CYPRESS HILLS, NEW YORK (September 9, 2021). Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation (CHLDC) has been awarded $2 million from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation to support their long dreamed of Cypress Hills - East New York Community Center at Chestnut Commons. 

 

The transformational grant will allow CHLDC to continue its decades-long efforts to revitalize the Cypress Hills and East New York neighborhoods of Brooklyn and now play a pivotal role in the neighborhood's recovery from the pandemic. Chestnut Commons Community Center is located on the ground floor and basement level of a mixed-use, 305,383 square foot building that will provide 274 units of deeply and permanently affordable housing and new retail uses. The Center brings together and provides room to grow for CHLDC critical programs in one location. The project is a partnership among CHLDC, MHANY Management, Inc., and Urban Builders Collaborative LLC and will open next summer. 

 

“We are so grateful for our partnership with The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. This amazingly generous support is a testament to the Foundation’s deep commitment to help provide solutions for people experiencing poverty” said CHLDC’s Executive Director Michelle Neugebauer. “This grant is critical and will enable us to establish a workforce development center within the community center and fund a significant portion of the interior fit-out.” 

 

A capital campaign is underway to raise the remaining funds needed for expanded programs and a building reserve. To reach their fundraising goal, CHLDC will host a virtual event, Room to Grow, on Thursday, October 28, 2021. Please visit https://www.cypresshills.org/roomtogrow to support the event. 

 

About The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation 

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private charitable foundations in the United States, is dedicated to meeting the basic needs of people experiencing poverty. The Foundation provides approximately $130 million each year in total grant activity supporting nonprofits that provide direct services in the areas of Housing, Health, Jobs, Education, and Community Services. Grants support organizations that serve a range of populations, including older adults, women at risk and their children, people with disabilities, and veterans, as well as the Jewish community. 

 

About Cypress Hills Development Corporation, Inc. 

Founded in 1983 by local residents and merchants, Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. With community residents leading the way, its mission is to build a strong, equitable East New York, where youth and adults achieve educational and economic success, secure and preserve affordable housing, and develop leadership skills to transform their lives and community. CHLDC actively promotes policies that advance racial equity. 

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Contact: Tania Rivera 
taniar@cypresshills.org 

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