New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and New York State Assemblymember Jordan Wright hosted a strolling tour of Harlem to ship unclaimed fund checks to a number of notable companies in the neighborhood.
On September 2, the elected officers visited a number of Harlem staples, together with Make My Cake, the Abyssinian Baptist Church, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and Sylvia’s Restaurant. In the course of the tour, officers spoke with enterprise homeowners and staff concerning the unclaimed funds and addressed lots of their issues.
Earlier this 12 months, DiNapoli pledged to provide again $20 billion in unclaimed funds to companies throughout the state. The Workplace of Unclaimed Funds has awarded greater than $430 million since January, with a mean of $2 million a day. Enterprise homeowners can file claims on-line on the State Comptroller web site to see if they’re eligible for funds. Smaller checks of $250 or much less may be mailed on to entities.
At Make My Cake, the primary cease of the Harlem Tour, a test totaling $1,176 was introduced to and accepted by Elizabeth Camejo, who has labored on the bakery since 2019. DiNapoli and Wright every purchased cookies from the bakery.
The tour stopped subsequent on the historic Abyssinian Church, the place Pastor Kevin R. Johnson acquired a test for $1,384. He turned the full-time pastor final 12 months after Rev. Calvin Butts died in 2022. Since he joined, the church has gained 400 new members, lots of whom are beneath age 50, in accordance with Johnson. After not too long ago doing a backpack giveaway, Johnson mentioned the funds will go into their Abbey Cares Fund to proceed supporting the Harlem group.
Because the tour stayed on Malcolm X Blvd. (aka Lenox Avenue) and moved downtown, Wright informed DiNapoli concerning the historical past of Harlem and his private shut ties in the neighborhood by the legacy of his grandfather, Decide Bruce Wright, and father and former assemblymember in his present seat, Keith L. Wright. The stroll included operating into a number of Harlem residents whom Wright has identified for years.
On the website of the brand new Studio Museum on one hundred and twenty fifth Road, Director and Chief Curator Thelma Gordon and Chief of Workers Terrence Phearse gave an outline of the house to the elected officers and Amsterdam Information Writer Elinor Tatum. The museum acquired a test for $6,528.
“These funds will help the museum’s programming, which our group will as soon as once more be capable of have interaction with after we open on November 15,” in accordance with a press release from the Studio Museum press workplace that was learn on the occasion.
The tour continued crosstown to Lenox and Sylvia’s Restaurant, the place Govt Chief of Workers Taneidra McFadden acquired a test of $682 that she mentioned can go to a number of areas the place the enterprise wants help. Their margins have been a lot tighter lately they usually hope to get further funding to deal with challenges and uncertainties to allow them to hold their costs inexpensive for the group, present good salaries and coaching, and retain employees.
“One of many challenges we’ve had is the funds. If we may get extra help within the coaching to assist us to retain [employees[, that would be really good,” McFadden said.
The final stop was next door at the Red Rooster restaurant on 138th Street, where the tour leaders presented Beverage and Service Manager German Uribe Cruz with a check for $3,396. The restaurant, named after the original Red Rooster, is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year.
Addressing the challenge of getting the word out about unclaimed funds and potential money businesses can access, DiNapoli said Wright and his office are partnering with local events such as Cordell Cleare’s Senior Citizens’ Day two weeks ago, where they informed community members about these resources.
DiNapoli encouraged small-business owners to contact Wright’s office for help in cutting through red tape and other hurdles when trying to obtain licensing and other approvals.
“This is a community that wants to support the small business, the mom-and-pop shops, the locally owned, rather than the box stores and the chains, so we have to — all of us at every level, whether that’s state or city — do all that we can to cut through red tape [and] present entry to capital by the totally different applications,” DiNapoli mentioned.
For extra details about unclaimed funds, go to the New York State Comptroller’s Workplace web site.
