Congressman Serrano Presents $250,000 Check to Casita Maria

Bronx, NY , October 29, 2004— Congressman José E. Serrano (NY-16) was at Casita Maria’s headquarters in the

Bronx today to present a check to the community service group for $250,000 in federal funding.  This funding, secured through the Fiscal Year 2004 Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations bill, will serve as seed money for a multiyear after-school and day camp program that will offer at-risk elementary and secondary school students a chance to get assistance on their schoolwork and enrich their education experience with arts, writing, and literacy classes.

“The after-school programs offered by Casita Maria give hundreds of children a home away from home, where they can learn, achieve, stay out of trouble, and succeed,” said Congressman Serrano.  “I know that this new component of the after-school program will allow even more

Bronx students to expand their creative interests, and build skills for the future.  I am proud to support Casita Maria in these goals, and I am confident that this program will make a difference in the lives of kids in the

Bronx .” 

The recent funding is for the QUAD program, which is named for the four curriculum goals:  quality, understanding, accountability, and discipline.  The program will offer homework assistance, as well as a chance to participate in music, dance, theatre, and creative writing classes.  There are numerous partner organizations that will work with the students, including The American Ballet Theatre (A.B.T.), Creative Edge, The

Diller-Quaile

School of Music, Early Stages, Renaissance E.M.S. and the Society of the Educational Arts (S.E.A.).  This program will serve as a complement to other after-school programs in the

Bronx run by Casita Maria. 

The goal of the program is not just to provide arts education for students, but to give them the creative, communications, and organizational skills needed to succeed both in their schoolwork and as they become active members of the community.  In the current school year, 90 students are participating in this new program, which began on October 4th.  As the students progress, their academic achievement will be evaluated by a private consulting firm.

Casita Maria, founded in 1934, is one of the city’s oldest charitable institutions established to serve Hispanics in

New York City .  The organization, headquartered in the

South Bronx , offers a wide array of services and programs for both youth and adults.  Last year, they served almost 14,000 families in their after-school and summer camp programs.

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Congressman José E. Serrano has represented the

Bronx ,

New York , in Congress since 1990.  He is the only Member of Congress from

New York City on the House Appropriations Committee and serves as the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Commerce, Justice, and State Departments.