WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. November 24, 2004: The “$1 Million Gift” to Grace Church from the Cappelli Foundation announced Monday by Louis Cappelli, is not a gift of cash with no strings attached. It is goods and services only, according to a Cappelli spokesman.
The Cappelli organization will perform services for Grace Church, as needed, approximating that $1 Million ceiling, according to Bruce Berg, President of Cappelli Enterprises.
The nature of the “$1 Million Gift,” surfaced when WPCNR behind on this story, contacted Mr. Berg today to ask if there was going to be a news conference or ceremony in which the check for $1 Million was going to be presented by Mr. Cappelli.
Mr. Berg said that there would be no news conference, and no presentation of any check, that Mr. Cappelli was instead offering the church services. Asked what kind of services, Mr. Berg said, “We’re going to help rebuild the church, John. It’s up to the church what they want done.”
In a separate call on the nature of the gift, Mr. Berg said the gift consisted of "goods and services only." Asked if The Journal News got the story wrong, Mr. Berg told WPCNR today, “I guess so.”
Cash or Goods and Services: Confusion in the Heat of the Moment.
It appears the nature of the “$1 Million Gift” (as described in The Journal News released Monday, the same day that Grace Church broke the news they were closing Samaritan House, their homeless shelter for women), was not clear to Grace Church at the time of the gift announcement.
The Journal News reporter apparently questioned Reverend Janet Vincent on whether the “$1 Million Grant” could be used to keep the Samaritan House going.
Reverend Vincent was reported Tuesday as having said “the money” would go for “desperately needed renovations” to parts of the Parish House, that include the soup kitchen and the day care center.
Reverend Vincent, in addition was reported as saying a portion of the “the grant from the Cappelli Foundation” would not be applied to the Samaritan House deficit to keep it going because it would be “underwriting the Department of Social Services and the citizens of the county who are responsible for the homeless in the community,” Vincent was reported as saying.
Mr. Cappelli couched the terms of the gift from The Cappelli Foundation in this way in the original article. The Super Developer, (about to embark on a 200-suite hotel and twin spire multi-million dollar-a-suite condo complex) next door, was giving the $1 million as a gift for general purposes for upgrading (the church).
Cappelli is quoted as saying, “It’s their choice how they decide to use it.”
Awaiting Interview with the Reverend.
WPCNR also has a call in to Reverend Vincent for an explanation of when the new “upgrading” work will begin, whether the Cappelli construction companies will execute it, and what will be done, and how the soon-to-close Samaritan House space will be utilized in the future.
In a follow-up story by Ms. Elan today in The Journal News, William Biles, described as Senior Warden of Grace Episcopal Church, gives the impression that cold hard Cappelli cash is coming Grace way, because he refers to it as the money being used for the day care and soup kitchen.
A Tale of Two Houses.
WPCNR has put in a call to Joeseph D’Ambrosio, Executive Director of Grace Church Community Center for comment on why Grace Church doesn’t close both homeless shelters since he is reported in the Tuesday and Wednesday Journal News editions that says both homeless operations combined have lost $300,000 a year.
Joseph D’Ambrosio, Executive Director of Grace Church Community Center announced Samaritan House would close because of the $50,000 shortfall it is running over what the Department of Social Service pays Grace to run Samaritan House.
D’Ambrosio, the Journal News reporter wrote, said he needed an 8% increase he is reported as saying he needs in Department of Social Services Funding to keep Samaritan open), in what he said the Westchester County Department of Services wanted to pay Grace Church ($598,752) to run Samaritan House, and what the center needed. The News quotes Nancy Travers of the Department of Social Services as saying the D.S.S. was offering a 5% increase, and that she was surprised they had decided to close when negotiations were going on.
D’Ambrosio has given no explanation so far why Grace Church would keep operating Open Arms Shelter in another part of town (East Post Road), which appears to be losing $250,000 a year, while closing Samaritan House which D’Ambrosio said is only running a $50,000 deficit. He also has not commented on why a new location could not be found for Samaritan House.
WPCNR awaits clarification
