Vaughn Toney, the CEO of Friends of Crown Heights and ambassador-at-large for St. Vincent, has died.
For almost 30 years, Vaughan Toney has merged public service with child-care advocacy, early childhood education, and community action.
At the time of his death he was President/CEO of The Friends of Crown Heights Educational Centers Inc. (FOCH), one of New York City’s largest not-for-profit providers of subsidized child care and early childhood education.
FOCH oversees 20 high-quality Early Childhood Education centers in the city. FOCH’s Family Child Care Network serves 1,000 preschoolers in scores of associated provider homes in Brooklyn and Queens in addition to its Center-based Infant/Toddler, 3K, and Pre-K programs. In addition to its popular Summer in the City Day Camp, the agency runs several elementary and middle school after-school activities.
Toney also served on the Day Care Council of New York’s board, and was a member of Child Care Inc.’s Board of Directors.
In his early college years, Toney was elected to the student governing body at the State University of New York (SUNY) Albany and interned with Assemblyman Angelo Del Toro, which sparked his interest for politics and public service. After graduating from SUNY in 1978 with a Bachelor of Political Science, he was hired directly to the New York State Assembly Education Committee, where he excelled as legislative assistant to Chairman Leonard Stavisky. When Stavisky joined the New York State Senate six years later, Toney became senior staff analyst and special assistant to the Education Committee’s ranking member.
Following the 1992 City Charter and expanded City Council in New York, Toney left Albany to serve as Chief-of-Staff to Councilwoman Una Clarke, the first Caribbean-American woman elected to the municipal legislature. Four years later, he became Chief-of-Staff to the Rev. Dr. Lloyd Henry, representing the 45th Council District in Central Brooklyn. He created the legislative plan that brought millions of dollars in capital investment and economic stimulus to Flatbush, East Flatbush, and adjoining Central Brooklyn communities. Toney studied for a Master’s in Public Administration at New York University while campaigning.
Community leader and activist Vaughan Toney served on the Kings County Hospital Advisory Board. Former member of the Carlos Lezama Archives and Caribbean Cultural Center, founding member of the Caribbean American Political Organization, and 42nd Assembly District Democratic Club president and founded the SCOPE Foundation, which gives poor schoolchildren in St. Vincent and the Grenadines scholarships.
Vaughan Toney has garnered many honors for his public service and dedication to high-quality child care, early childhood education, and community empowerment. He joined the Mayoral Transition Team after Eric L. Adams’ 2021 election. The St. Vincent and the Grenadines government appointed him Ambassador-at-Large in September 2022.
Information obtained from FOCH. Prime Minister Gonsalves spoke about Toney’s health situation last week.
