Senator Montgomery Recognized As This Year's Atlantic Avenue Ambassador

On Sunday, September 23, New York State Senator Velmanette Montgomery was recognized as the Seventh Annual Atlantic Avenue Ambassador Award recipient at the 44th Annual Atlantic Antic™ Festival. She was honored to be joined by her colleagues in government, the Atlantic Avenue business community and thousands of constituents and other New Yorkers who visited this year’s Atlantic Antic.

Senator Montgomery was recognized for her commitment to the North and Central Brooklyn Communities as well as New Yorkers Statewide. She is passionate about showcasing school-based health care as a model system for delivering comprehensive primary and mental health services to children of all ages. As a respected advocate of providing the youth with the proper education about primary and mental health within their school, Senator Montgomery’s Teen Health Agenda includes legislation that requires the teaching of age appropriate, medically accurate sexuality education in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Senator Montgomery is committed to helping the youth achieve positive outcomes through reform of the State’s juvenile justice, foster care and adoptive care. With being a member of the Senate Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, she has offered legislation to require the Department of Correctional Services to provide prisoners with an opportunity to complete a GED prior to release. Senator Montgomery has also spearheaded the campaign to stop the spread of AIDS among intravenous drug users through her sponsorship of legislation to legalize needle exchange programs. She continues to support the community as being a co-sponsor of a proposal that provided over $400 million in federal funding for the repair of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings.

The Atlantic Avenue Ambassador Award is presented annually by the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation (AALDC) to a community leader or businessperson who has contributed outstandingly in enhancing the cultural and economic development of Atlantic Avenue and its surrounding areas.

The AALDC is a nonprofit organization committed to the economic development, cultural enrichment and historic preservation of the Atlantic Avenue area and surrounding community. For more information on the AALDC, please visit www.atlanticave.org or call 718-875-8993.