(MINEOLA, N.Y.) – Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D – Glen Cove) and her colleagues in the Legislature’s Minority Caucus voted today to allocate $950,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds toward the Nassau County Police Athletic League (NCPAL) in support of their countywide youth enrichment programming and services.
The mission of NCPAL, which currently operates more than three dozen local clubs including NCPAL North Shore based in Sea Cliff, is to “operate youth clubs and provide sports, crafts, educational and other programs of a team and individual nature for all boys and girls in Nassau County” with the intent of steering children toward the camaraderie of healthy, organized activities and fostering positive interactions between police officers and youth.
The funding was drawn from $15 million in federally allocated ARPA money that was set aside by the Legislature for various not-for-profit organizations and special districts that deliver ARPA-approved services. The creation of this fund was an outgrowth of extensive Minority Caucus efforts to allocate ARPA resources for the intended purposes of bolstering programs that addressed critical needs arising from the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For generations, the Nassau County PAL has been a reliable and impactful partner in the delivery of youth enrichment services that keep our kids safe and expand their horizons by exposing them to new sports and activities,” Minority Leader DeRiggi-Whitton said. “The Minority Caucus is proud to support this investment in the future of our youth and have every expectation that these and all of the forthcoming ARPA funds will be distributed equitably across the County for the benefit of all residents and taxpayers.”