WHO: Marilyn Gelber, President, Brooklyn Community Foundation
Gordon J. Campbell, President and CEO, United Way of New York City
Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President
Mark McMillan, Deputy Counsel, Queens Borough President’s Office
Council Members Mathieu Eugene and Jumaane D. Williams
Dr. William L. Pollard, President, Medgar Evers College; Co-Chair, Community Advisory Committee
Carine Jocelyn, Executive Director, Diaspora Community Services; , Co-Chair, Community Advisory Committee
WHEN: 11:00AM on Thursday, February 11, 2010
WHERE: Brooklyn Borough Hall Steps (Rain space and reception: the Rotunda)
209 Joralemon Street (at Court St.). Brooklyn, NY
WHAT: The Brooklyn Community Foundation and United Way of NYC will announce the formation of the NYC Haitian Community Hope & Healing Fund (Hope and Healing Fund), a joint initiative which will raise funds to address the short and long-term needs of individuals, families and communities in the New York City area affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Specifically, the Fund will make grants to local nonprofits assisting the Haitian community in four key areas: legal services focused on immigration, case management focused on economic and social issues, healing focused on grief counseling, and education and literacy for adults and children.
NYC Haitian Community Hope and Healing Fund
New York City is home to one of the largest Haitian populations outside of Port au Prince–more than 130,000 individuals–the vast majority of whom live in Brooklyn and Queens. The impact of the January 12, 2010 earthquake has extended well beyond Haiti’s shores, penetrating some of the city’s most vibrant and under-resourced communities. The Hope & Healing Fund will provide financial support and critical resources to local nonprofit organizations that are attuned to the needs of Haitian American New Yorkers; it will also focus on strengthening these organizations so they can most effectively serve the anticipated increased number of people needing assistance. For more information about the Hope & Healing Fund please visit www.HopeandHealingFund.org.
Interested press should RSVP to Andrew Yarbrough at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 212-260-8813.
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ABOUT UNITED WAY FOR NEW YORK CITY
United Way of New York City (UWNYC) brings together people, resources and ideas to achieve long-lasting systemic changes that improve the education, income stability and health of low-income New Yorkers, and foster a more robust and effective nonprofit sector. We believe that everyone has a role in building a better future for all. We offer diverse opportunities for New Yorkers to give, advocate and volunteer to advance the common good. To learn more about our work and how to get involved, visit www.unitedwaynyc.org
ABOUT BROOKLYN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Brooklyn Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people in Brooklyn through grantmaking and by encouraging local giving and community service. The first and only one of its kind in Brooklyn, the Foundation was founded in 2009 to support the borough’s most effective nonprofits in five Fields of Interest: Community Development, Education and Youth Achievement, Caring Neighbors, Art for All, and Green Communities. Since 1998, operating as the Independence Community Foundation, the Foundation distributed over $70 million in grants throughout New York Metro area, more than half of which were in Brooklyn. More information can be found at: www.BrooklynCommunityFoundation.org
