Economic IMPACT 2 0 1 2
Brief History and Legal Status of Cornell Cooperative Extension Cooperative Extension is a network of subordinate
government agencies, not private nonprofit organizations. The 1862 MORRILL ACT, signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln, established the land-grant universities, including Cornell. Oyster Bay’s Theodore Roosevelt was instrumental in what later became the 1914 SMITH-LEVER ACT, resulting in a national land-grant cooperative extension system. The commission President Roose- Extension traces its roots to Abe Lincoln and Nassau County’s Teddy Roosevelt velt created “called for the expansion of the agricultural college extension system for the purpose of distributing ‘information and inspiration’ to ‘every person on the land’ in hopes that they might be motivated to adopt scientific agriculture and improve their own condition.” T. Koch, “Two Sides of the Same Policy” Rural Improvement and Resource Conservation in the Progressive Era, n.23, Stanford Univ. (2011) (emphasis added). SMITH-LEVER created the Extension system with land-grant institutions, and New York State County Law 224 established Cooperative Extension in New York, distinguished by a shared funding system between county, state and federal governments, and separate, unincorporated CCE government subordinate associations in 57 New York counties, including Nassau. Extension serves all Nassau residents diligently, regardless of age, race, socio-economic status or gender; supporting it is a truly bipartisan proposition.
Extension at a Glance – Since 1914, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County (CCE-NC) has been a valued participant in a larger state (and national) land-grant system that extends research-based information to local residents, families and the agricultural-horticultural “green industry” community. CCE-NC is a community asset with access to cutting-edge research findings from across the country, and the world, and puts knowledge into practice by providing high-value education and university-backed resources, often in the form of low and no-cost public educational programs and services. Director of Nassau County’s Real Estate Planning and Development Division, Carl Schroeter, said in 2010, “[Nassau] County is confident that management of the East Meadow Farm by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County will not only honor the County’s historic farming traditions, but will provide generations of County residents the opportunity to learn about those traditions hands-on.” Mr. Schroeter captured the very essence of CCE-NC in that one quoted passage, but now on the cusp of its centennial, the absence of meaningful county funding may transform its 100th year into its last. We submit that the services CCE-NC performs for the betterment of all Nassau County residents creates substantial value and improves the quality of life for the community; in fact, Legislator David W. Dennenberg recently recognized CCE-NC’s “exemplary service to their community [and] commitment to enrich the quality of life of the people of Nassau County.” Legislator Rose Walker also acknowledged the community value of CCE-NC recently, stating it “exemplifies integrity, commitment and concern for the community,” that Extension works “diligently on behalf of the Nassau County community and through the years has demonstrated a selfless commitment to Nassau County and its residents; [and] to the betterment of the quality of life for our community.” Restoring CCE-NC to the 2005 annual budget line item level will redound to Nassau with tangible benefits, as the following data demonstrates. Building Strong and Vibrant New York Communities Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County provides equal program and employment opportunities
Specific Leveraged Funding is Now at Risk The vast public benefit of this funding would be lost if CCE-
NC is forced to close. County officials hold the fate of the organization, and its public benefits, in their hands in 2013. $69,760 in Smith-Lever and NYS 224 funding for educator
staff compensation. $252,011 in additional state employee benefits funding. $163,877 in federal funding for three nutrition programs. $24,800 in Nassau County Department of Aging support for
specialized elder nutrition educational programming. County funding has been slashed by 96.5% since 1999. Median county funding during the last decade‐and‐a‐half is $400K and the average is roughly $354K. CCE‐NC seeks restora on to the 2005 level for sustained opera ons and new programming ini a ves for Nassau County.
2012 Funding Sources* *County portion includes $89,500 in federally-funded FSNEP proceeds
County 13% Federal 12%
Program Fees, Donations, etc. 61%
2012 Operating Costs Total Budget $1,398,352
Horticulture 12%
Association 16%
County Staff Cost Savings After cutting the staff by 50% in the last three years, Extension now employs 24 (17.4 Full Time Equivalents (“FTE”)). Nine exempt and 15 non-exempt employees. $17.70 per hour paid by CCE-NC in unemployment insurance
State 14%
Nutrition 15%
$842,904 in camp and other program fees.
Camp 57%
and average wages for staff. Extension employee NYS fringe rate of 45.28% is paid by
NYS land-grant institution (Cornell). The benefit package on average saves the county an additional $7.79 per unit hour of work. This equated to a $252,010.94 savings for Nassau County in 2012 for employee fringe benefits.
