Thursday, October 1, 2026
The De La Salle School, a Catholic, boys-only middle school private school in Freeport, received a $10,000 grant from Ocean Financial Federal Credit Union to support the school’s continued services.
Ocean Financial Federal Credit Union distributed a total of $50,000 in grants after it secured funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York’s Small Business Recovery Grant Program. $10,000 was given to five Nassau County nonprofits and community organizations that applied for the funding, including The De La Salle School.
According to Roxanna De Peña-Elder, the executive director of The De La Salle School, the $10,000 grant has gone towards covering costs for school projects and needs, including replacing 24-year-old assembly room chairs, purchasing breakfast items and snacks for students dealing with food insecurity and purchasing four sets of novels for English Language Arts classes.
“it’s a lot,” De Peña-Elder said. “We’ve been very, very thankful for that $10,000. It’s been very impactful.”
The other nonprofits are The Parish Family of St. Raymond Penyafort in East Rockaway, the Hispanic Brotherhood in Rockville Centre, Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation in Uniondale and the Catholic Youth Organization of Long Island in Hicksville.
“These grants reflect our ongoing mission to strengthen the communities we serve,” President and CEO of Ocean Financial Federal Credit Union Joseph Tedesco said. “By partnering with the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, we are able to provide meaningful financial support to organizations that play a vital role in helping individuals and families during challenging economic times.”
The Small Business Recovery Grant Program enables Federal Home Loan Bank of New York member institutions, like Ocean Financial, to provide grants of up to $10,000 to qualifying small businesses, farms and nonprofit organizations facing economic challenges related to inflation, rising energy costs, supply-chain constraints and today’s interest rate environment.
The De La Salle School, to provide families with equal access to quality education, do not charge tuition like most private schools, but utilize scholarships and donations from various supporters and benefactors cover operational costs. Families are only asked to contribute $90 a month, $900 a school year, to additionally contribute to the school’s ability to function.
In addition to this funding, Ocean Financial Federal Credit Union donates more than $65,000 annually to charitable organizations across Long Island, reinforcing its dedication to long-term community investments and partnerships.
To learn more about the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York’s Small Business Recovery Grant Program, please visit their website.
To learn more about The De La Salle School and how to make a financial contribution, please the school’s Director of Development Joseph Barry at (516) 379-0012.
