By Bill Parry
Western Queens’ nonprofits asked Borough President Melinda Katz for money to keep the arts scene vibrant for the county, while other organizations had different needs.
Museum of the Moving Image Executive Director Carl Goodman came to the hearing looking for $1 million so the museum could complete its Jim Henson Gallery housing the Muppet creator’s collection donated by his family.
Selma Heraldo lived next door to the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona her entire 88 years. When she died, she left her house to the museum and requested $860,000 to turn it into an administrative center.
Now in its 30th year, MoMA PS1requested $500,000 for new boilers.
The New York Hall of Science in Corona was looking for $7.5 million in funding for facility improvements and equipment replacement, pointing out that some of its building’s infrastructure dates back to the World’s Fair.
In October, Mount Sinai Queens broke ground on a new six-story ambulatory building with 3,000 square feet of lab space. Now it needs equipment and requested $700,000.
Two South Asian organizations arrived at the hearing seeing vastly different amounts of funding. South Asian Youth Action asked for $15,000 for its youth program, while Chhaya CDC wanted $3 million for a community center in the heart of Jackson Heights.
The Dominico-American Society wanted $60,000 to help new citizens learn English and computer skills and become American citizens.
The Federation of Italian American Organizations of Queens has staged Italian Nights at Athens Square Park in Astoria since 1996. If it wants to keep its summer concert series going, it said it would need $55,000.
Sunnyside needs more trees, according to BID Director Rachel Thieme, who requested $56,950 for 27 trees.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
