FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com THE COURIER SUN • FEBRUARY 9, 2017 3 Great turnout for Senator Sanders’ grant-writing workshop The workshop was taught by Lynn Lobell and Molaundo Jones of the Queens Council on the Arts. BY GINA CONTEH editorial@qns.com @QNS In an effort to assist and educate the community, state Senator James Sanders Jr. held a free grant-writing workshop at August Martin High School in Jamaica on Wednesday, Feb. 1. The intention behind Sanders’ workshop was to offer assistance to those who were interested in learning how to acquire the proper funding to start or expand their project or organization. Grants from governments, private entities, public corporations and local art Photo courtesy of state Senator James Sanders councils can benefit nonprofits, educational institutions, businesses or individuals. According to Sanders, “Funding is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.” In holding this workshop, Sanders hoped to “make it easier for residents to realize their dreams and … potentially benefit the entire district and beyond with innovative and inspirational services.” More than 100 people, some traveling from as far as Pennsylvania, attended the twohour workshop taught by Lynn Lobell, the grants and resource director for Queen Council on the Arts, and Molaundo Jones, the art service manager for Queens Council on the Arts. Lobell explained that a top mistake of grant writers is missing their application deadline. Other mistakes, Lobell said, are not conducting enough research to get to know the makers of a grant or not following instructions. Both Lobell and Jones covered the basics of grant budgets by informing attendees on how to fill out an application, write a letter of intent, write a letter of proposal, create a budget and provide documentation and support materials. State Senate bills aim to help veterans’ finances BY THE QUEENS COURIER STAFF editorial@qns.com @QNS Along with the thanks of a grateful nation, local veterans could soon receive expanded financial assistance through legislation being considered in Albany. According to state Senator Joe Addabbo, he and his colleagues in the upper house of the state Legislature recently passed several bills aimed at increasing employment opportunities for disabled veterans and providing new tax breaks for veterans who had to tap into pension, insurance and other funds in order to purchase a home. “We have an obligation to our nation’s veterans to ensure that they are able to live in comfort and dignity after completing their military careers,” said Addabbo, who is based in Howard Beach. “Offering our former servicemen and women greater access to job opportunities and allowing them to keep a little more money in their household budgets are two important ways to help.” One bill which Addabbo co-sponsored would mandate that state agencies fill up to 500 non-competitive positions that do not require civil service examinations with qualified disabled veterans. The other bill allows the city and school districts across the state to pass legislation creating property tax credits to any veteran who bought their homes using pension payments or other compensation they received for their service to the nation. “If this legislation is ultimately signed into law on the state level, the New York City Council and mayor would need to approve a local bill providing eligible veterans with a reduction in the school tax portion of their real property tax bills,” Addabbo said. “I hope we are able to pass the bill this year in the state Legislature and provide the city with this chance to aid veteran homeowners and their families.” Both bills have been sent to the Assembly for its consideration.
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