New York, NY (May 31, 2023) – The West Side Community Fund (WSCF), a consortium of leading businesses and firms that come together to support neighborhood initiatives in the west side of Manhattan, today announced 21 grant recipients as part of its bi-annual grant program, which is administered by Hudson Guild, a multi-service community-based organization serving those who live, work, or go to school in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.

The grants, which total $100,000, advance the Fund's mission of strengthening the west side communities by fortifying organizations that serve and benefit under-resourced residents of Chelsea, Hudson Yards, and Hell’s Kitchen. Almost half of this cycle’s grantees - a total of 10 out of 21 - are new to the organization and have not received a WSCF grant before. This represents a deepening commitment to supporting a diverse set of organizations in the area.

The 21 co-recipients of the grant are:

• Alpha Workshops - a nonprofit organization that provides vocational training and employment in the decorative arts to people with disabilities and vulnerabilities

• Art for Progress - an organization that provides arts education to underfunded schools serving at-risk youth in NYC

• Art Start - a nonprofit organization that nurtures the voices, hearts and minds of NYC's marginalized youth, giving them the tools to transform their own lives through the creative process

• Cambio Labs - a nonprofit that creates educational technology and curricular programs that transform students into social entrepreneurs, designers for impact, and community activists

• CHEKPEDS - Clinton Hell’s Kitchen Chelsea Coalition for Pedestrian Safety (CHEKPEDS) is a group of businesses, institutions, and property owners uniting to correct the dangerous conditions in the neighborhood

• Chelsea Community News - a news, arts, and information website serving Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood (and expanding to serve the Flatiron District, Meatpacking District, Hudson Yards, and Hell's Kitchen)

• Chelsea Elliott Tenants Association - a tenants association working to improve affordable housing, protect tenants rights and develop tenant empowerment

• Friends of Argentine Tango - a group that promotes and brings the positive benefits of dancing Tango and other Latin social dances to people who might not otherwise try them

• Friends of Chelsea Green - an advocacy group for the Chelsea Green Park –on 20th St. between 6th and 7th Avenues– that works to create community in the park through events and activities

• Housing Conservation Coordinators - a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing social and economic justice and fighting for the rights of poor, low-income and working individuals and families

• Keoni Movement Arts - a nonprofit organization that provides movement classes and performance opportunities to individuals of all ages, abilities, and means

• Metropolitan Community Church of New York - a church that provides social services aiming to empower LGBTIA+ individuals and the broader community

• Midtown South Community Council - an organization devoted to building better neighborhoods and stronger relationships within the Midtown South area of Manhattan

• New York City Community Chorus - an inclusive choir that aims to heal their community through singing

• NYC Salt - an organization that creates opportunities in visual arts and pathways to college for underserved New York City youth

• PS11 Friends of Asylum Seekers - a group that is providing support to migrant families living in shelters who have children attending PS11

• Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries - a nonprofit organization that provides direct and educational services that promote individual and community growth

• S3VEN INC - an initiative that provides services and support for people impacted by domestic violence

• The Dream Center NYC - a neighborhood based community and family support organization

• The Dwelling Place of NY - a program that provides transitional housing for women who have suffered a major traumatic event

• W42ST - a news information website that keeps residents of the Hell's Kitchen community connected, updated and upbeat

“The WSCF grant program fills a void in the social infrastructure of the community by providing financial backing to groups that are often excluded from other funding sources,” said Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown and President of the WSCF Board. “These groups contribute to the wellness and cultural fabric of the neighborhood and, in many cases, provide resources to difficult to reach members of the community. Providing funding streams to these groups is critical to strengthening the west side communities.”

“Because of the support Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries has received through the West Side Community Fund, we have been able to continue to provide emergency food support to tens of thousands of individuals and families during and beyond the pandemic, as well as shift to respond to the recent needs of those seeking asylum who have recently arrived to our community and wider city,” said Tiffany Henkel, Executive Director of Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries, which is a repeat grant recipient this cycle. “We are grateful to the many partners who have made this funding possible so we can work together to build a stronger community.”

“All New Yorkers, regardless of zip code or income level, deserve access to economic opportunity, business ownership, and the tools of innovation,” said Michelle Maluwetig, Director of Organizational Development at Cambio Labs, which is a new grant recipient this cycle. “Cambio Labs is thrilled to be launching the Startup NYCHA initiative at the Fulton Houses in Chelsea, with the generous support of WSCF and the participation of residents and youth in the design and roll out of our social entrepreneurship program. We believe that a program that is centered on economic inclusion of the most underserved youth and adults of Chelsea is vitally important, particularly because this neighborhood has long been feeling the effects of gentrification and rising costs of living. We hope that this pilot marks the start of a city-wide entrepreneurial movement at NYCHA.”

The Fund was established in 2018 with the aim of providing microgrants to local organizations that cater to the needs of the most vulnerable members of the community. Thanks to the support of corporate donors, the fund offers grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 for projects that benefit a wide range of groups and programming, including food pantries, L.G.B.T.Q. initiatives, block associations, as well as arts and culture initiatives. Donors that supported this grant cycle include Amazon, Cooley, Google, Jamestown, KKR, Pfizer, Related, RXR, Tapestry Foundation, and Third Point.

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About West Side Community Fund 

West Side Community Fund (WSCF) is a consortium of leading businesses and firms that come together to support neighborhood initiatives in the west side of Manhattan. Through a bi-annual grant program, WSCF supports initiatives that deliver improved or expanded services to residents along the West Side, particularly underserved populations. For more information, visit westsidecommunityfund.org.

About Hudson Guild 

Hudson Guild–a multi-service community-based organization serving those who work, live, or go to school in Chelsea and the west side– administers the grant process on behalf of the West Side Community Fund. Hudson Guild’s programming helps support, enrich, and empower community members. For more information, visit hudsonguild.org.