Dear Friend,

For more than a decade, the Brooklyn Community Foundation has   been focusing on the needs of young people in Red Hook, encouraging local leadership efforts and helping young people make smart choices about their futures.  While some initiatives, like creating a great K-12 model school did not receive ongoing support from the Department of Education, other after-school nonprofit initiatives like that of  Added Value and the Red Hook Initiative have thrived.

In fact, last week I attended the opening of the Red Hook Initiative's (RHI) beautiful new community center, located just down the block from the Red Hook Houses. From their modest start as a teen health project RHI, under the leadership of their founding director Jill Eisenhard, has grown into an extraordinarily effective youth development program which is also having a powerful economic impact on the lives of many families in the Red Hook Houses. The difference was and always has been a deep commitment to involving local people in running and operating the programs it offers and building the community center exemplified this philosophy. Although RHI had to raise substantial monies from private and public sources, it also created the opportunity for local young people and families to show their support through giving. At The Brooklyn Community Foundation, we believe anyone can be a philanthropist, and so, we agreed to match all donations raised from residents of the Red Hook Houses--where the annual income averages just over $16,000. I am very happy to report that the residents raised $10,000--which we happily matched.

While the money matters, the community’s buy-in matters more. We are committed to finding the best ideas and the best leadership to make a difference in the lives of people in Brooklyn.  RHI exemplifies the very type of leadership and the sort of organization which we are proud to support: it is innovative, community-based and effective. We eagerly look forward to their continued success in working with Red Hook's young people where only 4% of residents of the Red Hook Houses have a high school diploma.

The Foundation, both through our funding and our guidance, has played a key role in countless, outstanding stories like that of RHI. We've helped build capacity, connect, and grow organizations from their nascent stages and into multi-faceted service providers. Today, more than ever, we know that encouraging local, community giving is a cornerstone to our collective success. At the Brooklyn Community Foundation, we are devoted to helping improve the lives of people in Brooklyn by encouraging people to Do Good Right Here , by giving both of themselves and their resources. Please join us as help us build a stronger Brooklyn, together.

  Focus On: Education and Community Service

Thirty percent (30%) of Brooklyn’s third-graders do not read at grade level. Building effective educational programs for our children--and our future--is critical.

As part of our mission to encourage community service throughout Brooklyn, this month we launched the "Urban Affairs Series," a new educational series in partnership with the Mayor's Office of NYC Service.  Both the Brooklyn Community Foundation and NYC Service share a common interest in promoting community service and the new panel series which will highlight some of Brooklyn's nonprofit leaders working in the Foundation’s five Field of Interest areas.

This month, we highlighted our Education and Youth Achievement Fund. Nearly 30 NYC Civic Corps Fellows -- AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers from around the nation -- joined us at the Brooklyn Community Foundation's headquarters in DUMBO for the first in the series: "Successful Schooling," which invited three charter and public school leaders who illuminated both the differences and commonalities among a diverse set of schools working for a common goal: educating our youth. Panelists included three of Brooklyn Community Foundation's grantee partners: Anita De Paz, principal of Park Slope's P.S. 39, Max Koltuv, Founder of Uncommon Schools and Allison Keil, Founder of Community Roots Charter School.

Upcoming panels will continue to showcase some of the incredible work being done by the nonprofit community in Brooklyn and encourage the public to join these efforts by volunteering their time and service to these effective community organizations and important causes.

Stay updated on our efforts here. / Donate to the Education and Youth Achievement Fund today.

  Update: NYC Haitian Community Hope and Healing Fund

Brooklyn is home to more than 80,000 people of Haitian descent. Brooklyn Community Foundation is working to help provide hope, and help heal those where were affected by the January earthquake in Haiti.
New Grantee partners to receive funding from the Hope and Healing Fund. Credit: Martin Dixon.

Launched in February 2010—one month after the devastating earthquake in Haiti—we partnered with the United Way of NYC to launch the Hope and Healing Fund. The Fund provides financial support and critical resources to local nonprofit organizations that are attuned to the needs of Haitian American New Yorkers and is dedicated to strengthening these organizations so they can most effectively serve the increased number of people needing assistance.

On April 12, three months following the earthquake, we announced the first round of funding that will help weave together the expertise of several local nonprofits—many of which are Haitian-led—in dealing with increased needs following the earthquake. The Fund will award $250,000 to twelve organizations working in four key issue areas: case management; legal; healing; and education. Additional grant awards will follow in the coming months. 

“The NYC Haitian Community Hope and Healing fund is a local response to a rising tide of need,” said Marilyn Gelber, President of Brooklyn Community Foundation. ”The Brooklyn Community Foundation and the United Way of New York City have been working closely with the Fund’s Advisory Committee to better understand the community’s needs and we will continue to keep watch on these issues as they develop and grow in number,” she said. 

Learn more about organizations receiving funding  / Donate to the Hope and Healing fund

A gift to the Brooklyn Community Foundation enables you to make Brooklyn even better. Please join us, tell your friends and neighbors, and Do Good Right Here. This year, donations up to $250 will be matched dollar for dollar by a generous anonymous donor who loves Brooklyn as much as you do.

Until next time,

Marilyn Gelber

President, Brooklyn Community Foundation