The Leveraging Power of County Funding During 2012, CCE-NC received $45,000 in county hotel-motel grant dollars and $24,800 from the Department of Aging. Excluding county dollars, CCE-NC generated $1,328,552 in federal and state funding, grants, contracts, and program revenue during 2012. This represents a multiplier effect of 19 for every county dollar allocated to CCE-NC, inuring to the direct benefit of Nassau County residents. Absent appropriate county budget line item funding, all of these substantial benefits would be sacrificed, should CCE-NC be forced to close its doors. Where else can one county dollar buy more than $19 in value?
Horticulture & Arboriculture Matter to Nassau Clean Air and Water Protect Property Values. CCE-NC Protects Nassau. Horticulture (and livestock) contributes almost $16 million annually
to the Nassau County economy. According to the 2007 Ag Census, almost 1,300 acres in Nassau are used for commercial growing. CCE-NC partners with a variety of “green industry” professional and
ganizations such as the Nassau-Suffolk Landscape Gardeners Assoc. and the L.I. Nursery & Landscape Assoc., resulting in more knowledgable industry professionals and a much better Nassau County. CCE-NC partners with Nassau County to improve the grounds of
public assets such as Bethpage Restoration Village and the Chelsea Mansion, and has offered its services to the Department of Public Works for a proposed public space beautification project. Extension educates Nassau County residents CCE-NC educates municipalities to effectively resolve landscape of all ages to protect our future and natural problems, such as selection, care and maintenance of municipal trees resources, while keeping our county growing
and other landscape elements, as well as invasive species knowledge, and Integrated Pest Management, curtailing unnecessary pesticide use and protecting Long Island water.
According to Long Island Water Conference findings, nearly 3 million local residents depend on groundwater as
their principal source of clean, potable water. Long Island’s sole-source aquifer is among the nation’s most critical – and vulnerable – public drinking water resources. From October 1997 through March 2002, over 4,000 Long Island drink-
ing water wells (private domestic, public supply, and monitoring) were tested. Continued monitoring has detected at least 117 pesticide-related chemicals in Long Island groundwater at various locations since 1997. CCE-NC offers educational programs to commercial landscapers, arbor-
ists and homeowners at the East Meadow Farm facility. Participants learn pest management “best practices,” including safe and sustainable pesticide use and non-pesticide alternatives. This leads to community benefits through an improved horticultural/landscaping industry, reduced agricultural production costs (and increased profits), along with strong environmental protection of our natural resources.
Appropriate Integrated Pest Management by Nassau residents and “green industry” professionals improves community sustainability. Nassau County benefits from secure property values with clean air and water resources. CCE-NC is integral in protecting those precious natural resources, and our property values, through proper training and education that reduces air, soil and water contamination.
Pollution prevention is the most effective path to air and water quality
protection and CCE-NC is an educational leader in Nassau, County functioning as a critical steward to protect our air and water, and our property values, for the future of our county, state and country Regional Partnerships: Budget Constraint Thrift – Long Island CCE Associations have banded together with Extension staff collaborating, sharing resources and expertise to plan and implement the most effective local programs possible. Without these collaborations, meeting constituents’ needs across the region would be impracticable. Examples of 2012 regional program successes include: Cornell University’s Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center and the CCE Nassau-Suffolk Shared Business Network. CCE-NC is also developing partnerships presently with the Nassau Land Trust and Nassau Girl Scouts, among others. The CCE Mission: provide unbiased, educational outreach to Long Island through research, education and demonstration in Food and Agricultural Systems, Life Skills, Community Enhancement, Land Stewardship and Youth Development.
East Meadow Farm & Master Gardeners Matter Expert Cornell University educators and highly-trained Master Gardener volunteers operate a community diagnostic clinic for county residents and participate in an array of public projects that benefit the community.
Patch.com
Making a Difference in Nassau County. Area’s Only Plant & Pest Diagnostics.
