From WPKN/WPKM* radio news, November 21, 2008:
A Bridgehampton, Long Island social service agency says needed repairs to its roof and other physical infrastructure is threatening its ability to deliver services to its clients who are low income families in the area.
The Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreational Center is on the Bridgehampton - Sag Harbor Turnpike. Its executive director Bonnie Cannon says the center is a lifeline to many in the community.
"Primarily we service the low income families in the area.
Through educational services we have our Head Start program that is housed here. We also have an after school program for the children.
and we have adult programs here in the evening.
Adults come here for 10 weeks to learn how to use a computer
and at the end of the 10 weeks they actually get a computer.
That's one of our programs. We also have a Spanish class that's taught here.
We do parenting classes. A Single Parent Discussion Group meets on a weekly basis. We also work with our teens.
In Summer we do a Day Camp. We had 90 kids here this summer,
and we also have a food pantry here."
Cannon says children from 70 families participate in the day care and after school programs and many of these families also benefit from the food program, which is needed more than ever this time of year.
"Winter time is when it is most needed because a lot of individuals - their work stops because they do seasonal work"
But, the state of the economy has affected the Center's pantry.
"We usually get about 50 turkeys from Island Harvest for our families for Thanksgiving Day and this year they were only able to give us 10 turkeys."
Cannon says many organizations and individuals contribute to make it possible for the center to do its work. But there’s now an even bigger need to maintain its buildings.
"There is a leak where we have the Head Start Program. We need to get a $6000 roof put on there and for the administration building we need a new furnace and that's going to run us, I guess 6 or 7 thousand dollars as well."
She says the leak has damaged the floor which means an additional expense.
Cannon says the Center has applied for a grant from the Town of
Southampton for repairs. But the grant has not been approved so far.
The Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreational Center can be reached
by phone at
631-537-0616
or by mail at
P.O. Box 1197
Bridgehampton, New York, 11932
________________________________
* WPKN 89.5 FM Bridgeport / WPKM 88.7 FM Montauk
Local news from the AP and our local staff at 6:30pm Mon - Fri, following
world and national news from Free Speech Radio News at 6 pm.
