Photo Cris Neglia (L. to r.); Community Relations and Afterschool Director for JCPenney Jodi Gibson, Lefrak City Youth and Adult Activities Association Chairman Malachy Okolo, JCPenney Queens Center Mall Store Manager Melissa Ioanna, Vice-President Associate General Counsel Legal and Government Relations for JCPenney Robert K. Hood, Borough President Helen Marshall and former City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr. present a check for a $10,000 grant to the children of the Lefrak City Youth and Adult Activities Association. The money was given in support of the JCPenney Afterschool Fund’s New Millennium Afterschool Program.JCPenney presented its JCPenney Aferschool grant for $10,000 to the Lefrak City Youthand Adult Activities Association in support of the New Millennium Afterschool Program at its Elmhurst location at Queens Center Mall. 
The mission of the New Millennium Afterschool Program is to provide safe, positive activities for the children of Lefrak City in Rego Park.
Borough President Helen Marshall, former City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr., Lefrak City Youth and Adult Activities Association Chairman Malachy Okolo, Vice-President Associate General Counsel Legal and Government Relations for JCPenney Robert K. Hood, Community Relations and Afterschool Director for JCPenney Jodi Gibson and JCPenney Queens Center Mall Store Manager Melissa Ioanna were present at the February 15 event.
Since its inception, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund has distributed more than $100 million to afterschool programs in every JCPenney community. As a leading corporate advocate of afterschool programs, JCPenney works with afterschool organizations to increase the accessibility and affordability of afterschool programs across the country.
Currently, more than 15 million youths in America are unsupervised every day between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Through partnerships with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, YMCA, National 4-H, United Way of America and For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), a nonprofit group whose mission is to inspire kids to be science and technology leaders through a high-intensity robotics competition, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund helps prepare children for college, work and life by providing them with life enriching afterschool opportunities.