832 Merrick Avenue—early 2011 “Green industry” professionals and homeowners bring samples of ornamentals, vegetables, fruit, trees, shrubs, houseplants, soil, insects, fungii, etc., from their properties to the East Meadow Farm for identification, analysis and diagnosis, and seek assistance and solutions for a wide array of landscape problems. CCE-NC personnel fielded approximately 2,200 calls and/or visits at East Meadow Farm in 2012 for low and no-cost diagnostic services, soil testing, and through a popular diagnostic hotline. East Meadow Farm is the only university-supported diagnostic facility in Nas832 Merrick Avenue—two years later sau, at which low and no-cost analytical diagnostic services are provided to the public. Sample analysis through other diagnostic clinics typically The 2012 CCE-NC horticulture costs five times more and takes much longer than a CCE-NC analysis.
team was comprised of:
Environmental Horticulture
Educator and Master Gardener Coordinator (1 FTE) Arboriculture Educator (1 FTE)* Horticulture Specialist and
Diagnostician (.5 FTE) 266 Master Gardener Volun-
teers provided 6,325+ public service hours in 2012 valued at a county savings of over $137,300 (at $21.70 per hour)
Extension also serves as a front-line guardian for invasive species identification and potential pathogen and disease outbreaks, such as “bed bugs” and boxwood blight (identified in Nassau County on July 2, 2013), through visual inspections, and in partnership with advanced laboratory facilities located in Suffolk County and Ithaca, NY. Examples of highly popular CCE-NC diagnostic services at East Meadow Farm include: Insect and disease identification on indoor and outdoor plants; Nutrient deficiency and abiotic problem assessment; Weed and invasive species identification; Soil pH and salinity tests (introduced in response to Sandy); and Unknown plant species identification.
* reduced to 3 days per week in 2013
GreenPro Landscaping is news tailored for commercial horticulturists, arborists, municipal employees, and other professionals. It connects public and private horticulturists with topical Cornell University research-based pest management recommendations, helping to create a more informed “green industry,” and substantially safer, healthier, happier and more sustainable Nassau County communities. More than 2,000 Nassau homeowners receive Long Island Gardening, a quarterly newsletter for CCE-NC horticulture members, featuring timely research-based regional information regarding sustainable gardening and landscape practices, news about drought-resistant plant varieties that require fewer chemical inputs (part of the CCENC Environmental Protection Education), along with industry trends and announcements about upcoming Extension educational programs created and presented by local experts for local needs, at little to no public cost. Despite a small army of Master Gardener volunteers who have increased their operational assistance following a roughly 50% CCE-NC staff attrition since 2010, the East Meadow Farm unfortunately operates on a cash-flow negative basis, which cannot continue without an appropriate annual county budget line item for Extension.
Nutrition Matters to Nassau Residents of All Ages Healthy Nassau Residents Reduces Health Care System Burdens and Costs
How Does Nutrition Education Help Nassau? New Yorkers spend more than $125 billion on health care costs annually, much of it related to preventable conditions. Nearly 60% of New York adults are obese or overweight. Obesity is positively correlated with increased risk of chronic maladies such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, and some forms of cancer.
Sobering NY Health Data More than half of all Nassau County residents (53.2%) are either overweight or obese.
Children are not immune to this epidemic; obesity afflicts roughly one-third of all children nationally between ages 2-19. This startling trend is due in large part to uninformed eating habits, a lack of food systems knowledge, and sedentary lifestyles. Research has identified positive relationships between nutrition education and prevention and/or reduction of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, cancer, and a wide variety of other diseases and ailments.
Extension Response – CCE-NC delivered “For every dollar invested in total obesity-related health spend- three key nutrition educational initiatives in teaching low-income adults in 2012 supported by roughly $164K in federal ing is funded publicly by Medifunding, and roughly $25K in county agency New York State about healthy caid and Medicare, well above support. Programs were delivered by 5.1 FTE food choices, the benefit is the 50% national average. Nutrition Educators, 0.3 FTE of which was about $10 in reduced health Roughly 70,000 (5.3%) Nassau Spanish-language bilingual programming. care costs and improved County residents subsist at or Almost 200,000 Long Islanders receive some below the federal poverty level. productivity.” Journal of Nutrition form of federal SNAP (Supplemental NutriEducation and Behavior (2008). 1 in 5 New Yorkers struggle to tion Assistance Program) assistance presentfeed themselves and/or families. ly, with a sharp increase attributed recently to 1 in 7 Americans receives some the prolonged recession and exacerbated further by Hurricane Sandy. The cornerstone form of food assistance. CCE-NC nutrition programs are Eat Smart NY! (ESNY) and the Expanded Food and Estimated annual health spending Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), which are critical parts of the Extension Nutrition Educational System, not only in Nassau County, but throughout New York. hikes for overweight upstate Roughly 81% of New York’s
adults is roughly $314 million; estimated annual obesity-related increases exceed $600 million. Moody’s Analytics estimates in a
weak economy, $1 of SNAP funding generates $1.70 in economic activity, adding $5.4B to the New York economy in 2012.
