After a year hiatus due to the pandemic, the TCS New York City Marathon is back and will take place on November 7, 2021! #TeamBronxWorks is excited to represent the agency as a charity partner! This year, BronxWorks is fielding a team of five charity runners who are each raising money to support BronxWorks Children & Youth services. In these uncertain times, support for our programs that help our children and students adapt to the shifting landscape of school and learning through the COVID-19 pandemic is more important than ever. Support Team BronxWorks here. Meet our amazing runners below:
Dr. Anna Goodheart is a Neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. She started running during medical school. Anna was connected to BronxWorks through a good friend from college who works at the organization. “I decided to look into the organization and I was impressed by the services that they provide and their passionate support of their community,” Anna says. “It’s a worthy organization to run for.”
I started running during medical school as a form of stress relief and as a way to practice what I preach to my patients: exercise is important!”
Emily Hespeler is a Nutrition Educator for the BronxWorks SNAP-Ed Program. She started running in high school when she joined the track team to stay in shape between soccer seasons. She fell in love with running during college by running on trails around her house before class. Emily is running in the NYC Marathon this year to show herself how powerful she is. She decided to run for BronxWorks to support youth programs that provide valuable learning and work experience to students in the Bronx.
This past year I spent a little over two months in the hospital after sustaining 3rd degree burns on 30 % of my body from a cooking accident. My experiences this past year combined with the strength that I have gained from training make me excited to run the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon.”
Jessie Moriarty teaches 4th Grade at Girls Prep Lower East Side Elementary School. She started running in 3rd Grade at Tuesday night races during the summer at a local park near her house. She then started to train in order to get faster at these Tuesday night races. Jessie is running for BronxWorks because she believes in the organization’s work and mission. “I know that BronxWorks empowers Bronx residents with their services and I want to be a part of raising funds and awareness so they can continue.”
Working through the COVID-19 pandemic in the Bronx last year made me realize a lot of things, one of them being that I was strong. I decided to run the marathon this year because I wanted to prove to myself that I can do it, and I want to be a part of building a stronger Bronx community.”
Andrew Lin is the Development Associate for the BronxWorks Development Department. He was a former star middle school sprinter but runs mainly for fitness these days. Andrew is running the marathon because he has always wanted to run one to see if he can do it. He decided to run this year to support the incredible work and services that BronxWorks has provided throughout the COVID-19 crisis and recovery.
I’m running for BronxWorks to support an organization that I think is trying to do good in a very difficult world. At the end of the day, all of the programs at BronxWorks are trying to create positive change, are trying to have an impact.”
Kate Machan is the Legal Counsel & Associate Director of Special Projects at Zeta Charter Schools in the Bronx. She is one of the founding members and Chair of the BronxWorks Leadership Council. Kate’s passion for running began in high school and she continues that passion today. She is running the marathon this year for the challenge, the excitement of being part of such an incredible event, and the opportunity to represent and give back to BronxWorks.
I’m running for BronxWorks in order to further its mission of improving the lives of Bronx residents. Having been part of the organization’s Leadership Council for about three years, I have had the opportunity to work with kind, bright, dedicated BronxWorks team members who have inspired me to do more for the organization.”
After a year hiatus due to the pandemic, the TCS New York City Marathon is back and will take place on November 7, 2021! #TeamBronxWorks is excited to represent the agency as a charity partner! This year, BronxWorks is fielding a team of five charity runners who are each raising money to support BronxWorks Children & Youth services. In these uncertain times, support for our programs that help our children and students adapt to the shifting landscape of school and learning through the COVID-19 pandemic is more important than ever. Support Team BronxWorks here. Meet our amazing runners below:
Dr. Anna Goodheart is a Neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. She started running during medical school. Anna was connected to BronxWorks through a good friend from college who works at the organization. “I decided to look into the organization and I was impressed by the services that they provide and their passionate support of their community,” Anna says. “It’s a worthy organization to run for.”
I started running during medical school as a form of stress relief and as a way to practice what I preach to my patients: exercise is important!”
Emily Hespeler is a Nutrition Educator for the BronxWorks SNAP-Ed Program. She started running in high school when she joined the track team to stay in shape between soccer seasons. She fell in love with running during college by running on trails around her house before class. Emily is running in the NYC Marathon this year to show herself how powerful she is. She decided to run for BronxWorks to support youth programs that provide valuable learning and work experience to students in the Bronx.
