The nonprofit "bake sale" is coming back in 2019.

New Alternatives for Children has received a $300,795 contract from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The money will fund medical and mental health services for children, according to the City Record. University Settlement Society of New York and Jewish Child Care Association of New York will provide similar services per respective contracts of $293,268 and $6.01 million.

The Administration for Children’s Services has a public hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. on Jan. 18. At issue is a prospective $270,943.75 contract with the Ferncliff Manor for the Retarded. The money would fund through June 2019 extraordinary needs foster care services at the Yonkers-based nonprofit. A Jan. 14 hearing will examine a prospective $109,374.19 contract between the agency and Academy Chair Renting Company.

The New York Community Trust is looking for some new blood. There is an opening for a graduate student communications fellow and three openings for graduate student program fellowships. The communications fellow will be busy working with reporters, producing social media posts, and doing other work to advance the strategies of the nonprofit. The other fellowships aim to give participants more experience with issues concerning human and youth services, community development, and health, among other topics. All fellowships are paid and require commitments of 35 hours per week. More information is available here.

Make the Road New York was behind a New York City visit by two Seattle lawmakers. The council members were invited to the Big Apple by the nonprofit to highlight Seattle’s experience with Amazon. A deal that would have the e-commerce giant build a gigantic facility in Queens has faced criticism not only for the secrecy of the process but also the big effects it could have on public transit and housing citywide.

“You guys have the leverage,” Seattle City Councilwoman Teresa Mosqueda said, according to GeekWire. “You have the opportunity that Seattle didn’t. We weren’t able to keep up with the demand on housing because we couldn’t respond fast enough.”

The Strong Nonprofits for a Better New York campaign is at it again! Nonprofit advocates will repeat last year’s human services “bake sale” at the state Capitol on Jan. 15. The event aims to highlight the budget priorities they say would end the state’s “half-baked” commitment to nonprofit funding. Sector advocates are looking for a 2.9 percent cost-of-living adjustment for nonprofit workers in the upcoming state budget process, among other priorities. Organizers of the bake sale are looking for front-line workers to help out at the event and in meetings with legislators. They will meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Breezeway behind the Grand Concourse Security Checkpoint and the Legislative Office Building in Albany. RSVP here.

Procurement reform at the New York City level has the blessing of two critical elected leaders. City Comptroller Scott Stringer had a proverbial “amen” for Councilman Justice Brannan, chair of the council’s Committee on Contracts, in a Jan. 7 tweet:
 

Thank you for your leadership on this @JustinBrannan! Looking forward to working with you. https://t.co/NTzKZyTmO6

— Scott M. Stringer (@NYCComptroller) January 7, 2019