Economic benefits – Estimated EFNEP benefits are worth almost $50 million annually to New York, producing a $9.59 per $1 benefit-to-cost ratio. In other words, each dollar invested on EFNEP preventative education results in about $10 in economic benefits, mainly healthcare savings. “Cost-effectiveness was estimated to be as great as for many current health interventions, such as lifestyle changes to prevent diabetes,” according to Cornell Associate Professor of Nutrition Sciences, Jamie Dollahite, who also said, “EFNEP also directly supports current goals of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as indicated in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Healthy People, 2010.” Extension food and nutrition education programs teach food assistance recipients (and other eligible participants) how to improve their health and well-being through dietary quality, resource management, food security and food safety. These initiatives focus on reducing short and long-term health risks resulting from poor diets and empower Nassau County’s at-risk families by, among other things: Providing nutrition education to heads of households; Developing skills needed to choose healthy foods; Teaching families how to budget their food resources; Demonstrating safe food handling techniques; and Practicing healthy family meal preparation.
“My son and I are eating healthier with more fruits and vegetables.” Nassau County parent
CCE-NC Nutrition Education Partners with Nassau CCE-NC Partners with Save The Children for Innovative Nutrition Education Campaign
Nassau County Partnership – CCE-NC partners with agencies in Nassau and elsewhere, including a campaign to thwart local elder hunger hardships. Residents aged 60 and up are particularly vulnerable to hunger; the New York State Office for the Aging estimates that one out of every four older New Yorkers living at home is considered “nutritionally at risk.” CCE-NC Nutrition experts delivered senior educational programming at 26 different assisted living centers and senior community centers in Nassau during 2012, where 800+ seniors were educated directly, through 4-9 sessions designed to improve their lives with knowledge customized for their needs, educating elders about food safety, interpreting nutritional and ingredient label disclosures, and many other food risks.
Janet Maruna is one of the valued CCE‐NC team of educators who deliver key nutrition knowledge to thousands of Nassau residents of all ages, improv‐ ing our community and reducing health care sys‐ tem burdens. CCE‐NC Nutrition helps thousands more with programs designed to educate a house‐ hold’s primary caregiver who then applies the new knowledge for the benefit of the entire household.
The U.S. nutrition paradigm has changed greatly in recent years, and Extension delivers the most recent research‐based knowledge to re‐ duce health care costs and improve the wellness and lives of thousands of Nassau County residents
Impact and Results – Nassau Extension Nutrition Educators served 1,074 families in 2012 through direct educational programs (6 or more sessions each), and overall, directly educated 2,716 Nassau County residents last year, many with families who benefited from the programs. An additional 625 people have participated in one-time educational programs. Nutrition education favorably impacts Nassau with reduced future health-care costs, as supported by medical leaders such as the University of Pennsylvania’s Dr. Karen Glanz.
Innovative New Nutrition Education Project
as a second language, and/or in households
CCE-NC partnered recently with the interna-
with lower adult literacy levels. The Dis-
tional charity, Save The Children, for a
covery Kidz project aims to help families
ground-breaking project to assist families with
bond, while communicating key infor-
direct participation in children’s nutritional
mation about exercise and nutrition, food
education for fall 2013. A series of graphic
safety and labels, and creates opportunities
novels, commonly known as “comic books,”
for adults to read with their children at
feature characters dubbed the “Discovery
home. CCE-NC is the only New York Ex-
Kidz,” who experience a series of familyfriendly adventures and learn key lessons
Leon Thompson is a character
tension office participating in this break-
in the Discovery Kidz episode,
though project that will reach families in a
about sound nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
“A Pizza The Action.” The 9-
variety of at-risk U.S. regions. Research
These new books are illustrated by the famed
year-old helps his mom make a
Archie Comics artist, Stan Goldberg. This innovative literature will be used for in-person
pizza using fresh ingredients
supports this sort of preventive health edu-
and dreams of a career as a
cation as one of great public benefit. See,
future chef and restaurateur.
e.g., E. Macario, ScD, et al. (Harvard
educational lessons, with families encouraged to enjoy them School of Public Health), Factors Influencing Nutrition together again at home after the lessons. This approach ad- Education for Patients with Low Literacy Skills, JOURNAL dresses needs for families in which members speak English OF THE AM. DIETETIC ASSOC. (May 1998, pp. 559–64 ).
