New York, NY (May 21, 2025) – The West Side Community Fund (WSCF), a consortium of leading businesses that come together to support neighborhood initiatives in the west side of Manhattan, today announced the allocation of $100,000 to 18 grant recipients. Since 2018, the bi-annual grant program, which is administered by Hudson Guild, has distributed over $1.2 million to uplift and empower communities in Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, and Hudson Yards. The allocation of microgrants further the Fund’s goal of strengthening communities along Manhattan’s West Side by investing in and bolstering groups that uplift under-resourced residents across Chelsea, Hudson Yards, and Hell’s Kitchen. The WSCF grant program fills a void in the social infrastructure of the community by providing financial backing to groups that are often excluded from other funding sources.

The Spring 2025 grant cycle signals a significant expansion of the Fund’s impact, with one-third (six out of 18) of the recipients new to the program—further amplifying its reach and inclusivity.

The 18 Spring 2025 grant recipients are:

• Food Education Fund – an initiative offering professional development training in hospitality and fine dining for high school students

• Friends of Argentine Tango – a group that promotes and brings the positive benefits of dancing Tango and other Latin social dances to people who might not otherwise try them, will use the funding for an immersive, twelve-week class tailored to seniors

• Friends of Chelsea Green Park – a group that organizes community events at Chelsea Green Park will run a series of programs specifically designed for seniors and adults without children

• Fulton Houses Tenant Association and Gotham Food Pantry – an initiative that advances food justice by distributing food to residents of Fulton Houses through Gotham Food Pantry

• Fundavenyc – an initiative that will train certified volunteers to connect housing seekers to affordable housing opportunities

• Fund for Public Housing, Inc. – a five-week initiative that empowers NYCHA youth at Harborview Terrace and Chelsea-Elliot housing to collaboratively identify and implement tech solutions that strengthen communications, access to information, and community engagement

• Hearty Start – a nonprofit that facilitates a daily meal service that supplies 1,250 sandwiches each week to the unhoused population in the surrounding Chelsea neighborhood

• Midtown South Community Council – a not-for-profit organization dedicated to building better neighborhoods and stronger relationships in Midtown South Manhattan will use the funds to enhance the MSCC Urban Farm’s infrastructure, increasing its capacity to distribute fresh produce and provide healthy food to families, shelters, and the elderly

• Newcomer Something – language and enrichment summer programming for incoming Landmark High School students experiencing food insecurity and living in temporary housing

• P94M at P51 – an initiative that engages students and their families in a gardening project to grow fresh produce they can take home, helping to relieve food insecurity

• PS 33 Chelsea Prep – a Manhattan elementary school will utilize the funding to provide support for students in need by providing emergency essential items and assisting families facing housing instability

• QARAVAN – an organization that offers targeted, community-driven support for LGBTQ participants in unstable housing through skill-building workshops offering critical resources in housing, healthcare, and employment

• Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries – a nonprofit organization that provides direct and educational services that promote individual and community growth, will use the funding to support their programming to support the unhoused

• St. Paul’s House – a non-profit organization operating Creighton’s Café, a soup kitchen that provides 40-60 meals daily, and connects clients to the resources they need, will utilize the funding for groceries

• Startup NYCHA – a Cambio Labs initiative that equips NYCHA residents with the skills, mentorship, and resources needed to build and sustain their own businesses

• Student Leadership Network – a college access program serving over 800 students, maximizing their access to financial aid and other college preparation resources

• VISIONS: Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired - an organization that offers intergenerational technology programs, connecting blind older adults with both blind and sighted teenagers

• Xavier Mission – a non-profit organization running an eviction prevention program that serves low-income New Yorkers at risk of homelessness

“Over the past seven years, the West Side Community Fund has remained steadfast in its mission to uplift grassroots organizations and empower underserved communities on Manhattan’s West Side,” said Michael Phillips, President of Jamestown and President of the WSCF Board. “This Spring 2025 grant cycle represents not only a continuation of that commitment but also an exciting expansion of our reach, with one-third of this year’s recipients joining our program for the first time. Through targeted investments in these vital, community-driven initiatives, we aim to foster equity, resilience, and lasting progress in Chelsea, Hudson Yards, and Hell’s Kitchen.”

“Hudson Guild is proud to assist the West Side Community Fund as it builds its network of local grants, aiding community groups with projects focused on needs and opportunities here on the west side,” said Ken Jockers, Executive Director of Hudson Guild. “Now in our third year administering the fund, we see the meaningful impact of the West Side Community Fund’s grants, and the strong engagement by the companies that sponsor and direct the fund.”

Donors that supported the 2025 grant cycles include Amazon, Brookfield Properties, Clear, Cooley, Douglaston, Google, Hudson Yards, James Beard Foundation, Jamestown, KKR, Promethean Builders, RXR, S9 Architecture, Tapestry Foundation, Turner Construction, Wells Fargo, and Wynn.

To learn more about the fund’s impact over the past year, please read the 2024 Annual Impact Report.

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About West Side Community Fund

West Side Community Fund (WSCF) is a consortium of leading businesses that come together to support neighborhood initiatives in the west side of Manhattan. Through a bi-annual grant program, WSCF supports initiatives that deliver improved or expanded services to residents along the West Side, particularly underserved populations. For more information, visit westsidecommunityfund.org.

About Hudson Guild

Hudson Guild–a multi-service community-based organization serving those who work, live, or go to school in Chelsea and the west side– administers the grant process on behalf of the West Side Community Fund. Hudson Guild’s programming helps support, enrich, and empower community members. For more information, visit hudsonguild.org.