Group Turns Children’s

Twenty five years ago, when Brutus Teddy went to her 4-year-old daughter, Nora, with access from the apartment next door neighbor Mr. Gross stuck keys cents a glass unfilled packaging. Mr. Gross, who was working on a story for children who had a young bear and a collection of coins, an epiphany. Common Cents organized.

Now Nora studied in Philadelphia for a doctorate in education. Mr. Gross is still living on the Upper West Side, the implementation of annual Penny Harvest schools in New York that have grossed $ 10 million in recent years for local charities.

But, for the second consecutive year, said Mr. Gross, Common Cents on the edge.

"We can not pay the freight to collect pennies" he said. "I'm in four employees and those called for donations to keep the doors open."

Last year, President of the City Council at the time, Christine C. Quinn said, Bloomberg Government had found $ 550,000 in city money, help rescue Common Cents.

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Teddy Gross, founder of Common Cents, and his daughter Nora in the charity in the Upper West Side of Manhattan office. Credit Damon Winter / The New York Times

The only helped infusion, Mr. Gross said, but not enough to obtain long-term program upright. The arrival of a new mayor, however, made it possible - a strong focus on education issues for a particular campaign.

Aides to Mayor Bill de Blasio showed interest in the project. His main point of contact with Mr. Gross said was Rachel Nordlinger, chief of staff of the First Lady of the city, Chirlane McCray.

Although Ms. Nördlinger left the government last month amid a flood of negative reports about his personal life and other issues, Mr. Gross recently secured at least partially pardon for your group: a grant of $ 100,000 from the administration de Blasio, to go along with $ 50,000 from the city.

"The City is pleased to be able to cover some of the costs associated with the program," said Wiley Norvell, a spokesman for the mayor's office,. "We are optimistic that a sustainable plan without having to develop on recurrent government funding ahead."

The program served 683 schools in 2011-12, the year of his last annual report published on its website, to $ 519.088 in this year. Given away all the money, said Mr. Gross, and students decide who gets grants. The program is operated in Albany, New York, Seattle, Colorado, Florida and Ohio.

"These are groups of students each year that no one else then donate and think about their neighborhoods to collect money," Gross said. "Change the children of the social and emotional relationships with adults and their environment."

The cost, including the cost of education, community service projects and engage students throughout the year runs about $ 1 million a year and are paid entirely by private funds or the city. At its peak in 2008, the charity nearly 3 million from private donors. In the past year increased by less than $ 1 million, Gross said.

For years, the organization has limped along and through recession-related decline in donations from foundations, it advocates crippled. During the financial crisis, Mr. Gross said, Common Cents "passed the Rainbow Room for a pizza party."
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A place full of bankers and other executives is "decimated" said Brett.

Charity Walk was affected by a battle with the Ministry of Education of the City under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, whether the city had promised long-term support for a good cause.

This year, despite the financial burden, Mr. Gross said, could not bring himself to call the truck.

"You go into schools and bring thousands of sacks cents on the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Brinks," he said. "It would be too many principals and teachers, students and sour too disappointed feeling of unity and optimism, which is a major goal of the program excited."

"I do not want to get into this as a professional educator, but as a parent," he said, "and the only thing on the Penny Harvest is apparently was the success in building a sense of the neighborhood and the city, belonging to me that to grow my child committed and responsible and care needs. "