New York’s Oldest
Camp Matters to Nassau
4-H Youth are Consistently Better Students, Better Citizens, and Better Leaders
Why Does 4-H Youth Development Matter? CCE-NC engages youth in three distinct mission mandate areas: citizenship; healthy lifestyles; and STEM educational experience. The many benefits of each of these mission areas inure CCE-NC 4-H Youth Development Programs First-time Campers - Abbreviated
camping experiences–with the option to extend the stay to a full week once fears are allayed–for anxious or homesick-prone youth to gain confidence. Summer Campers - DPF instills
directly to Nassau County as investments in the future of our community. Because the Dorothy P. Flint 4-H Camp (DPF) in Riverhead caters to the needs of Nassau County youth, it produces a better community with young adults who are more educated and socially adjusted, civic-minded, and physically healthier. Citizenship - 4-H values instill an ethos of community contribution and col-
laboration with adult leaders. Youth gain a clear understanding of civics and how they can favorably impact their community. The long-term benefits of 4-H alumni applying their efforts to enhance community vitality are manifest.
confidence, teamwork, social skills, Healthy Lifestyles - Some 20% of our nation’s youth are presently obese, leadership, and a robust experiential and another 20% have unhealthy body masses. Primary contributors are sedeneducation filled with new challenges. tary lifestyles and poor diet habits. 4-H programs thwart adverse health effects Many campers return to DPF to follow by instilling sound, active lifestyles in Nassau youth as a core program value. the Counselor training track. Counselors-In-Training (CIT) -
DPF offers a 3-year pathway to firsttime employment. Among the many benefits include initial workforce development, skills training and marketable job experiences for Nassau youth.
STEM - Only 18% of U.S. high school seniors are proficient in science, and
merely 5% of current U.S. college graduates (many who are from overseas) earn science, engineering and technology degrees, compared with 66% in Japan and 59% in China. The 4-H program is
Counselor Program - Advancing to
rooted in Science, Technology,
Counselor status expands employment training substantially. Counselor assignments include substantial accountability, plus professional and leadership skill development guidance.
Engineering and Mathematics.
Action and Leadership - Campers
According to celebrated DPF alumni, internationally renowned scientist, and bestselling author, Charles Pellegrino, “The DPF camp and its
and Counselors will explore democratsurroundings were a natural treasure chest from which to learn science—and to ic processes while mapping communiencourage our love of it. I still look back from the ancient buried forests of ty assets and needs, to effect positive New Zealand and Pompeii to the woods around the 4-H camp.” change through cooperative service learning civic volunteer projects. Extension Response – The reliable and time-tested tenets of the 4-H Youth Development Program create a wide variety of opportunities at DPF to help youth develop into tomorrow’s leaders. The 4-H programs utilize experiential education and are delivered by trained volunteers and youth development staff. All 4-H program activities address at least one of the mission mandates but typically involve more than one, through the following three primary program objectives:
CCE-NC Provides Free “Camperships” for Kids Many Well-Qualified Nassau Children Apply; Program Expanded After Sandy
Empowering Youth – Well-informed and highly-skilled citizens, who
are actively engaged in their local community as selfless leaders, starts with the DPF 4-H program. Opportunities for peer leadership, public speaking, community action, and service learning are all key components of DPF activities specifically, and the 4-H camping experience generally. Wellness – Decision-making and life-skills development that promotes
healthy diets (in cooperation with CCE-NC Nutrition Education’s Choose Health program), and active, productive living is emphasized in DPF pro-
Camp Counselor Brittney Scannell starts the Cornell 4-H Cup, a charity benefit to overcome severe hurricane damage suffered at DPF. Substantial CCE-NC staff
grams. Opportunities include garden-based learning, cooking and nutrition,
time and resources have been allocated
food safety, and recreational pursuits like dance, arts, high-ropes climbing,
recently to fundraising efforts, to the detri-
archery, canoeing, hiking, and wide variety of team and individual sports. Enriching Science Education – Hands-on learning in plant, animal
and vet science, geo-special science and mapping, renewable energy, and the citizen scientist series, are all CCE-NC program initiatives at DPF. 4-H youth consistently attain elevated educational results with greater motivation for higher education. In fact, 4-H youth report better grades, increased school engagement, and are twice as likely to plan to attend college than kids who do not participate in 4-H; they are also more civicminded, and contribute more to their communities than youth in other out-of-school activities. Future leaders are created by 4-H.
