New York Race Track Chaplaincy of America

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy of America (NYRTCA) is asking for support to provide woman living and working on the Belmont Park backstretch and the surrounding community with 'Baskets of Blessings' this coming Mother's Day. A donation of $100 will fund a special basket which will be lovingly prepared and include an assortment of food, toiletries, and special gifts. Each basket will be hand-delivered by the NYRTCA ahead of Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10. "The mothers of our backstretch community have perhaps been most impacted by the current crisis,...

"There's still a lot of anxiety," says Chaplain Humberto Chavez, whose ministry helps thousands of backstretch workers every day. "But in the midst of that, I get to see men and women that love their jobs, and come in every day to take care of these beautiful horses."

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy of America has launched a matching gift drive for its food pantry that will benefit backstretch workers at Belmont Park as they deal with the many challenges posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Donations to the food pantry made between now and June 6 will be matched up to $25,000 by a member of the New York Racing Association (NYRA) Board of Directors. That gives the Chaplaincy the potential to raise up to $50,000 for its pantry, one of the few in the area...

The number of individuals who work on the Belmont backstretch and have tested positive for coronavirus has risen to six. On Mar. 19, NYRA confirmed that a backstretch employee had tested positive and, according to NYRA Communications Director Patrick McKenna, five more racetrack workers at Belmont have tested positive since that time. After the first case of the virus was found, NYRA announced that live racing at Aqueduct had been postponed indefinitely. On Wednesday, NYRA announced that live racing was suspended through at least Apr. 5. With the latest outbreak,...

In every crisis, it's possible to find examples of kindness and generosity, of people reaching out to help total strangers out of the goodness of their heart. To focus attention on the many people in the industry who have stepped forward to help those who have been impacted by the coronavirus, the TDN has launched a series that we hope will put a smile on your face during these difficult times. We'll do our best to bring you a little bit of good news every day. The importance of the...

Ramon Dominguez has not ridden since suffering a head injury in a 2013 spill, but he never did step away from the sport. The Hall of Fame jockey now devotes much of his time to his role as the president of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy of America, a job he took on last month. The work of the racetrack chaplains is always important but never more so than now, as the coronavirus has upended life on the racetrack for many, particularly backstretch workers. The job has thrust Dominguez...

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy of America has launched a fundraiser in support of backstretch workers to help during the challenging circumstances relative to the coronavirus (COVID-19). The chaplaincy is looking to bolster its food pantry and welcomes any financial contribution. For those who wish to donate food, non-perishable items that are microwaveable are welcome. Drop-offs in Nassau County will also welcome perishable items in individual sizes, including fresh fruits.   Donations can be made online at flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/Nzc5ODQ=. For more information on how to ship a donation or for...