This past year I spent a little over two months in the hospital after sustaining 3rd degree burns on 30 % of my body from a cooking accident. My experiences this past year combined with the strength that I have gained from training make me excited to run the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon.”
Jessie Moriarty teaches 4th Grade at Girls Prep Lower East Side Elementary School. She started running in 3rd Grade at Tuesday night races during the summer at a local park near her house. She then started to train in order to get faster at these Tuesday night races. Jessie is running for BronxWorks because she believes in the organization’s work and mission. “I know that BronxWorks empowers Bronx residents with their services and I want to be a part of raising funds and awareness so they can continue.”
Working through the COVID-19 pandemic in the Bronx last year made me realize a lot of things, one of them being that I was strong. I decided to run the marathon this year because I wanted to prove to myself that I can do it, and I want to be a part of building a stronger Bronx community.”
Andrew Lin is the Development Associate for the BronxWorks Development Department. He was a former star middle school sprinter but runs mainly for fitness these days. Andrew is running the marathon because he has always wanted to run one to see if he can do it. He decided to run this year to support the incredible work and services that BronxWorks has provided throughout the COVID-19 crisis and recovery.
I’m running for BronxWorks to support an organization that I think is trying to do good in a very difficult world. At the end of the day, all of the programs at BronxWorks are trying to create positive change, are trying to have an impact.”
Kate Machan is the Legal Counsel & Associate Director of Special Projects at Zeta Charter Schools in the Bronx. She is one of the founding members and Chair of the BronxWorks Leadership Council. Kate’s passion for running began in high school and she continues that passion today. She is running the marathon this year for the challenge, the excitement of being part of such an incredible event, and the opportunity to represent and give back to BronxWorks.
I’m running for BronxWorks in order to further its mission of improving the lives of Bronx residents. Having been part of the organization’s Leadership Council for about three years, I have had the opportunity to work with kind, bright, dedicated BronxWorks team members who have inspired me to do more for the organization.”
In 2021, BronxWorks added an Adult Protective Services (APS) Program funded through the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA). The objective of the program is to provide protective services to vulnerable adults and put structures in place to assist them to live independently. According to the Independent Budget Office (IBO) of New York City, a growing number of NYC residents are in need of adult protective services. Between 2014 to 2018, the average number of APS cases grew over 37%, largely due to demographic shifts affecting the entire city. In 2020, a major crisis struck New York City and the entire globe in the form of COVID-19, and while data is still being collected from the ongoing pandemic, the crisis has pushed a continued expansion of services to meet the growing and novel needs of the city’s vulnerable populations.
APS accepts referrals through NYC HRA. Eligible clients must be 18 years or older, have a physical or mental impairment, are unable to manage activities of daily living or protect themselves from neglect or hazardous conditions, and have no one willing or able to assist them responsibly. Upon receiving a referral, APS will conduct a home visit and intake, assessing the client’s needs, developing a service plan, and assigning the client to a Case Manager. APS will provide ongoing case management services, advocacy, financial management assistance, and connection to resources to stabilize a client’s situation and provide a framework for independence.
BronxWorks APS Team has a total of 17 Case Managers and is able to accept over 500 cases annually. If you or anyone you know suspects a case of adult neglect or abuse, please call APS Central Intake Unit at 212.630.1853, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or call 311.
The BronxWorks Family Enrichment Program (FEP) is a long standing foster care prevention program contracted through the NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). The purpose of the program is to provide abuse and neglect prevention services to families of the South Bronx, with the primary goal of keeping children safe and assisting parents to meet their children’s needs. The BronxWorks FEP team is made up of 15 staff, including eight Case Planners, two Family Conference Workers, and leadership and administrative support. The team provides services to over 155 families and over 380 children every year.
A large part of the program is empowering parents to take control of their lives in a positive way that will affect their children,” says Loretta Edwards, Program Director. “What could look like neglect can be due to other core problems stemming from poverty and lack of resources, including time or money. “
BronxWorks FEP accepts referrals from ACS, internal BronxWorks programs, from other community-based services providers and prevention programs, as well as walk-in clients. Upon accepting a referral, the FEP team will conduct an intake and assessment to determine the family and children’s primary needs. The family will be assigned to a dedicated Case Manager for ongoing engagement, including home visits, family counseling, parental support resources, advocacy, education resources, emergency services and crisis intervention such as eviction prevention, as well as connections to other community-based services.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FEP program continued to provide both in-person and virtual services to families. Home visits never stopped, with each case requiring one in-person home visit, followed by a second virtual visit, and additional home visits as needed. The COVID-19 crisis meant that vigilance in areas of abuse and neglect, particularly in educational neglect stemming from new remote learning models, was and remains more important than ever.