Impact and Results – While
ment of its programming mission, to remain a going concern. Additional public service programming detriments include staff furloughs, attrition, and temporary facilities closures to further cut costs. Deeper staff attrition and facility closures are likely in fall 2013, absent an appropriate line item allocation in the next annual county budget.
4-H Youth Development Program foundations are timetested, CCE-NC continually adapts its program content and delivery modalities as social demographics and community needs evolve, to reach youth wherever and however it is most effective, adding new programs
and activities, as appropriate. During the course of the 2012 season, the DPF community was comprised of 834 Campers, 137 Counselors and CITs, of which, 64 young adults experienced their first job opportunity. Expanded Camperships – CCE-NC awards free summer camping expe-
(L-R) Westbury residents Patrice Allen and daughter Nailah Allen; former DPF Camp Director, Ed Safrey; Nassau County Legislator Robert Troiano; and fmr. interim CCE-NC Executive Director, Tebbie Clift. The DPF campership program is an essential part of
riences to well-qualified youth of modest means. Candidates must apply for
the core 4-H value system of inclusive diversi-
the awards and demonstrate academic achievement, as well as good character
ty and promoting youth development opportu-
and civic duty as primary criteria. A partnership between the American Camp Assoc. and DPF has expanded this program in response to Sandy to offer adversely-impacted kids the benefits of a 4-H camping experience.
nities for well-deserving children who demonstrate strong potential for leadership, achievement, and citizenship, regardless of race, religion, gender, or socio-economic status.
The Future of Extension and 4-H in Nassau New Technology. New Initiatives. New Partnerships. Renewed Energy.
New 4-H Programs, Clubs and Day-Camp Planned – Nassau was once home to the largest and most active 4-H club in New York, and it can be again. Dorothy P. Flint was Nassau County’s legendary 4-H leader during a decidedly different time, and it was with her vision and leadership that 4-H built a thriving organization here that was the envy of the state. Flint founded the 4-H camp as the cornerstone and summer retreat of that flagship 4-H club. DPF remains a highly popular destination for Nassau youth, and Extension leadership has determined it can and should be a conduit for Nassau County’s brighter future. CCE-NC has developed a roadmap to revitalize 4-H on Long Island, and it all starts with new programs to appeal to current societal trends and technology. A key component to Nassau’s resurgent 4-H is robotics. Developer Don Monti intends to create a Nassau Hub robotics incubator and potential synergies are boundless. Cornell University and New York State have embraced competitive team robotics development as a vehicle to provide youth with fun applied learning opportunities. If Nassau County prudently provides funding for CCE-NC at the 2005 level, ensuring continue operations beyond 2014, a robust robotics program will be created that summer at DPF, with the plan to transform it into a dedicated day-camp, along with DPF’s consistently strong equestrian program, among other recreational options, and to provide a concentrated STEM-based offerings for Nassau’s youth—the future of Long Island’s labor force, holding the promise of a vibrant and cutting-edge future technology economy. CCE-NC will leverage the planned summer DPF robotics program, uniting it with the academic year as an after-school extracurricular club program. We intend to begin to offer dedicated Nassau County afterschool 4-H robotics opportunities at first with a few select schools, including the new Doshi STEM Program at Nassau BOCES. Renowned scientist and 4-H alumnus, Charles Pellegrino, has agreed to guide the nascent program, providing instant celebrity and energy. Uniting DPF with after-school 4-H robotics programming is quite feasible through CCE-NC’s new Nassau Girl Scouts partnership, to be followed by new programs and some traditional 4-H favorites. For example, the Hewlett School District, with the leadership of CCE-NC board member, Robert Sympson, has embarked on an ambitious horticulture program with all the makings of resurgent local 4-H horticulture activity. With the strength of CCENC Horticulture, its Master Gardeners, and use of East Meadow Farm, teaching Nassau children countywide about the joy of sun and soil, the sense of accomplishment and land stewardship, all naturally intersect with horticulture and Extension. Similarly, DPF features an on-site farm, uniting after-school and summer programming, and forging a strong pedagogical synergy. Nassau Land Trust Partnership and New Farmers’ Market Programs – Extension and Nassau Land Trust have cooperated informally for over a year with common objectives for East Meadow Farm (EMF) and Crossroads Farm at Grossman’s. The organizations are now embarking on a new phase of that relationship with collaborative programming and Master Gardener expertise in Malverne and a new EMF farmers’ market. Grossman’s offers CCE-NC a new constituency, along with new program opportunities, including bee-keeping, bio-fuel motor conversions, composting, L.I. native plant species, plus introducing popular EMF programming, expanding practical research-based education to even larger audiences while developing further strength in numbers. This strengthened relationship also bodes well for CCE-NC’s new Farmers’ Market Nutrition Education Program, with a revitalized EMF farmers’ market and perhaps a new CSA site for Grossman’s. As part of the prominent CCENC Nutrition Education program, this collaboration with the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and the NYS Office for the Aging (SOFA), promises to enhance the health of nutritionally at-risk Long Islanders; promote farmers’ markets for WIC families and modest means seniors; support local growers who market fresh produce through farmers’ markets; and encourage expanded and diversified Long Island fruit and vegetable production, all while promoting farmers’ market development as a component of sustainable, high-quality “livable” communities.
