Posted on February 10, 2010

New York Community Trust Awards $7.25 Million to Help Struggling New Yorkers

The New York Community Trust has announced grants totaling $7.25 million to organizations providing safety-net assistance and community programs for New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet.

Grants totaling nearly $6.1 million were awarded to eight nonprofits that provide basic services such as food, legal help, benefits enrollment, and cash assistance: the Food Bank for New York City/Food for Survival ($1.5 million); the Bridge Fund of New York ($1.25 million); Legal Services NYC ($1.2 million); Cancer Care ($850,000); the New York City Financial Network Action Consortium ($600,000); Citymeals-on-Wheels ($400,000); City Harvest ($200,000); and LawHelp/NY ($75,000).

In addition, grants were awarded to seven community groups that provide services such as day care, afterschool programs for youth, adult education programs, and job workshops in the city's neediest neighborhoods, including $1.2 million to United Neighborhood Houses to help maintain services at thirty-seven settlement houses in the five boroughs, and grants of $25,000 each to the Abyssinian Development Corporation, Groundwork, the Highbridge Community Life Center, the Ocean Bay Community Development Corporation, the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council, and the Southern Queens Park Association.

"Struggling New Yorkers are best served when they don't have to go to five different places to apply for food stamps, eat a hot meal, and get financial, legal, and housing help," said New York Community Trust senior vice president for programs Joyce Bove. "With that in mind, our safety net grants are structured to encourage grantees to work together and provide services at each other's sites."