Coram, NY – On Monday, August 10th, 2026, Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay invited NYS Speaker Carl Heastie to continue his statewide tour, stopping in Coram, to announce $2.265 million in state funding to the Coram Elementary School for the completion of a community-accessible playground, multi-sport court, and pavilion on school grounds, and $800,000 to the Coram Fire Department for repairs and upgrades to their dispatch building.

While visiting Coram Elementary School, Speaker Heastie and Assemblywoman Kassay were joined by student members and leadership of Longwood’s My Brother’s Keeper and My Sister’s Keeper, Longwood Central School District administrators and teachers, and local civic leaders to hear directly from students about their experiences at the Longwood School District, and discuss plans for a publicly accessible playground and sport court complex on school grounds. The announcement of $2.265 million in state funding will fully support this project, providing an accessible, vibrant, safe space for local families to enjoy play, exercise, and a stronger sense of community pride.

“A great part of my annual statewide tour is seeing the parts of local communities that residents know they can rely on day in and day out,” said Speaker Heastie. “It was good to be at Coram Elementary School today with Assemblywoman Kassay and students from My Brother’s Keeper and My Sister’s Keeper to see the school’s importance for local families. It was also a pleasure to visit the Coram Fire Department and to see the impact their volunteer members have on the community.”

“Longwood School District is a vital community hub for local families and youth, and I was proud to introduce Speaker Heastie to some of the best and brightest in the district: students who participate in or have graduated from My Brother’s Keeper and My Sister’s Keeper programs,” said Assemblymember Kassay. “I was also proud to bring Speaker Heastie to visit the Coram Fire Department and meet with the local volunteers who answer the call around the clock to protect their neighbors’ lives and property.”

This funding builds upon New York State’s recent investments into the students of Longwood School District: in the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years, Assemblywoman Kassay helped to secure $144,000 in Programmatic Allocated Funds and Bullet Aid, with the majority of funding supporting Longwood School District’s My Brother’s Keeper/My Sister’s Keeper programs and the Longwood RoboLions.

"Coram families have waited a long time for a place like this,” said Dr. Lance Lohman, Longwood Central School District Superintendent of Schools. “Thanks to the leadership of Speaker Heastie and Assemblywoman Kassay, and to our strong partnership with Kareem Nugdalla and the Coram Civic Association, our children will have a place to play, our families will have a place to gather, and our community will have a space it can truly call its own. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to the children and families of Coram and to the entire Longwood school community. I know this is just the beginning, and that this investment will enrich our community for generations to come."

Finishing their District 4 tour down the road, Speaker Heastie and Assemblywoman Kassay visited the Coram Fire Department and spent time connecting with the district commissioners, volunteer firefighters, and emergency service personnel. The state leaders announced $800,000 funding to create ADA access and upgrade bathrooms for the department’s community space that regularly hosts the Coram Civic Association, the Young at Heart Senior’s Club, Scout troops, and community events. The Coram Department is a volunteer district whose members serve over 15,000 households throughout the community.

Coram Fire District Commissioner James Abroise shared, “On behalf of the Coram Fire District, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay for taking the time to visit our fire district and for their generous contribution toward our building upgrades. Your support is a meaningful investment in making our facilities more accessible and welcoming to all members of our community. We truly appreciate your commitment to the Coram Fire District and to the residents we proudly serve. Thank you again for your generosity, partnership, and continued support of the Coram Fire District.”

Coram Civic Association President Kareem Nugdalla stated, “For more than 20 years, the Coram Civic Association has worked tirelessly to advocate for the revitalization of our community and for meaningful investments in the families who call Coram home. Today represents an important turning point in that effort. The $2.2 million investment toward a new community playground and park will create something our families have needed for years: a safe, welcoming place where children can play, parents can gather, and neighbors can build stronger connections with one another. The additional $800,000 investment in accessibility and facility improvements at the Coram Fire Department will strengthen another institution that has been at the heart of our community for generations. These investments represent more than new facilities. They represent a commitment to the working and middle-class families who live here, raise their children here, and have continued to believe in Coram’s future. On behalf of the Coram Civic Association and the residents we serve, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay for recognizing the needs and potential of our community. We are deeply honored by this investment and incredibly optimistic about what it means for the next chapter of Coram. We look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition and to continuing the work of building a community where families are proud to live, grow, and stay for generations to come.”