MONTICELLO — Action Toward Independence (ATI), a nonprofit agency for individuals with disabilities with offices in both Monticello and Middletown, was recently notified by Governor Cuomo's office that they were one of 237 applicants selected to receive a Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program (NICIP) grant.

According to New York State, the award recipients were chosen through a very competitive RFP (request for proposal) process based on a number of important factors such as the scope of the proposed project, the number of clients who will benefit, how critical the project is for helping the nonprofit serve their target population and how the project can allow the nonprofit serve a new population.

“We are very pleased and excited about this great opportunity to improve our capacity to serve people,” said ATI's Assistant Executive Director Deborah L. Worden, “and to accommodate staff and community partners with better facilities.”

ATI will be granted a total of $219,700 which will be used to renovate the Sullivan ATI offices. This includes lowering high ceilings to improve energy efficiency, the addition of offices and meeting rooms, expanding space to relocate storage, replacing flooring and installing a full kitchen.

“I really can't say enough how grateful we are for all the support we received when initially applying for the grant,” said Worden, “and to find out that we were selected ... well it was really a great holiday surprise. With the grant we'll be able to offer even more programs because we'll have better, more efficient space, and that was the goal all along in applying for the grant, to better serve more people of the community.”