FYI: Please read the following and reach out to all your contacts. The loss of the Beacon School would mean no place for 1300 children and seniors to go for daily activities. We desperately need to keep this program open.
See below for details and please help where you can.
This affects us all.
Sincerely,
Bob Bieder
CB 10 Youth Chair
45th Pct Council President
Chair, Bronx Merchants Coalition
Greetings, Beautiful People,
I hope this email finds you all well and in great spirits! My name is Monique De La Oz and I am the NEW Program Director for the Phipps Beacon at the Piagentini and Jones Campus at IS 192 located at 650 Hollywood Avenue. I am writing to ask for your support on a VERY critical issue- 2 weeks ago, I was informed that the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) announced that due to the latest round of cuts within the New York City budget, seven Beacon programs across the city have been identified for closure at the end of the current school year, June 30th 2012. The Beacons were identified based on their location in areas that have been determined to be of the lowest need among the existing sites. Phipps Community Development Corporation, Piagentini and Jones Beacon Campus located at IS 192 is slated to close by June 30th, 2012. PCDC’s leadership has partnered with other stakeholders across the city to actively participate in efforts to fight these cuts as well as other proposed cuts to vital services for our children and families. We are seeking support from EVERYONE as we engage in organizing and efforts to restore funding. This includes you, your child(ren), significant others, friends, colleagues and extended family members. Together we can make a difference!
How can YOU be involved?
Represent PJ Beacon in PERSON at any of the following special events:
Monday, 04.16.12 at 5:30P Bronx Borough wide event at P&J Beacon to highlight impact of pending cuts.
Tuesday, 04.17.12 at 3:30P Rally at City Hall with parents, children and providers.
Community Board Outreach: Community boards can be powerful champions. Our very own Community Board #10 District Office is located at 3165 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, telephone # 718-892-1161, fax # 718-863-6860, email bx10@cb.nyc.gov. The hours are Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. We encourage you to attend and voice your concerns! For more information please contact Patrick Caruso.
Campaign Letter-writing: Send letters to save after school and child care. The link to an easy, automated way to send letters can be found by clicking the “Take Action” button on the website: http://www.campaignforchildrennyc.com/
Your letters will go directly to the Mayor and the City Council. Our very own Councilman Jimmy Vacca, District #8 representative is located at 3040 East Tremont Avenue, Room 104, Bronx, NY 10461, telephone # 718.931.1605, fax # 718.931.1605, email jvacca@council.nyc.gov. Councilman Vacca is a strong supporter of the Beacon program and will stop at nothing to advocate on behalf of our needs! He encourages you to reach out to him and share the importance to keep PJ Beacon open.
Our hope is that through our organizing and advocacy efforts we will have our funding reinstated and that the doors of our Beacon can remain open. If you have ANY outside of the box ideas on how to further engage the community in these efforts please let me or any of the P&J staff members know of your ideas. As always you are welcomed to stop by the office, call or email me should you have any questions regarding programming. Program Director: Monique De La Oz, Office number: 718.239.4080, Cellular number: 646.529.1685, Email address: mdelaoz@phippsny.org
Thank you for your support in advance!
Monique De La Oz, MS Urban Policy, Program Director
Phipps Beacon at the Piagentini and Jones Campus