In 2021, BronxWorks added an Adult Protective Services (APS) Program funded through the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA). The objective of the program is to provide protective services to vulnerable adults and put structures in place to assist them to live independently. According to the Independent Budget Office (IBO) of New York City, a growing number of NYC residents are in need of adult protective services. Between 2014 to 2018, the average number of APS cases grew over 37%, largely due to demographic shifts affecting the entire city. In 2020, a major crisis struck New York City and the entire globe in the form of COVID-19, and while data is still being collected from the ongoing pandemic, the crisis has pushed a continued expansion of services to meet the growing and novel needs of the city’s vulnerable populations.
APS accepts referrals through NYC HRA. Eligible clients must be 18 years or older, have a physical or mental impairment, are unable to manage activities of daily living or protect themselves from neglect or hazardous conditions, and have no one willing or able to assist them responsibly. Upon receiving a referral, APS will conduct a home visit and intake, assessing the client’s needs, developing a service plan, and assigning the client to a Case Manager. APS will provide ongoing case management services, advocacy, financial management assistance, and connection to resources to stabilize a client’s situation and provide a framework for independence.
BronxWorks APS Team has a total of 17 Case Managers and is able to accept over 500 cases annually. If you or anyone you know suspects a case of adult neglect or abuse, please call APS Central Intake Unit at 212.630.1853, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or call 311.
The BronxWorks Family Enrichment Program (FEP) is a long standing foster care prevention program contracted through the NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). The purpose of the program is to provide abuse and neglect prevention services to families of the South Bronx, with the primary goal of keeping children safe and assisting parents to meet their children’s needs. The BronxWorks FEP team is made up of 15 staff, including eight Case Planners, two Family Conference Workers, and leadership and administrative support. The team provides services to over 155 families and over 380 children every year.
A large part of the program is empowering parents to take control of their lives in a positive way that will affect their children,” says Loretta Edwards, Program Director. “What could look like neglect can be due to other core problems stemming from poverty and lack of resources, including time or money. “
BronxWorks FEP accepts referrals from ACS, internal BronxWorks programs, from other community-based services providers and prevention programs, as well as walk-in clients. Upon accepting a referral, the FEP team will conduct an intake and assessment to determine the family and children’s primary needs. The family will be assigned to a dedicated Case Manager for ongoing engagement, including home visits, family counseling, parental support resources, advocacy, education resources, emergency services and crisis intervention such as eviction prevention, as well as connections to other community-based services.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FEP program continued to provide both in-person and virtual services to families. Home visits never stopped, with each case requiring one in-person home visit, followed by a second virtual visit, and additional home visits as needed. The COVID-19 crisis meant that vigilance in areas of abuse and neglect, particularly in educational neglect stemming from new remote learning models, was and remains more important than ever.
Some of the most inspiring stories do not come soley from our participants, but also from the dedicated BronxWorks staff. When you have a body of staff who are driven intrinsically by a desire to make a diference, you will inevitably see many of them grow in their expertise and in their impact. For Loretta Edwards, who became the Program Director of the BronxWorks Family Enrichment Program in 2021, her story is exactly the kind that we love to share.
Loretta was born in Brooklyn but grew up in South Carolina. She returned to New York City after high school, completing two years at Borough of Manhattan Community College and graduating from Hunter College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Loretta started at BronxWorks in 2010 as a Case Manager for the newly opened Brook Supportive Housing program. In 2015, Loretta received the NYC Department of Mental Health and Hygiene scholarship to attend Hunter College for her Master’s in Social Work. While studying at Hunter College, she completed her internship with the BronxWorks Homeless Outreach Team and graduated with her MSW in 2017.
My career path started with me trying to understand myself first, and also wanting to understand others around me and human nature. I immediately gravitated toward case management and social work.”
Loretta returned to The Brook as a Social Worker where she worked with clients in the program who would benefit from a higher level of care and engagement. As a Social Worker, she also had the opportunity to supervise and provide mentorship to case management staff. In 2018, Loretta was promoted to Clinical Coordinator at The Brook overseeing a team of Social Workers and Case Managers.
