Harckham Funds Safety, Security Upgrades for Green Chimneys Campuses in Brewster and Carmel

Brewster, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham was invited to the Green Chimneys School campus in Brewster today to announce the safety upgrades the school is in the process of installing. Senator Harckham secured a $175,000 Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology Program (CREST) grant to help the school make a series of improvements to their campuses in Brewster and Carmel. 

“The safety of all our kids is of the utmost importance and that’s why this investment in the Green Chimneys school is essential,” said Harckham. “Students cannot learn with their best foot forward if they do not feel safe, and these are the preemptive investments that ensure a secure environment for students and staff. These improvements address a number of the school's needs to protect students from fires and power outages as well as trespassers, so the faculty of Green Chimneys can continue to do outstanding work with their students.”

Green Chimneys is a special therapeutic school that uses academic, behavioral and emotional support to create a comprehensive learning environment to assist students who have struggled in traditional academic settings and teach them the skills and confidence to successfully return to their home school districts. 

The first project that has been completed is the installation of a new fire alarm system in five school buildings on the Brewster campus. Green Chimneys will also be installing a new gate and call box system at the back entrance of the campus to better monitor potential visitors to the school, and replacing doors connecting the gymnasium and lobby with ribbed reinforced hollow metal doors. For the Clearpool campus in Carmel, the administration is installing a generator to account for unexpected power losses.

Green Chimneys CEO Kristin Dionne said, “We are grateful for Senator Harckham’s support and capital improvement funding that will truly benefit Green Chimneys by providing important upgrades to safety and security systems at our Brewster campus, as well as essential operating capability at our more rural campus in Carmel. These enhancements are crucial in protecting our campus community and ensuring the best environment possible for our students and staff.”

The awarded grant funding was secured within the Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology Program (CREST), which is among the grant programs administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) to support community and economic development. 

Harckham has delivered more than $20 million of state grant funding to municipalities and nonprofits in the 40th Senate District since taking office in 2019.