Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Glen Cove Youth Bureau is continuing its programs during the pandemic. And now, with the help of a $7,500 grant, the Youth Bureau will be able to take its programs a step further during this time.
The grant, which comes from the Long Island Community Foundation, a grantmaking foundation that works to support non-profits, will fund iPads and computer accessories for kids and staff members who need the supplies. The technology will enable them to continue programs, such as homework help, offered by the Youth Bureau.
“Anything we can do to help… the Youth Bureau has always been involved with helping the kids,” Spiro Tsirkas, the executive director of the Glen Cove Youth Bureau, said. “Having the ability to get these iPads will allow us to continue to do the [training] they need remotely.”
Glen Cove City Council approved the grant on April 28 through a digital council meeting vote. “The city is so appreciative to the Long Island Community Foundation for providing this grant,” Mayor Tim Tenke said. “We also appreciate how they expedited the grant money to Glen Cove so that the Ipads could be purchased early on during the Covid crisis so that the kids would not miss out on their tutoring and school work.”
Councilwoman Marsha Silverman said at the April 21 pre-council meeting that it was “amazing that we got this grant,” adding that it was important to make sure the devices were distributed fairly.
Tsirkas said that the devices are for the children that have been coming to the programs. “My staff knows my kids best,” Tsirkas said. “We know the families. It’s the families that have been coming to us for years. So we have identified particular individuals that need assistance.”
And while technology has been deemed especially important during a time of social distance to continue educational and enrichment programs, Tsirkas hopes that these iPads can be passed down to kids who need it down the line.
“I would like to do a rotation,” Tsirkas said. “So in case someone does not need the technology anymore, we can give it to someone that has more of a need for it. Then when this crisis is over, we’ll be able to have these iPads for kids who are in need.”
The Glen Cove Youth Bureau has received two grants each valued at $20,000 from the Long Island Community Foundation in the past, which has helped offset costs for its work, such as the summer program. As of now, Tsirkas said, the Glen Cove Youth Bureau is planning as if the program will happen this summer. The summer program includes camps and a Summer Youth Employment program.
Marie Smith, the director of donor relations and communications at the Long Island Community Foundation, said that the Glen Cove Youth Bureau submitted a proposal for the grant soon after the funds were made available.
“We’re probably one of the only foundations on Long Island that gives money specifically for equipment, so that was a big deal for an organization like Glen Cove to find us,” Smith said. “Academic achievement is one of our focus areas in education, so we want to make sure that our non-profits are able to continue programs that we’ve supported in the past.”
The Long Island Community Foundation was able to raise $1.4 million from donors for its Covid-19 Long Island Philanthropic Response Fund. Phase one of the grants, which the Glen Cove Youth Bureau applied to, addressed immediate concerns. Immediate concerns are defined as equipment need, personnel costs and emergency needs. The next phase will address long-term issues that may arise because of the pandemic.
“We love the work that we do,” Smith said. “We love it. We love coming to work. We couldn’t wait to get this started because we knew this was going to happen, just like it did with [Hurricane] Sandy.”