I’ve learned so many things from clients that I’ve engaged over the years. The interactions made me a better person.”
In 2021, Loretta assumed the role of Program Director for the BronxWorks Family Enrichment Program. She brings with her over a decade of experience working with homeless and formerly homeless adults. Working with a new client population, and in particular families with children, will be a new challenge for Loretta, one that she is excited to meet, to learn from, and continue to grow.
Outside of work, Loretta likes to read or binge watch her favorite shows. She recently learned to drive and says her go-to activity this summer has been driving to the beach.
Some of the most inspiring stories do not come soley from our participants, but also from the dedicated BronxWorks staff. When you have a body of staff who are driven intrinsically by a desire to make a diference, you will inevitably see many of them grow in their expertise and in their impact. For Loretta Edwards, who became the Program Director of the BronxWorks Family Enrichment Program in 2021, her story is exactly the kind that we love to share.
Loretta was born in Brooklyn but grew up in South Carolina. She returned to New York City after high school, completing two years at Borough of Manhattan Community College and graduating from Hunter College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Loretta started at BronxWorks in 2010 as a Case Manager for the newly opened Brook Supportive Housing program. In 2015, Loretta received the NYC Department of Mental Health and Hygiene scholarship to attend Hunter College for her Master’s in Social Work. While studying at Hunter College, she completed her internship with the BronxWorks Homeless Outreach Team and graduated with her MSW in 2017.
My career path started with me trying to understand myself first, and also wanting to understand others around me and human nature. I immediately gravitated toward case management and social work.”
Loretta returned to The Brook as a Social Worker where she worked with clients in the program who would benefit from a higher level of care and engagement. As a Social Worker, she also had the opportunity to supervise and provide mentorship to case management staff. In 2018, Loretta was promoted to Clinical Coordinator at The Brook overseeing a team of Social Workers and Case Managers.
I’ve learned so many things from clients that I’ve engaged over the years. The interactions made me a better person.”
In 2021, Loretta assumed the role of Program Director for the BronxWorks Family Enrichment Program. She brings with her over a decade of experience working with homeless and formerly homeless adults. Working with a new client population, and in particular families with children, will be a new challenge for Loretta, one that she is excited to meet, to learn from, and continue to grow.
Outside of work, Loretta likes to read or binge watch her favorite shows. She recently learned to drive and says her go-to activity this summer has been driving to the beach.
With the 2021 Summer in full swing, BronxWorks is excited to once again offer the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). After a limited Summer 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year, the BronxWorks SYEP has enrolled over 1,100 participants, placing them across nearly 80 worksites both within BronxWorks and at partner organizations. For the safety of all participants, worksites and programs are maintaining COVID-19 safety protocols, such as mask wearing and social distancing throughout the program duration.
This year, BronxWorks enrolled 763 participants from the community, 216 participants from three Bronx high schools: Frederick Douglass Academy III, Academy for Language and Technology, and Career in Sports High School, and 80 participants from the New York City Housing Authority Bronx River Houses.
SYEP participant Rosemond interns at the BronxWorks Administration office.
Older youth participants ages 16-24 are assigned to worksites, including BronxWorks programs, and local businesses & organizations, such as New York Urban League, Summatime Studios, Ashley Stewart, and Eddington Security. As the relationship forms, worksites are asked to fill out an application detailing the nature of the work that participants will complete. A pre-assessment visit is completed by SYEP staff, and once participants are placed, Worksite Monitors conduct site-visits on a weekly basis.
The SYEP program gives young adults a great opportunity to have a summer job, gain valuable work experience, and in many cases, provide some support to their households. Coming off the COVID-19 pandemic, so many young people were excited to have this opportunity again.”
– Eileen Torres, Executive Director
Younger youth ages 14-15 years are placed in project-based learning groups of 25-40 participants. The groups decide on a theme, such as civic advocacy, social justice, or environmental issues. The groups develop projects throughout the summer, giving young people an opportunity to learn, create, and express themselves on topics that they choose and are passionate about.
