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MAY 18 - 24, 2023
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HERALD BEACON
Welcome
to your new hometown paper H
Courtesy STRONG
FOR ThE pRIcE of jailing one teenager for a single year, Uniondale-based STRONG helps those very same young people avoid the pitfalls of violence, and could possibly save them from ever ending up behind bars.
Taking a ‘STRONG’ stance against violence among youth Nonprofit confronts systemic issues By BRANdON cRUZ Correspondent
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ince its inception nearly a quartercentury ago, STRONG Youth has been at the forefront of eradicating young people’s involvement in gangs and gun violence on Long Island. And the Uniondale organization does it by providing essential resources and support to underrepresented and underfunded neighborhoods and communities. STRONG — short for Struggling To Reunite Our New Generation — stands out from other organizations in its unconventional approach to helping young people at-risk. Rather than simply providing temporary clinical support, STRONG instead creates a nurturing, family-
like environment, resulting in what Executive Director Rahsmia Zatar describes as a deep and lasting connections of more than 100,000 people. “You don’t get discharged from a family,” Zatar said. That powerful familial unit is paramount to STRONG’s success. The proof lies with the countless people who have gone through the program, grown up, and now have families of their own — lovingly calling STRONG staff members their “moms” and “aunties.” This enduring bond is a testament to the organization’s triumph in fostering a supportive community that extends far beyond a child’s time in the program. “That’s what we aim to build, a sense of Continued on page 8
ere it is! Your new community resource, hot off the presses. Hello, I’m Michael Hinman, executive editor of Herald Community Newspapers. We’ve been bringing hometown news to communities just like Uniondale across Long Island since 1924. And while too many villages, cities, towns and hamlets across the county are sadly losing newspapers, we’re proud to buck that trend, bringing much-needed hyperlocal coverage of Uniondale with its very own paper, and a new website to go with it: LIHerald.com/ uniondale. And that’s where the Uniondale Herald Beacon comes in. We have combined the great journalism at the Herald with the deep community roots of the Uniondale Beacon to create this new publication. It’s led by Reine Bethany, a historian in the neighboring Hempstead village who has done great work for us in the past for our Freeport MICHAEL HINMAN Herald publication. Executive Editor We’re in the process of expanding our editorial team at the Uniondale Herald Beacon so we can bring you more news about all that matters to you and your community — your civic groups, your schools, your parks, your neighborhoods, and your shops. But we can’t be the best local news source for you without your help. We want to hear what isn’t getting covered in Uniondale. We want to hear your news tips. We want to share stories about the people who make a positive impact, and make Uniondale the amazing community it is. Reach out to Reine at rbethany@liherald.com. Or you can call me anytime at (516) 569-4000, Ext. 203. You’ll keep getting issues over the next several weeks, but after that, the only way you’ll keep getting the Uniondale Herald Beacon in your mailbox is by telling us you want it, Doing that is easy — and it’s free! Visit us online at LIHerald.com/freelocal. Call us at (516) 569-4000, Ext. 7. Fill out and return the enclosed response card. Or if you are good with technology, just scan the QR code here. Let us know, and we’ll add you to our mailing list. That way you’ll keep getting the Uniondale Herald Beacon each week — absolutely free. Don’t miss an issue. And thanks for reading your local newspaper!