"The HOPE Program - The HOPE Program empowers New Yorkers to build sustainable futures through comprehensive training, jobs, advancement and lifelong career support. The HOPE Program is leveraging funding from the Bronx Community Foundation to expand its Sustainable South Bronx (SSBx) program. This grant is covering crucial expenses including the salaries of key staff such as instructors and employment specialists, as well as certification testing and materials for hard skills training for our participants, preparing them for careers in green construction and maintenance. Participants in SSBx learn about environmental justice, gain hands-on skills in carpentry, utilities, building mechanics, and energy auditing, and earn industry certifications that enhance their competitiveness in the job market. With an office in Hunts Point, we are compelled to deepen our impact in the Bronx and uplift communities that have historically faced economic, social, and health disparities. Thanks to the support of the Bronx Community Foundation, The HOPE Program can empower more Bronx residents to build sustainable futures for themselves and their families by equipping them with the skills needed to compete for well-paying, in-demand green jobs.” - Tracey Capers, Executive Director.
"A Fair Shake for Youth helps middle school students develop social and emotional skills through a unique 10-week program with therapy dogs. Students learn dog-handling techniques and discuss topics like animal shelters, second chances, and breed discrimination, which often mirror their own life experiences. By working with the non-judgmental and social dogs, students practice positive reinforcement, build trust-based relationships, and improve communication skills.With support from the Bronx Community Foundation's 2023 Participatory Grantmaking cycle, A Fair Shake for Youth continues to expand its impact in the Bronx, helping students build the skills needed to navigate life’s challenges and find their best selves. "The Bronx holds a special place for us at A Fair Shake for Youth. Recognizing the need, we've been committed to serving the borough for over a decade and witness how our unique social emotional learning program with therapy dogs has a profound impact on the children here. To receive support from an organization whose mission aligns so closely with ours—one that shares our dedication to the Bronx—is both meaningful and motivating. It encourages us to continue to expand our efforts" - Audrey Hendler, Founder and Executive Director of A Fair Shake for Youth.
"Recognizing that harm reduction starts with meeting basic needs, St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction (SACHR) has been serving over 100 fresh, culturally appropriate meals daily since 1992. Thanks to funding from the Bronx Community Foundation’s 2023 Participatory Grantmaking cycle, the Meal Program continues to expand, offering nutritious meals that help individuals focus on their care. ""Food is often the first point of connection at St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction. When someone walks through our doors, they may not be ready to discuss their struggles or meet with a case manager—they may simply need a warm meal and a safe space. The support from the Bronx Community Foundation for our soup kitchen allows us to welcome and nourish even more people. Once they've had a meal and feel a sense of comfort, they may become more open to exploring additional services." - Tim Majoor, Chief Operating Officer
“Asylum seekers in New York are seeking an opportunity to work and succeed in a safe environment for their families. Our work, powered by The Bronx Community Foundation’s support, allows us to set these newest New Yorkers up for success." - Dr. Hadiza Osuji, Founder and Executive Director of The African International Collaborative Center."
“The Mercy Center’s programs help asylum-seeking families prepare to enter New York City’s workforce and stabilize important needs like schooling, health care, and legal assistance. We are grateful to The Bronx Community Foundation for helping our critical work continue." - Paula Sarro, Associate Executive Director at Mercy Center
"New York City has long been a welcoming refuge for asylum seekers from across the globe, and this support from The Bronx Community Foundation helps us provide the holistic services that help families adjust to life in their new home. We thank the Bronx Community Foundation for their ongoing support to Bronx residents and immigrant New Yorkers."
"With support from the Bronx Community Foundation, Sapna NYC has grown our Digital Literacy program to meet an overwhelming demand for accessible, empowering tech education in our community. The grant enabled us to offer more classes and expand our curriculum to include a Level 3 course in Google Suite, helping women who previously had little or no computer experience gain skills they thought were out of reach. These classes don’t just teach computer skills; they build community, confidence, and connections to other Sapna NYC services. For our participants, mastering these skills brings new opportunities and the pride that comes from taking a step forward for themselves and their families." - Diya Basu-Sen দিয়া বসু সেন
“Support from the Bronx Community Foundation enhances our ability to serve communities that have long faced systemic barriers to healthcare access. This partnership is especially meaningful because the Foundation recognizes the vital role community-based organizations play as connectors between systems of care," said Lola Simpson, CEO of AIRnyc. "Their investment not only sustains our essential community health workforce but also strengthens our advocacy for policies that drive lasting change in how healthcare is delivered in the Bronx."
