Funding Will Support Staten Island Economic Development Corporation’s Pilot Program For Proposed Urban Park Space In Port Richmond, Create A Food Pantry To Serve More Staten Islanders, And Expand A Wind Energy Workforce Education & Training Program
Today, U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced $5,420,000 for critical local projects on Staten Island in the just-passed FY2024 spending bills. The senators personally secured funding for these projects as congressionally directed spending requests.
“I’m proud to deliver these federal funds for important investments in Staten Island communities,” said Senator Schumer. “From renovations for a client-choice food pantry, to new urban park space that will create safe pedestrian and bike routes, and the expansion of a wind energy workforce education and training program to meet the growing demands of the offshore wind industry, these funds are supporting projects that will make a difference in the lives of New Yorkers. I won’t stop fighting to deliver the resources needed to better our communities and support the incredible organizations that help Staten Island flourish.”
“I am thrilled to bring home $5.4 million in federal funding to support local projects on Staten Island, including $3.5 million I personally helped secure for Catholic Charities of Staten Island. This critical funding will help these organizations strengthen our offshore wind workforce and employment training services, provide a centralized space for youth programs, increase access to food pantries, and so much more,” said Senator Gillibrand. “These federal dollars are proof of the federal government at work for Staten Island. I’m proud to have fought to secure this funding, and I’ll continue to work tirelessly to make sure families, workers, and businesses on Staten Island have what they need to thrive.”
“Revitalized and accessible open spaces are critical to creating thriving commercial corridors and driving economic growth in our community,” said Mike Cusick, SIEDC President & CEO. “The SIEDC is grateful for this generous funding from Senator Schumer, which will not only kickstart efforts to reactivate portions of the proposed Staten Island Skyway but signifies our joint commitment to creating innovative opportunities that serve Staten Islanders, businesses, and visitors.”
The list of funded projects is below:
$3,500,000 for Catholic Charities of Staten Island
The funds will be used to renovate a building for a client-choice food pantry to serve more individuals on Staten Island in a supermarket-like setting. The renovation will also accommodate a food hub, mobile pantry, as well as space for employment training and support services for adults with special needs and an afterschool youth program.
$1,720,000 for the College of Staten Island (CSI), City University of New York
The funds will be used to purchase equipment and technology necessary to expand the CSI Wind Energy Workforce Education and Training program and develop an expanded workforce development curriculum which will allow CSI to train workers for the offshore wind industry, pipelining students into CSI academic programs and jobs as engineers, environmental scientists, wind technicians, machinists, and more.
$200,000 for Staten Island Economic Development Corporation
The funding will be used to activate a pilot program—Staten Island Skyway Underside Pilot—to repurpose the long-abandoned Right of Way of the North Shore Branch of the Staten Island Railroad into an urban park space. The Skyway will create much needed open space and opportunities for economic development in the Port Richmond community.