Poughkeepsie, NY … Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino today announced $237,300 in grant awards to 21 nonprofit agencies to provide a variety of developmental opportunities to young people under the age of 21 through the New York State Youth Development Program (YDP). These grants, ranging from $6,000 to $20,000, promote positive youth development by advancing the well-being of youth. Award recommendations were made by the Dutchess County’s Youth Board and Coordinating Council, which is made up of community members and representatives from various non-profit organizations.
County Executive Serino said, “Dutchess County is proud to continue our ongoing efforts to give our young people the resources they need to become successful adults, and these grants will assist some of our community partners who can help us achieve that goal. Our community is fortunate to have organizations that care about the development of our young people, and we’re proud to collaborate with them to ensure the future of Dutchess County is bright.”
Projects funded through the 2024-2025 Youth Development Program grant include:
Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corp, Inc., $18,500
Junior Corps Member Program – Provides comprehensive training and mentorship programs to equip our members, ages 15-17, with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in the field of emergency medical services.
Beekman Library, $6,000
Youth Empowerment through Service (Y.E.S.) – High school age teens contribute to their community and gain leadership skills by acting as library volunteers.
Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, $18,000
Personal Safety Program – Provides free, evidence-based abuse and bullying prevention lessons to students, faculty, and staff in their classrooms.
Chamber Foundation, $14,000
Next-Gen Summer Academy – A free, three-week immersive program where youth between the ages of 14-21 learn about 21st century skills and computer literacy through 3D printing, virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR), robotics, game design/development and coding.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County, $17,000
Green Teen Workforce Development through Community Gardening – Teens are employed by CCEDC, earning a wage, and building a résumé, learning not only the skills and behaviors employers seek, as well as other life skills.
Dover Plains Library Association, $15,000
Building Brains: Dover Youth Enrichment – Makes afterschool tutoring, music and dance lessons accessible to youth ages 3-21.
Dutchess Community College Foundation, $9,000
DCC CARES-Surviving to Thriving – Provide postsecondary education dropout prevention and increase the retention and graduation rates of Dutchess County students between 17 and 21 years old, who are housing insecure, lack material basics, and struggle with mental health issues.
Dutchess County Pride Center, $6,000
Intergenerational Get Togethers – Monthly intergenerational get togethers between LGBTQ+ youth and their families and other LGBTQ+ adults in the community.
Family Services, Inc., $9,500
Teen Resource Activity Center (TRAC) – Offers a free, supervised place for youth ages 11-18 to come afterschool at the Family Partnership Center.
Hudson River Housing, $17,000
HRH Youth Enrichment Program – Provides an array of year-round activities for runaway and homeless and other at-risk youth temporarily residing at HRH’s River Haven youth shelter.
Land to Learn, $6,000
SproutEd Beacon – Brings garden-based education to 10 public elementary schools in the Hudson Valley, including four in Dutchess County.
Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum, $10,000
Traveling Science – Brings interactive STEM education directly to communities, fostering 21st-century skills and academic growth among youth.
North East Community Center, $16,000
Youth Development Programs: Community Partnership with Schools and Business (CPSB) Teen Jobs –
A workforce development program for high school youth
Pawling Recreation, $6,000
Make a Scene – An after-school theater club for elementary through high school students.
Poughkeepsie Farm Project, $15,000
Green Jobs for Youth – Prepares youth ages 14-20 and young adults for careers in farming, gardening and food education; increases local economic and food security; and supports youth in job searches and placement by connecting them with potential employers.
Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church, $10,000
Harriet Tubman Academic Skills Center (HTASC) – Provides an after-school program and a summer program to at-risk children that live in or near the Tubman Apartment Complex in the City of Poughkeepsie.
Red Hook Community Center, $6,000
RHCC Teen Group – Provide teen programming to middle school and high school youth ages 11-17 afterschool, three times weekly on school days and one time weekly during summer break.
The Art Effect, $16,000
Spark Studios – Offers a safe and dynamic learning environment for underserved youth ages 14-19. developing valuable skills in film editing, sound, lighting and video production while also receiving immediate economic support.
The Foundation for Beacon Schools, $8,000
2025 BCSD Film Festival – Annual event open to all district children in grades K-12, as well as non-district children who collaborate with a BCSD student to make a short film.
Town of East Fishkill, $7,300
Too Good for Drugs – Elementary school-based drug prevention program designed to reduce students intention to use alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs while promoting pro-social attitudes, skills and behaviors.
Vassar College, $7,000
Exploring Science at the Vassar Preserve – Environmental science program coordinated by the Environmental Cooperative at the Vassar Barns provides youth with opportunities to learn about nature in the Hudson Valley through a science lens.