"The Bronx represents our largest client population, making our partnership with The Bronx Community Foundation especially meaningful. Their support enables us to expand our Children's Voice Project, which empowers young people who have navigated the family court system to help shape policies and support others going through similar experiences," said Hon. Liberty Aldrich (ret), Executive Director of the Children's Law Center. "Through this funding, we're launching fellowships for former clients ages 17-24 from the Bronx, equipping them with life skills and advocacy tools to ensure children's voices are heard by judges and policymakers alike. It's central to our mission that those with lived experience guide our work, and we're grateful to The Foundation for helping us deepen this impact in the Bronx."
"The generous support from the Bronx Community Foundation enables us to deepen our impact in communities that need it most. This funding will help us continue revitalizing library spaces and creating inclusive learning environments where every child can see themselves reflected in the books they read and the stories they share,” said Rina Madhani, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Start Lighthouse. “As we work to close the literacy gap in the Bronx, this partnership affirms our commitment to fostering a love of reading that will last a lifetime.”
"Support from the Bronx Community Foundation enables us to expand our reach and provide more young people with the tools they need to express themselves through art,” said William Acevedo, Executive Director of YUCA. Beyond supplying essential materials for our studios, this funding helps us cultivate the next generation of creative entrepreneurs in the Bronx. When we empower youth to develop both artistic and business skills, not just nurturing individual talent—we’re investing in our community’s future."
"The Trauma Recovery Center at Astor Services provides outpatient services that include- individual, family, group and collateral therapy utilizing evidenced based treatments, medication management care management, crisis intervention, referral and advocacy as well as assistance to Bronx residents at no cost to the clients served. Grant funding from the Bronx Community Foundation has bridged real gaps in our client services, allowing clinicians to better serve clients. The funds have bolstered an emergency fund that will substantially benefit trauma clients in various ways such as helping caregivers who may be struggling to feed a family of young children or provide safety measures for those fleeing an abusive situation. The support directly improved mental health services for Bronx community members while bolstering engagement in the boroughs only trauma center of this nature."
"The Bronx Community Foundation’s support of Thrive For Life Prison Project is helping us transform lives through the Cardinal’s Café, a vital initiative that provides job training, employment opportunities, and a welcoming space for justice-impacted individuals seeking stability and community. With this grant, we are able to expand the Café’s capacity, enhance vocational training, and ensure that those returning from incarceration have access to dignified work and mentorship.
This funding is more than just financial support—it is a statement of trust in the power of transformation. With BxCF’s partnership, we can continue transforming lives behind and beyond the prison walls through education, employment, housing, and a deep sense of purpose."
"Van Cortlandt Park Alliance’s Garden 2 Market Internship Program teaches Bronx teens about horticulture, growing food, and food justice issues in their own neighborhood. The program also promotes workforce readiness by training interns to run a weekly farmstand, which in turn helps provide fresh, healthy, and affordable produce to the surrounding community. Our teens also get their hands dirty, planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables. In a world that is increasingly virtual, this is an essential part of the program and so important for young people’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Van Cortlandt Park Alliance is thrilled to have received a grant from The Bronx Community Foundation to help support this year’s internship.
~ Stephanie Ehrlich, Executive Director, Van Cortlandt Park Alliance"
"At Sharing Excess, we believe that no fresh, nutritious food should go to waste while people in our communities go hungry. Thanks to The Bronx Community Foundation’s generous support, we have been able to deepen our impact at the Hunts Point Produce Market, rescuing surplus produce that might otherwise be discarded and redirecting it to families who need it most.
This funding has empowered us to grow our on-site wholesale rescue operations in the Bronx, ensuring that more local organizations have access to fresh food for their communities. Every week, we witness firsthand how the simple act of food rescue transforms lives—whether it’s a grandmother at a local pop-up distribution able to access the fresh produce she needs to manage her health, or a small food pantry that can now consistently provide fruits and vegetables to hundreds of families because of our partnership. With The Bronx Community"
"This grant from The Bronx Community Foundation has enabled UpBeat NYC to provide more South Bronx children with long term high quality instrumental music education and opportunities. With a mission to build equity, opportunity, and community through free music education and ensemble performance, UpBeat’s approach prioritizes access, joy, rigor and immersion, providing intensive musical engagement throughout participants’ early childhood, adolescent and young adult years. We believe that all children are innately musical and have a right to high-quality, long-term music education. With a guiding philosophy of social action and a vision for systemic change and justice for NYC’s Black and Hispanic communities, we serve those often excluded from these opportunities due to economic and social barriers. As neighbors and fellow stakeholders, we are thrilled to have the Bronx Community Foundation’s partnership to invest in our children’s present and future. - Liza Austria - Founder, Co-Executive Director, UpBeat NYC"
"Food pantries are essential in underserved communities that are beset with poverty. With the already high cost of living—especially for housing—and the surge in inflation, many low- and moderate-income New Yorkers are struggling more than ever. Research has found that food insecurity is related to numerous poor health outcomes. It can lead to diabetes, hypertension and obesity amongst adults. It can impact physical, cognitive and socioemotional development among children. Funding from the Bronx Community Foundation allows Nazareth Housing to not only serve our neighbors, it offers an opportunity to establish new connections and new relationships that help stabilize the community. About 12% of all individuals we see each week at our Bronx Food Pantry are new to us. We screen each household for other services that can support their financial and housing stability. Through the connections established here, our case managers build trusting relationships that help highlight solutions, like applying for or recertifying for benefits. Funding also supports long standing relationships. In one case, Cindy, a senior citizen and client of our tax and food pantry services explained to staff some of the challenges she was having one recent day during the food pantry check-in. She told the case manager that her brother had passed away and that she was unable to pay for his burial and that she was considering forgoing her rent payment to cover the cost. The case manager empathized with her and suggested they complete a burial assistance application through Access HRA. When
- Rachel Levine, Executive Director"
"Strong communities are built on strong individuals and families. To that end, NIDC has created the Family Support Network (FSN), a dedicated resource for Bronx parents, guardians, and families, offering programs to promote stable home environments where children can grow and thrive. Our FSN is designed to support caregivers holistically, recognizing that when parents and guardians have the tools to care for themselves, they are better equipped to support their children and communities.
