IN THE NEWS

The Journal News

September 6, 2007

Yonkers Nonprofit Dedicated to Public Schools Opens Offices Downtown

by Ernie Garcia

YONKERS – Mayor Phil Amicone and other officials today inaugurated the offices of a foundation that will raise private money for the city’s public schools. A small crowd gathered at new offices of the Yonkers Partners in Education at 86 Main St, downtown this morning to reaffirm the nonprofit group’s commitment to enhancing the quality of education for the city’s 25,022 public school children.  “We’re hoping to raise big money to pump into the schools”, said Wendy R. Nadel, the group’s executive director.

Yonkers Partners in Education’s role is to compliment, not substitute for, government funding, Amicone said.  “They are not paying the bills – that’s the state and city’s job,” Amicone said.  The Yonkers school district budget this year is $459.7 million.

The group has already begun fundraising.  On April 11, it raised about $30,000 at a reception.  The group’s next big fundraiser will be the second annual John Reid Golf Classic on Sept. 24 at the St. Andrew’s Golf Club.

Proceeds from these functions could be used to support programs like art and music classes, after-school tutoring, and early literacy, among other options under consideration, organizers said.

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