A new popular SYEP placement is with Family Cook Productions, a long-standing partner for several BronxWorks programs. Family Cook Productions began to work with SYEP last year during the pandemic, providing culinary and nutrition programming for younger youth participants. Throughout the curriculum, participants learn about nutrition, healthy eating, culinary skills, and recipes to cook at home. Youth also had an opportunity to participate in the Teen Battle Chef program, where youth can display the skills they have learned, create and present recipes, and explore different cultures and the culinary world.
With the 2021 Summer in full swing, BronxWorks is excited to once again offer the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). After a limited Summer 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year, the BronxWorks SYEP has enrolled over 1,100 participants, placing them across nearly 80 worksites both within BronxWorks and at partner organizations. For the safety of all participants, worksites and programs are maintaining COVID-19 safety protocols, such as mask wearing and social distancing throughout the program duration.
This year, BronxWorks enrolled 763 participants from the community, 216 participants from three Bronx high schools: Frederick Douglass Academy III, Academy for Language and Technology, and Career in Sports High School, and 80 participants from the New York City Housing Authority Bronx River Houses.
SYEP participant Rosemond interns at the BronxWorks Administration office.
Older youth participants ages 16-24 are assigned to worksites, including BronxWorks programs, and local businesses & organizations, such as New York Urban League, Summatime Studios, Ashley Stewart, and Eddington Security. As the relationship forms, worksites are asked to fill out an application detailing the nature of the work that participants will complete. A pre-assessment visit is completed by SYEP staff, and once participants are placed, Worksite Monitors conduct site-visits on a weekly basis.
The SYEP program gives young adults a great opportunity to have a summer job, gain valuable work experience, and in many cases, provide some support to their households. Coming off the COVID-19 pandemic, so many young people were excited to have this opportunity again.”
– Eileen Torres, Executive Director
Younger youth ages 14-15 years are placed in project-based learning groups of 25-40 participants. The groups decide on a theme, such as civic advocacy, social justice, or environmental issues. The groups develop projects throughout the summer, giving young people an opportunity to learn, create, and express themselves on topics that they choose and are passionate about.
A new popular SYEP placement is with Family Cook Productions, a long-standing partner for several BronxWorks programs. Family Cook Productions began to work with SYEP last year during the pandemic, providing culinary and nutrition programming for younger youth participants. Throughout the curriculum, participants learn about nutrition, healthy eating, culinary skills, and recipes to cook at home. Youth also had an opportunity to participate in the Teen Battle Chef program, where youth can display the skills they have learned, create and present recipes, and explore different cultures and the culinary world.
As we gradually emerge from COVID-19 pandemic, we would like to take the opportunity this month to recognize the BronxWorks programs that kept a vulnerable population safe and stably-housed throughout the worst of the past year’s crisis.
There is a longstanding debate in economics about effective structural change and how we as a society should pursue it. On one side, there are big picture people who believe sweeping, society-level changes are needed and must be initiated through a top-down approach. On the other side, there are grassroots movements who understand that small-scale, local changes are actual changes: one person, one life, one trajectory. These individual shifts accumulate over time and space and create large-scale transformations. In the face of a homelessness crisis in New York City, there are a handful of BronxWorks programs that create these shifts for hundreds of formerly homeless individuals now stably and permanently housed in BronxWorks supportive housing units.
The Brook houses 190 formerly homeless adults in a congregate residential setting.
Within the BronxWorks Supportive Housing Department there are 359 housing units in both congregate and scattered-site settings across four current programs. The Brook, operated in partnership with Breaking Ground, supports 190 units for formerly homeless individual adults in a congregate residential setting. Qualifying individuals must have demonstrated homeless chronicity and a diagnosed serious mental illness (SMI). Cooper Gardens, which opened in 2018, is the newest congregate supportive housing program at BronxWorks, with 95 units, and it is the first to house formerly homeless households consisting of both individual adults and families with children. Similar to The Brook, for Cooper Gardens, qualifying heads of household must demonstrate homeless chronicity and a diagnosed SMI.
Congregate supportive housing programs have offices on-site with a full team of case managers, social workers, and program staff offering a range of services to promote healthy and independent living skills, including financial management, educational and vocational resources, medication management and support, recreational and social activities, community events, and more. Each resident is assigned to a dedicated case manager who will work in collaboration with the client to determine goals and create a case plan that they can pursue and follow as a team. Clients pay 30% of their income toward apartment rent while the programs subsidize the rest. The ultimate goal is to keep these individuals and families permanently and stably housed.
