[2]by Art Cusano [3]
PEEKSKILL, N.Y. – The Peekskill Salvation Army building is on its way toward some much-needed renovations.
District 40 New York State Sen. Greg Ball (R, C-Patterson) presented Saturday the Salvation Army with a $100,000 capital grant check to help the Peekskill location, 117 Nelson Ave., aid more residents in need.
The money will go toward creating an expanded dining hall and building an additional bathroom in the building. Currently, the dining hall cannot handle the number of people served every day.
“We have a soup kitchen and lunch program every day and so many more people are coming,” explained the Peekskill Salvation Army’s Envoy Chacka Watch, who said he was very grateful for Ball’s grant. “Before we could serve 50 people sitting comfortable but now we have about 100 people every day, so we need to extend the kitchen and dining area.”
Adding a second restroom will also help alleviate crowding and make the facility more accommodating, said Watch.
“We want people to come in, and even though they may be homeless or poor, we want them to feel like they belong,” Watch said. “We need about $300,000. Now that we have this money we’re going to start going to people and saying that we have this money and asking them to please help us finish the project.”
Ball said he was happy to be able to secure this grant for Watch and his facility.
“As long as I am in office, I will continue to deliver for the residents of Peekskill and all the towns I represent and fight to bring as much of our tax money back from Albany, to home where it belongs,” Ball said.
Anyone looking to make a donation to the Peekskill Salvation Army can do so by going to the organization’s website [4] for more information. (ARTICLE [5])
