The Attorney General's Office will distribute $1.5 million each to Ma-Yi Theater Company and Woodside on the Move, following the dissolution of a charity that provided cultural and educational services to the Filipino community since 1976. The grants stem from the sale of the dissolving organization's sole asset—a Park Avenue townhouse—and will fund cultural and educational programming specifically for Filipino New Yorkers.
The distribution follows New York's Not-for-Profit Corporation Law requirements that charitable organizations distribute remaining assets upon dissolution to entities engaged in substantially similar activities. "When a charitable organization closes its doors, it is imperative that its remaining assets are dedicated to continuing its mission," said Attorney General James. The dissolved charity had operated cultural programs and a preschool serving the Filipino community for several decades.
Ma-Yi Theater Company, which has produced Filipino American-focused theater since 1989, will use its $1.5 million grant to expand cultural and educational theater productions and community programming. The organization operates the largest resident company of Asian American playwrights in the country through its Writer's Lab program and offers youth workshops and community engagement opportunities.
Woodside on the Move will dedicate its $1.5 million grant toward cultural, educational, and social service programs for Filipino New Yorkers. The 50-year-old organization serves the Little Manila community in Queens through youth programming, tenant and small business support, cultural events, free tax preparation, food pantries, and job and health resource fairs.
"Ma-Yi Theater Company is deeply grateful to Attorney General Letitia James and the Office of the Attorney General for this extraordinary grant," said Ralph B. Pena, Producing Artistic Director of Ma-Yi Theater Company. "We are proud to accept this support and pledge to use it to expand cultural and educational programs that serve Filipino American communities across New York State." William Jourdain, Executive Director of Woodside on the Move, noted the organization's five decades of service in building "Little Manila in Woodside, Queens as a vibrant, resilient cultural pocket of the community."
The matter was handled by the AG's Charities Bureau, led by Bureau Chief James Sheehan, which oversees nonprofit dissolutions and asset distributions under state law. Assemblymember Steven Raga praised the grants as "a powerful commitment to preserving Filipino culture while delivering real resources to families in Queens," highlighting the importance of cultural representation for Filipino American communities.
The grants represent a significant investment in preserving Filipino cultural programming in New York City, ensuring continuity of services following the dissolution of a longstanding community organization. Both recipient organizations have established track records of community service and the capacity to expand their cultural and educational offerings with the additional funding.