1653 Foundation

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Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from 1653 Foundation, Nonprofit Organization, 223 Wall Street, Suite 354, Huntington, NY.

The mission of 1653 Foundation is to restore, manage, and enhance the parklands and public spaces of the Town of Huntington through collaboration with Town government, various committees, partner organizations and other influencers.

09/30/2026

The flags are up; the work is underway. Wonderful changes are coming to Halesite.

Learn more about this project and many others underway at www.1653foundation.org

09/24/2026

The 1653 Foundation, together with our environmental partner REACH (Environmental Action Coalition of Huntington) and the Town of Huntington, has expanded our oyster reef with 48 crates of new spat on shell!

The photo shows how much the reef has grown in just one year. The top cluster is from last year's planting, and the bottom cluster is from this year. When last year's oysters were planted, they were the same size as this year's new spat.

09/01/2026

We were proud to branch out and support the inaugural Suffolk County Oyster Jamboree and Frolic at Harborfront Park in Port Jefferson a couple of weeks ago hosted by the Suffolk County 250th Anniversary Committee and the Village of Port Jefferson.

This event successfully brought together environmental heritage, regional economic development, and community engagement. Celebrating Long Island’s historical oystering industry reinforces the critical need for ongoing marine conservation and sustainable waterfront management, which directly supports our mission of preserving, restoring and enhancing.

1653 was learning what other organizations have been up to and providing important information on the numerous projects we are working on.

Head to www.1653foundation.org to learn more!

08/26/2026

As part of our deep commitment to Huntington’s maritime environment, we worked with our environmental partner RELIC and funded the installation of “clean up the beach” baskets at West Neck, Gold Star, Centerport and Hobart Beaches on August 25th.

West Neck Beach photos:
Don Tesoriero, 1653 Foundation Executive Director; Aiden Kravitz and Edward Ford, RELIC; Garrett Chelius, 1653 Foundation Advisor and Director of Maritime Services, Town of Huntington; Nick Aronov, Town of Huntington; and Jen Hebert, Councilwoman, Town of Huntington

Gold Star Beach photo:
Aiden Kravitz, RELIC; Don Tesoriero, 1653 Foundation Executive Director; Edward Ford, RELIC; Tracey Affatato, Legislative Aide to Brooke Lupinacci, Councilwoman, Town of Huntington; Cable Todd Jamison, Director, Parks and Recreation, Town of Huntington; Garrett Chelius, 1653 Foundation Advisor and Director of Maritime Services, Town of Huntington.

08/20/2026

John Turner, Seatuck Senior Conservation Advocate, had some incredible words on our ongoing wildlife work.

John’s full quote below from a July 30th article in The Observer. We are so grateful for the support.

“Many ecological connectivity projects relate to fixing one barrier found to impede the movement of one or a few species of wildlife. In contrast, the proposed connectivity project situated at the southern end of the Crab Meadow watershed involves the siting and construction of a wildlife tunnel under Waterside Avenue and new culverts under Waterside Avenue, Seaside Court, and in energy utility and parkland properties. Thus, it is the most significant ecological connectivity project ever envisioned for, and undertaken on, Long Island since not only will the initiative remove nearly half a dozen barriers hampering the movement of wildlife, it will simultaneously help several species of wildlife including river otters, several species of turtles (painted and snapping turtles), and migratory fish (American eel and river herring).”

08/14/2026

Extra Extra!

Thank you to the Northport Observer for the feature story on the ongoing work we have been putting into the feasibility study for wildlife-safe passageways.

Please visit 1653foundation.org to learn more about our plan advancements to protect Fuchs Pond wildlife and to get involved.

08/12/2026

New collaboration with the Huntington Historical Society is coming together! We visited their offices in the historic trade school building to finalize lesson plans for a Fall program launch!

Matthew Racanello,1653 Foundation volunteer and Kaitlin Mayo, Huntington Historical Society Education Director

Photo credit: Don Tesoriero

08/07/2026

Every week the Rotary Environmental Action Coalition (REACH) powered by volunteers work on the Oyster Reef Project.

In two seasons, we’ve grown approximately 390,000 OYSTERS and planted over 300 cu.ft of NEW OYSTER REEF in our local embayments. Year to year survivorship rates on our Rotary Reefs have been very encouraging.

Head over to www.1653foundation.org www.theoysterreefproject.org to learn more about the project or to be a part of the team at any of the remaining scheduled dock work!

07/21/2026

Our Chairperson Robert Bontempi and our Executive Director Don Tesoriero now serve as President and Vice President of REACH, The Rotary Environmental Action Coalition of Huntington. The leadership integration allows the 1653 Foundation and REACH to align funding, volunteer bases, sponsor networks, and Town Hall partnerships — enabling resources to flow naturally between harbor habitat restoration and land-based public-space stewardship.

📸 Standing L-R: Garrett Chelius, Director, Department of Maritime Services, Town of Huntington; Lorne Brousseau, Associate Marine Program Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County; Shane Rogers, REACH Treasurer; Robert Bontempi, REACH President; Don Tesorier, REACH Vice President; Brian Yudewitz, Treasurer,1653 Foundation; Helena Rogers, Volunteer; Seated L-R: Melissa Brousseau; Legislator Stephanie Bontempi, 18th L.D.; Kathryn Tesoriero

07/04/2026

Two hundred and fifty years on, we enjoy the fireworks and don’t think too deeply about why these historical markers stand where they do. War crimes were also part of the birth of the United States. This plaque on 25A, near Huntington’s Old Burying Ground, marks one – the desecration of the Town graveyard by the occupying British forces. Huntington suffered greatly at their hands for seven long years, even after their general surrendered at Yorktown in 1781. In 1782, the vengeful local British tore down the church across the street and forced Huntington residents to use those materials to build a new fort directly on the graves of the Town’s ancestors, dislodging tombstones for use in their bread ovens. But the Patriots prevailed and the British fled to England in 1783. At the 1653 Foundation, we know that freedom was never free and we honor those who came before for their courage and sacrifice.

Address

223 Wall Street, Suite 354
Huntington, NY
11743

Website

https://1653foundation.org/

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