Local nonprofit COPAY, Inc. is seeking donors to sponsor low-income children from Great Neck, after losing 57 percent of its funding from the Nassau County Youth Board, said COPAY Executive Director Maria Cuadra.
“We currently have 10 children who need sponsors,” she said. “All of their parents are employed, most working two jobs to barely make ends meet.”
Donations will be used to support COPAY’s five-week summer program, which focuses on academic achievement, healthy living, recreation, artistic expression, leadership development, mentoring, and giving back to others. It stresses healthy communication, self-discipline, and accomplishment as an avenue to self-esteem and success.
The organization needs a minimum of $25,000 to help sustain the summer program.
“The program needs to raise these revenues in order to avoid a deficit at the end of the fiscal year,” Cuadra said. “We have already modified the size of the program and will be serving 15 children (rather than 30 children) due to the cut back.”
COPAY provides professional prevention and therapeutic services, including outpatient substance abuse counseling, vocational assessment and training, and academic tutoring. Ninety percent of the families they serve live below the federal poverty line. All are from Great Neck.
With a diverse clientele, in the past two years COPAY has served families from 34 different countries.
“As donors, we often contribute money to causes that serve people in other parts of the world and in other communities,” Cuadra said. “This year, help one of your neighbors…a child from Great Neck.”
COPAY was granted the New York State FIVE Stars of Excellence, and Agency of the Year by both the National Association of Social Workers and National Association of Hispanic Social Workers, due to the quality of youth services.
Donations are tax deductible.
For more information, call 516-466-2509 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mail checks to: COPAY Inc., 21 North Station Plaza, Great Neck, NY 11021 ATTN: COPAY Kids.
