Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy announced the fiscal year 2005 Omnibus Appropriations Bill contained $500,000 to prevent gang violence in Nassau County.

"Gang violence is a growing problem in our schools and neighborhoods and this funding will help kids make the right decision when confronted with the false promises of gang membership," McCarthy said.

The anti-gang funding will be distributed among three projects:

* $225,000 for the Nassau County Youth Board to implement gang intervention services. The board's anti-gang services will include outreach and recruitment of young people to join the fight against gangs and networking between police, school districts and community-based organizations to develop anti-gang strategies.

* $50,000 for the Nassau County Police Department's Detective's Agency's gang awareness seminars in Nassau County school districts where gangs are targeting children. This is the first anti-gang education program ever undertaken by the Nassau County Police Department.

* $225,000 for the Grace Multi-National Development Corporation's anti-gang recruitment efforts in Uniondale.

"Each of these great programs could become a model for other suburban communities throughout the nation facing the challenge of gang violence," McCarthy added. "I look forward to helping more anti-gang initiatives secure the resources they need to be successful in the next Congress."