Strong Kids Campaign Kicks Off

Parents, children, volunteers, program participants, business leaders and distinguished members of the community gathered together last week, beneath basketball hoops and red-and-white banners proudly hung on the walls of the Greenpoint YMCA gymnasium, to eat, drink, watch performances and celebrate the 2009 kick-off of the Strong Kids Campaign.
“This is not only a good cause, it’s not only a great cause, it’s an awesome cause!” said Former Board Chair and current Campaign Chair, Frank P. Carbone, whose contagious enthusiasm and deep community spirit truly set the tone for the evening. Mr. Carbone led the campaign volunteers in a pep-rally style shout-out of each Strong Kids Campaign team’s fundraising goal, totaling $145,000 to be used to provide low-cost and no-cost youth and family programs in our community.
Among nearly 100 attendees was Executive Director Melvin Tse, who warmly welcomed the crowd, expressing his gratitude to all the volunteers, participants and supporters, making sure to thank those who pledged donations to the campaign, and to the Greenpoint Y.
“For over 120 years the Greenpoint YMCA has served the Greenpoint and Williamsburg communities, and for 103 years we have provided community services out of this facility,” Tse said. “We have been able to offer quality programs and meet the needs of our community, because for many years, good people like you, have chosen our Y as their charity of choice.”
The Chairman of the Greenpoint YMCA’s Board of Managers Paul Pullo also said a few words. A North Brooklyn native, Pullo shared a personal story about how important the Greenpoint YMCA was to him as a boy, demonstrating the positive impact of the wide array of YMCA programs on urban youth, and that the preservation of these programs is made possible only through generous donations from the community.
“In 2008 we served 4,000 kids, 80 per cent for free or with financial assistanct,” Pullo said proudly.
“That’s about 3,200 kids who are able to be part of the Greenpoint YMCA because of you and your dedication to the Strong Kids Campaign. I know times are tough, but we’ve just got to keep caring.”
Making a special appearance, YMCA of Greater New York President and CEO Jack Lund informed the many guests in the packed gymnasium that “In 2008, the YMCA of Greater New York delivered more than $46.6 million in free, subsidized or sponsored programs to more than 350,000 New Yorkers, including 175,000 youth, ensuring the availability of the YMCA’s programs and services to those most in need.”
During his remarks Lund also acknowledged the staff of the Greenpoint Y in particular as being “one of the best teams in all of New York City. If families come here, and a parent has lost their job, we say ‘you’re staying with us!’”
Other speakers included a mother and father, the Soubirans, whose son attends the Greenpoint YMCA’s Early Childhood program.
“I just can’t express how important the Y is to our family,” they said. “It’s wonderful to know that there’s a valuable option for early childhood education that doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.” Volunteer Peter Cruz told the guests how he first became involved when his daughter was attending the Greenpoint YMCA’s Kids in Control Center, a drug prevention program located in Williamsburg. Cruz became a program volunteer, and then a fundraising volunteer. By applying for a matching gift through his company and taking advantage of his company’s volunteer incentive program in which volunteer hours are translated into monetary donations, Mr. Cruz was able to greatly multiply his financial contribution to the Strong Kids Campaign.
17-year-old Katherine Guachichulca, president of the Greenpoint YMCA’s Leader’s Club spoke about her involvement in Y programs since the age of 9. Guachichulca also shared with the crowd her plans to study sociology in college, and use her education to help people the way the Y has helped her.
At the end of the ceremony, a progress report outlining the funds raised as of February 19, 2009 was presented, in the middle of which a gigantic check from Exxonmobil for $25,000 was sneakily unveiled to a group of overjoyed children, program participants who had just performed a swing-dance number.

By the end of the evening, the Strong Kids Campaign had reached nearly half of their year-long goal of $145,000. While that kind of money may seem like quite an undertaking, especially given the current state of the economy, previous years have proven that, even in the toughest of times, the community always comes through for the Greenpoint YMCA: They have never once fallen short of meeting a financial goal.
In addition to an excellent showing of community spirit, the event also featured a spread of food donated by area restaurants including 3-Decker Restaurant, Amarin Café, Dunkin Donuts, The Garden, Italy Pizza, L & A, and Lite Bites. Community Campaign Chair, Nick Sellitri also donated food for the event.