We are deeply grateful for The Bronx Community Foundation’s support, which strengthens a program that is central to NIDC’s 43-year mission of building a brighter future for the Bronx. This funding allows us to expand our reach and provide critical services to families across The Borough through expanded hours for our Social Worker to research, plan, facilitate workshops, and meet with families to connect them to vital social services. The additional funding also allows us to work with more community partners, bringing even more resources and education into our communities.
Our partnership with BxCF is a testament to the power of coordinated investment in community-driven solutions. We are honored to be among the Foundation’s grantees and look forward to the lasting impact this funding will have on our community."
"For more than a decade, Street Lab has transformed streets into vibrant places of community where New Yorkers can gather and connect with each other. Street Lab pops up with reading rooms, open-air drawing studios, obstacle courses, and other programs more than 500 times each year with the goal of improving the city’s streetscapes and the everyday lives of New Yorkers. Nearly half of our pop-ups in 2024 took place in the Bronx, where our local partners are eager to use their streets to bring people together and strengthen their neighborhood.
The generous support of the Bronx Community Foundation will allow Street Lab to bring our signature programming, custom-designed gear, and on-the-grounds staff to four Bronx play streets this summer. This project will create positive places for local youth during the summer months, increase activity and safety on Bronx streets, and build stronger and more connected communities. We’re excited to work alongside our host partners to bring immediate benefits to their neighborhoods and grateful to the Bronx Community Foundation for supporting this work."
"Foundation’s support of our Healthy Bronx Kids program. The Healthy Bronx Kids program was developed to address the staggering health concerns facing Bronx youth- including high rates of obesity, asthma, and food insecurity. The program helps young people build healthy lifestyles through clinically informed activities that promote physical fitness, healthy eating, and mental wellness. A key component of the program is its urban agriculture classes through which students grow and cook fresh produce. The Bronx Community Foundation funds will be used to expand this program to reach more students in high-needs Bronx public schools.
We thank The Bronx Community Foundation for their commitment to and investment in the health and happiness of our borough’s young people. As a respected and esteemed resource in our shared community, your support further validates that their needs matter!"
"Family Legal Care is the only legal services organization dedicated solely to empowering unrepresented (pro se) litigants to advocate for themselves in Family Court. Support from The Bronx Community Foundation is helping us to provide otherwise unavailable resources, support, and advice on child support, custody and visitation, and domestic violence to Bronx parents and caregivers navigating Family Court without an attorney. Assistance from Family Legal Care can mean a parent having enough child support money to put food on the table or a safe place for their child to live. Thank you to The Bronx Community Foundation for enabling us to provide critical legal resources to Bronxites when they need it most. This mother says it best: “You have touched our lives more than you could have imagined. That one hour resulted in many hours of empowerment and justice being restored.
- Cathy Cramer, CEO"
"Bethel Hamliri, Inc. (BH) is deeply grateful to The Bronx Community Foundation for its generous funding, which enabled BH to provide fresh food to the immigrant community in the Bronx on a weekly basis. This support not only helped alleviate food insecurity but also covered part-time staff costs, ensuring the smooth operation of community events. The funding is a crucial resource for small organizations like BH that serve underserved immigrant populations, including many asylum seekers. By using food distribution as an incentive, BH successfully recruited participants for its chronic disease management program, fostering engagement in health and wellness. Thanks to The Bronx Community Foundation’s invaluable support, BH is able to connect with immigrants in their native languages, offering health guidance, promoting - Franck Kabore Executive Director Bethel Hamliri,Inc"