In addition to the congregate programs, the BronxWorks Supportive Housing Department operates two scattered-site programs, the HUD Scattered-Site program, supporting 53 units for formerly homeless individual adults, and the Stable Homes to Health program, supporting 21 units for individual adults who are high-utilizers of Medicaid. The Department also operates a home-visit case management program called Transform which helps families transition from the shelter system to permanent housing.
BronxWorks is excited to open two new congregate supportive housing programs in coming years. The Park Haven project is expected to open in 2021 providing 50 units of supportive housing to formerly homeless individuals and families. At the Bronx Point development project, expected to open in 2023, BronxWorks will provide supportive housing services to 81 formerly homeless individuals and families. To read more about the Bronx Point groundbreaking, click here.
HUD Scatttered-Site Supportive Housing Program
Sarah Carbone, Program Director, conducts a home visit with a client.
The BronxWorks HUD-funded Scattered-Site Supportive Housing Program now houses 53 formerly homeless adults in apartments spread throughout the neighborhoods of the Bronx. In contrast to the congregate models like The Brook and Cooper Gardens, scattered-site supportive housing has a team of case managers and program staff based out of an independent office, in this case the Hunts Point Multi-Service Center at 630 Jackson Avenue. Scattered-site staff then visit each unit and client every week. In between these face-to-face contacts, case managers make telephonic contacts with their clients, assisting with a variety of needs and goals, including healthcare management, coordinating appointments and travel, securing benefits and access to other resources, referrals to employment programs, and oftentimes simply providing a safety net and person that the clients can rely on.
The BronxWorks Supportive Housing and the Adult Homeless Services Departments collaborate wherever possible to move clients from transitional to permanent supportive housing. In a typical process, AHS teams will put together housing packages for all clients in BronxWorks shelters which are then referred for placement into supportive housing. Each client package is reviewed, an interview with the client is scheduled, and a determination is made as to which client would have the highest likelihood of success within the program’s parameters. In this case, can the client have long-term success living in a scattered-site setting with little to no on-site support? The goal of supportive housing is for clients to achieve permanent, stable housing, and to not return to homelessness or shelter.
Todd is one such client in the HUD-funded program. He had spent three years at the Pyramid Safe Haven before moving into a scattered-site apartment in March 2020, just before COVID-19 restrictions passed across the city. Sarah Carbone, the Program’s Director, said the move and adjustment was particularly challenging because there was very little time to get to know the client, and for the client to get to know the program staff in-person. COVID-19 also complicated other city processes, such as public benefits, making an already difficult transition from shelter to independent housing just that much more challenging. Case managers from both the HUD program and the Pyramid helped Todd move into his new apartment. At move-in, the Scattered-Site program provides the necessary essentials for beginning independent living, such as a bed and bedding, basic furniture, and cooking and kitchen tools.
BronxWorks is there to help guide you down the right path.”
The HUD Scattered-Site team, which includes Case Manager Supervisor Diana Peralta, three Case Managers, and a Management and Housing Liaison, has worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that every client in the program has remained safe and supported. Today Todd has been stably-housed for over a year, has his correct public assistance activated, and has safely navigated the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, the program has had no COVID-related deaths or serious illnesses.
As we gradually emerge from COVID-19 pandemic, we would like to take the opportunity this month to recognize the BronxWorks programs that kept a vulnerable population safe and stably-housed throughout the worst of the past year’s crisis.
There is a longstanding debate in economics about effective structural change and how we as a society should pursue it. On one side, there are big picture people who believe sweeping, society-level changes are needed and must be initiated through a top-down approach. On the other side, there are grassroots movements who understand that small-scale, local changes are actual changes: one person, one life, one trajectory. These individual shifts accumulate over time and space and create large-scale transformations. In the face of a homelessness crisis in New York City, there are a handful of BronxWorks programs that create these shifts for hundreds of formerly homeless individuals now stably and permanently housed in BronxWorks supportive housing units.
The Brook houses 190 formerly homeless adults in a congregate residential setting.
Within the BronxWorks Supportive Housing Department there are 359 housing units in both congregate and scattered-site settings across four current programs. The Brook, operated in partnership with Breaking Ground, supports 190 units for formerly homeless individual adults in a congregate residential setting. Qualifying individuals must have demonstrated homeless chronicity and a diagnosed serious mental illness (SMI). Cooper Gardens, which opened in 2018, is the newest congregate supportive housing program at BronxWorks, with 95 units, and it is the first to house formerly homeless households consisting of both individual adults and families with children. Similar to The Brook, for Cooper Gardens, qualifying heads of household must demonstrate homeless chronicity and a diagnosed SMI.
