Medical Center Neighborhood Fund held their 36th Annual Awards Ceremony
On Tuesday, October 17, 2023 the Medical Center Neighborhood Fund held its 36th Annual Awards Ceremony. Grants were awarded to 58 local non-profit community-based organizations to support their work in the Washington Heights and Inwood community. Since 1987, the Medical Center Neighborhood Fund (MCNF) has donated over $2M to support over a hundred non-profit organizations in their efforts to provide a rich continuum of services including afterschool tutoring, recreational, food insecurity, supportive services for the elderly, arts and cultural programing and much more.
The award’s reception night was a blend of inspiration and celebration that included performances by fund awardees: Leadlights Ensemble, East Winds, Inc., and the Dance Project of Washington Heights. There were many community members in attendance, as well as council members, fund donors and site-visitors who spoke positively about their experiences with the MCNF. As the evening unfolded, the atmosphere buzzed with conversations, laughter, and the joy of shared success.
This year, two organizations received the special Tapley and Joe Hintersteiner awards in recognition of their outstanding services. The Tapley was awarded to Comunilife Inc. for their program: Life is Precious which is a Suicide Prevention program for at-risk Latina teens that provides services that relate directly to the risk factors associated with suicide ideation and attempt. The Joe Hintersteiner was awarded to Dyckman Farmhouse Museum Alliance’s program, Growing Uptown, which has empowered families to grow food in their urban apartments in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx as a start to closing the gap in food security.
The fund is supported by faculty and staff from Columbia University Irving Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian, and New York State Psychiatric Institute as part of our long-standing commitment to serving our community. One hundred percent of the donations received are awarded each year and the program is administered by staff volunteers who review requests for funds and perform yearly site visits to monitor progress. To volunteer, support or learn more about the Neighborhood Fund visit our website: https://www.gca.cumc.columbia.edu/medical-center-neighborhood-fund