The latest from La Nacional Spanish Benevolent Society ... Sing for Hope

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Young musicians will take the stage at Rock the Point in the Hudson Valley to raise month for Sing for Hope. The New York City nonprofit provides pianos to public spaces such as schools, hospitals and veterans’ centers, Lo Hud reports. Rock the Point will happen on Wednesday, June 6 at The Turning Point Cafe in Piermont. In prior years, the event has benefitted an arts organization in Newtown Conn. after the Sandy Hook shooting and another purchases school supplies for students in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.

The New York State Department of Health announced on June 1 that it had received more than $246 million in new federal funds. The money will support the Child and Adult Care Food Program, according to a press release, which benefits children and adults in daycare. More than 1,380 organizations representing 13,500 sites participate in the program across the state. These include:

• Child care centers, including Head Start centers and outside school hours programs serving children up to 12 years of age
• Community-based adult day care centers that are approved by federal, state or local authorities to provide day care services to adults with disabilities
• After-school programs providing educational or enrichment programming for children up to 19 years of age
• Homeless shelters providing meals to children living with a parent or guardian; and
• Family day care programs including licensed, registered and legally exempt home-based caregivers serving children up to 12 years of age.

La Nacional Spanish Benevolent Society is getting into the restaurant business to celebrate its 150th anniversary. The New York City nonprofit has joined forces with four Valencian chefs to open the venue on June 15, with all proceeds supporting the society, NBC News New York reports. The organization provides social support for Spanish immigrants.

Gymnasts ages three to 17 years old from the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation showed their stuff on June 2 at the annual Showtime in Harlem. The event brought several hundred people to the Harlem Armory where the Harlem Children’s Zone provides performance space for the foundation, according to a press release.

More than 17,000 youth have taken part in the foundation’s programming since it was established two decades ago. Hilliard, who was the first African-American gymnast to compete for the U.S. national team shared with NYN Media some of the nonprofit lessons she’s learned over the years earlier this year.

 … and from City & State’s First Read:

Criminal justice reform advocates aren’t giving up on bills to eliminate cash bail. The Katal Center for Health, Equity and Justice is releasing one short video per day, from now until the end of the legislative session on June 20, calling on lawmakers to reform New York’s bail system. One of the black-and-white videos features Katal member Donzelle Fyffe.

Another, with footage of empty streetscapes, says: “No one should be held in jail simply because they cannot afford to buy their freedom.” The Democratic Assembly majority and state Senate Democrats support changes to reduce the number of New Yorkers in jail awaiting trial, but neither house has passed legislation. Questions remain, such as whether to fully eliminate cash bail, or just eliminate it for certain minor crimes, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo has supported.

Though state Senate Republicans say they’re open to changes, any action on controversial bills in the Senate is unlikely with neither party holding a clear majority. Still, Katal’s Gabriel Sayegh said criminal justice reform groups will be lobbying at the Capitol Tuesday and Wednesday. “This is all part of this final push by groups to see if – despite the odds and the uphill battle of this – if we can’t get something done this session before lawmakers break for summer,” he said.

Send your press releases, photos, and word of your latest happenings to reporter Zach Williams at zwilliams@nynmedia.com.