Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin, along with the entire Hempstead Town Board, authorized a $135,000 grant for Girl Scouts of Nassau County, Inc. for the purchase reimbursement and utilization of a vehicle to provide the Girl Scout Leadership Experience and Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) programming in a mobile format.
The grant will transform the Girl Scout outreach system to ensure girls in communities affected by COVID have access to unique, outdoor, STEM, life skills and leadership activities and a network of support that will benefit their self-esteem and mental health, as well as mitigate learning loss incurred by the pandemic.
After this year, families may be facing limited time, means of transportation, finances and access to technology; some might face language or cultural barriers. The unit will minimize external factors that may be preventing girls from joining the organization’s activities by bringing resources and staff members closer to the girls and their families in their communities.
The Town of Hempstead and Girl Scouts of Nassau County will accomplish this mission with the collaboration of Hempstead Ford Lincoln and Valley Van who provided the van and Bolla Oil who will be donating a year of gas for the mobile unit.
“Thank you to Senator Schumer, for securing the extension of last year’s CARES Act funding that made this and a series of other impactful initiatives possible,” said Clavin. “This initiative by Girl Scouts is a smart and creative way to increase outreach in communities affected by COVID so every girl can have equal access to STEM opportunities. These opportunities not only empower them to explore new horizons but also improve their mental health. I join my colleagues on the Hempstead Town Board in support of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County’s project and all of the organization’s work in the community.”
