A NEW HOME FOR CAST

 

 

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

For more information, please contact:

Jackie Savage, Epoch 5 Public Relations

jsavage@epoch5.com

631-427-1713

       

Greenport, New York – September 15, 2021 – Community Action Southold Town, Inc. (CAST) is pleased to announce the purchase of its new home due to the generous support from members of the community for CAST’s Build What Matters capital campaign. To date, CAST has raised $2.2 million, nearly 75 percent of its $3 million capital campaign goal, and hopes to raise the remaining 25 percent in the next year. This initial fundraising has allowed CAST to close on the purchase of the former Southold Methodist Church, renovated as the former Southold Opera House, which will become the new home of CAST ensuring that it can continue to efficiently and effectively provide essential programs and services needed by so many on the Nork Fork. 

The capital campaign and new facility enable CAST to realize its vision to be a thriving community resource center.  CAST serves nearly 10 percent of the population living in the Town of Southold, including seniors and many hard-working families that are the invisible thread that keep the North Fork together.

“CAST is a powerful force on the North Fork – responding to the needs of the vulnerable and helping families build a better future,” said Kevin O’Connor, CEO Dime Community Bank.

CAST’s new home is located within the business hamlet in the heart of Southold Town, offering easier access to more residents and plentiful parking. Within the new space, CAST will be able to offer a larger client choice food pantry and sharing room for clothing and household items, more room for essential education programs for both children and adults, private meeting/interview spaces, a teaching kitchen for culinary and hospitality training, a community garden to grow fresh food, as well as arts and cultural programs. CAST’s new home represents the next phase of growth for the nonprofit which plans to reopen its doors as the Center for Advocacy, Support & Transformation.

“Signing the papers to close on the former Southold Opera House is a dream realized.  We are so grateful for the generous support from the members of the community, who dedicate their time and resources every day to make our community a better place to live,” stated Marc Sokol, CAST Board President.

 A portion of the funds raised include a grant from the NY Empire State Economic Development Fund.  Empire State Development Chief Operating Officer and Executive Deputy Commissioner Kevin Younis said, “Empire State Development is proud to support the purchase of the former Southold Opera House to further expand CAST’s ability to provide quality programs and services to North Fork families.  This project is an important investment to address regional workforce development capacity, food insecurity, educational programs, and more. These important services and programs deliver on the State’s priority to support New York’s working families and strengthen its economy.”   

Lisa A. Grattan, Mattituck High School Class of 1982 and Philanthropist Level Donor adds, “CAST’s mission of providing for the essential needs, and promoting self-sufficiency, for the vulnerable populations of the North Fork achieves life changing value and impact for all of us who live, work, or travel to the North Fork. CAST protects and promotes our unique and treasured natural resource–a compassionate and active community.  For this reason, I am grateful to CAST for providing me the opportunity to participate in the Capital Campaign to provide CAST with a new home that will enable CAST to amplify, grow, and sustain its critical mission.”

“We have so many people to thank from our board, donors, volunteers and staff who have kindly and thoughtfully invested in our common vision of making CAST a safety net and trusted resource center for those in need across the North Fork, now and for generations to come,” said Cathy Demeroto, Executive Director, CAST.  “We anticipate raising the remaining 25 percent in the near future and look forward to using all of our resources to transform people’s lives by providing services they need to achieve self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement to improve individual, family and community well-being.”

Donations can be made online at Build What Matters Capital Campaign – Community Action Southold Town (castsoutholdtown.org) or by mail and there are many exciting naming sponsorships still available. Please send checks made payable to the CAST Capital Campaign. Mail to Cathy A. Demeroto, Build What Matters Campaign, P.O. Box 159, Greenport, NY 11944.

“We look forward to welcoming all of our neighbors and friends into our new home with hopes that it will truly be a meeting place and resource center for the entire community. Whether people come for services, to volunteer, take a class, or enjoy a musical performance, our doors will always be open to all,” said Demeroto.

About CAST

Founded in 1965, CAST has supported underserved and vulnerable populations with food, shelter, education, employment, and health insecurity. Its mission is to provide a safety net and promote self-sufficiency for North Fork residents in need. The organization serves a diverse population, with dignity and compassion,  including seniors, people living with disabilities, single mothers, veterans, children and the working poor. CAST’s vision is to build a community where every member is free from worry about basic necessities and has the opportunity to build a better future for themselves and their families.

To understand the important work of CAST on the North Fork, see CAST’s new video.

CAST – Build What Matters (Full Version) – YouTube

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