their environment, in addition to them learning the science content that they need to properly advocate.”

OLA of Eastern Long Island was awarded $30,000 to advocate for policies that protect the rights of Latino immigrants.

“We’re fighting for human rights, civil rights, for quality of life, not only for [our clients], but for their children. This helps everybody. It’s not just our demographic, but our entire community’s issue. What affects one affects all,” said Leah Maria Suarez, grants and communications manager for OLA.

“It means a lot to be supported and count on that allyship moving forward. [LIUUF] is putting their money where their mission is.”

Sound Justice Initiative will use its grant of $20,000 to enable incarcerated people to access help for navigating reentry into society.

“[Founder of Sound Justice Initiative] Dr. [Kerry] Spooner wanted to bring education into the into the county jails. And she devised a program to be able to do that, and with our initial funding, she was able to go into the jails to do college-level education, and developed skills that these young people hadn’t really had a chance to develop. And that program has been very, very successful,” said Mr. Holstein.

Tu Prensa Local received $30,000 to make local news more accessible to Latino residents on the East End by providing that news in Spanish. “Tu Prensa Local is such a trusted [source] culturally … It’s also produced and led by two Latinas and it has really become a staple in the immigrant community,” said Ms. Alfonso-Jones. “Their readership online is really high, and they highlight issues that are happening or services that nonprofits are offering for the community. They’re a great resource in terms of making sure that people have the information they need their lives.”

“The [Long] Island Unitarian Universalist Fund has been around for 30 years. But, you know, the rewarding part is we can identify organizations that are in their infancy, at the grassroots, and the money that we are able to give them is a huge deal. It gets them to the next level, and then you get the ability to watch them mature and grow over time,” said Mr. Holstein.