Congregate supportive housing programs have offices on-site with a full team of case managers, social workers, and program staff offering a range of services to promote healthy and independent living skills, including financial management, educational and vocational resources, medication management and support, recreational and social activities, community events, and more. Each resident is assigned to a dedicated case manager who will work in collaboration with the client to determine goals and create a case plan that they can pursue and follow as a team. Clients pay 30% of their income toward apartment rent while the programs subsidize the rest. The ultimate goal is to keep these individuals and families permanently and stably housed.
In addition to the congregate programs, the BronxWorks Supportive Housing Department operates two scattered-site programs, the HUD Scattered-Site program, supporting 53 units for formerly homeless individual adults, and the Stable Homes to Health program, supporting 21 units for individual adults who are high-utilizers of Medicaid. The Department also operates a home-visit case management program called Transform which helps families transition from the shelter system to permanent housing.
BronxWorks is excited to open two new congregate supportive housing programs in coming years. The Park Haven project is expected to open in 2021 providing 50 units of supportive housing to formerly homeless individuals and families. At the Bronx Point development project, expected to open in 2023, BronxWorks will provide supportive housing services to 81 formerly homeless individuals and families. To read more about the Bronx Point groundbreaking, click here.
HUD Scatttered-Site Supportive Housing Program
Sarah Carbone, Program Director, conducts a home visit with a client.
The BronxWorks HUD-funded Scattered-Site Supportive Housing Program now houses 53 formerly homeless adults in apartments spread throughout the neighborhoods of the Bronx. In contrast to the congregate models like The Brook and Cooper Gardens, scattered-site supportive housing has a team of case managers and program staff based out of an independent office, in this case the Hunts Point Multi-Service Center at 630 Jackson Avenue. Scattered-site staff then visit each unit and client every week. In between these face-to-face contacts, case managers make telephonic contacts with their clients, assisting with a variety of needs and goals, including healthcare management, coordinating appointments and travel, securing benefits and access to other resources, referrals to employment programs, and oftentimes simply providing a safety net and person that the clients can rely on.
The BronxWorks Supportive Housing and the Adult Homeless Services Departments collaborate wherever possible to move clients from transitional to permanent supportive housing. In a typical process, AHS teams will put together housing packages for all clients in BronxWorks shelters which are then referred for placement into supportive housing. Each client package is reviewed, an interview with the client is scheduled, and a determination is made as to which client would have the highest likelihood of success within the program’s parameters. In this case, can the client have long-term success living in a scattered-site setting with little to no on-site support? The goal of supportive housing is for clients to achieve permanent, stable housing, and to not return to homelessness or shelter.
Todd is one such client in the HUD-funded program. He had spent three years at the Pyramid Safe Haven before moving into a scattered-site apartment in March 2020, just before COVID-19 restrictions passed across the city. Sarah Carbone, the Program’s Director, said the move and adjustment was particularly challenging because there was very little time to get to know the client, and for the client to get to know the program staff in-person. COVID-19 also complicated other city processes, such as public benefits, making an already difficult transition from shelter to independent housing just that much more challenging. Case managers from both the HUD program and the Pyramid helped Todd move into his new apartment. At move-in, the Scattered-Site program provides the necessary essentials for beginning independent living, such as a bed and bedding, basic furniture, and cooking and kitchen tools.
BronxWorks is there to help guide you down the right path.”
The HUD Scattered-Site team, which includes Case Manager Supervisor Diana Peralta, three Case Managers, and a Management and Housing Liaison, has worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that every client in the program has remained safe and supported. Today Todd has been stably-housed for over a year, has his correct public assistance activated, and has safely navigated the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, the program has had no COVID-related deaths or serious illnesses.
Jessie Moriarty teaches 4th Grade at Girls Prep Lower East Side Elementary School. She started running in 3rd Grade at Tuesday night races during the summer at a local park near her house. She then started to train in order to get faster at these Tuesday night races. Jessie is running for BronxWorks because she believes in the organization’s work and mission. “I know that BronxWorks empowers Bronx residents with their services and I want to be a part of raising funds and awareness so they can continue.”