Expanded Emergency Resources and Services OEM, Sea Grant-Long Island Sound Study and EDEN Partnerships Protect Nassau
Extension is Uniquely Positioned for Fast Response – Extension brings extensive access to knowledge and research as a partner in Cornell University’s resources. Those world-class resources are always at the ready, to be marshaled in times of crisis. CCE-NC has provided important responses during and after such crises, and is better prepared than ever before to address the A recent example of Extension’s needs of Nassau County in 2013. With important new partnerships adroit response occurred when and projects, along with others which await grant approval, Exten- Dept. of Public Works Press Secre‐ tary, Michael Martino, commented sion is positioned like never before to provide Nassau County with at the EMF community gardens how unique assistance as a member of a strong state-national emergency helpful information would be re‐ garding soil contamination following network (EDEN), offering objective scientific services, disaster preparedness and prethe Bay Park facility’s Combined vention knowledge, and the quick dissemination of critical information during times of Sewage Overflow after Sandy. With‐ public emergency. Restoring CCE-NC to its 2005 annual budget line in days, CCE‐NC produced a detailed research‐based fact sheet identifying item allocation will permit these services to continue, and even soil contamination risks and solu‐ expand, to the great benefit of all Nassau County residents. tions, now publicly available for free. Nassau OEM Partnership – The county Office of Emergency Management backed a recent CCE-NC grant proposal with State Farm to create programming aimed at helping children cope with crises, both before and after danger strikes. The program is designed to enable Long Island youth to better process and respond to the chaos that can occur during emergency situations, both natural and human-caused catastrophes. If approved, this program will help children and young adults better cope with the stresses of experiencing emergencies, lower perceived stigma related to fear and other emotions, and be better prepared to act calmly during times of crisis. The “Discovery Kidz” characters will be reunited in a series of graphic novels to educate youth that calm and prepared responses can reduce or avert adverse impacts with mistakes avoided by those with “cooler heads.” Sea Grant-Long Island Sound Study Partnership – Under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in cooperation with Cornell University and SUNY, New York Sea Grant (NYSG) responded quickly with several important new research projects after Sandy. NYSG network specialists collaborate directly with stakeholders and have been instrumental in surveying the extent of Sandy’s devastating effect on Long Island’s coastal properties. NYSG also educates New Yorkers on Green Tips for Coastal Living, Boater Safety, Climate Change, Seafood Safety and Technology, and cooperates with the highly-reputed Long Island Sound Study, which implements research findings to restore and protect the Long Island Sound. A CCE-NC grant application is pending presently to develop, in cooperation with the National Fish & Wildlife Federation’s Long Island Sound Futures Fund and Long Island Sound Study, a series of informational resources for New York and Connecticut landowners and industry professionals to promote lowwater “xeriscaping,” and proper gardening and landscape techniques and practices to reduce toxic runoff into the Sound, during both calm and rough seas. Part of this project involves updating publications known as “Sound Gardening,” to be produced in English and Spanish, on the web and in print, and for use in classes, with topics such as Pest Management; Water; Landscaping; Soil Erosion by Water; Fruit & Vegetable Gardening; Garden Waste; Soil & Fertility; Lawns; Herbicides; Water Quality; and Your Garden and the Sound.
5 Old Jericho Turnpike Jericho, NY 11753
NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 234 GARDEN CITY, NY
One of many thanks received by CCE‐NC staff during its 99 years of public service work dedicated to making Nassau County a better place to live.