Nonprofits have 10 reasons to celebrate the New York City Council

A former foster youth is getting some recognition from New York State. Nivea Jackson, youth advisor for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, will receive the “What’s Great in Our State” award, according to a press release. Her lived experience has also led her to become the president of Boldly Crowned, a nonprofit that promotes mental well-being among young women through expressive arts.

“Nivea Jackson has taken her challenging personal journey and turned it into a mission to improve outcomes for other young individuals. She is a shining example of how the dedication of one individual can have an impact on children and families that face mental health issues,” said New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan. “We thank all our honorees for their hard work and commitment to children’s mental health.”

A new advocacy campaign is looking for more funding for senior services. United Neighborhood Houses is putting 42 neighborhood settlement houses behind #FairCity4AllAges. The hashtag represents an effort to secure $20 million for senior center congregate meals and another $15 million for home-delivered meals in the upcoming New York City budget, according to a press release.

“It’s simply unacceptable that so many older New Yorkers suffer from hunger or food insecurity,” said Susan Stamler, executive director of United Neighborhood Houses. “Settlement houses that operate meals programs at their senior centers and prepare home-delivered meals for homebound seniors have seen substantial increases in demand for meals in recent years. We need this funding to ensure that older adults receive nutritious meals, program staff are paid a decent wage, and providers can continue to run successful programs.”

Three nonprofits are getting contract renewals from the Department of Social Services. The three-year deals will fund through June 2021 legal assistance services for elderly people, according to the City Record. This includes a $612,000 deal with Jewish Association for Services for the Aged, a $668,100 contract with Mobilization for Justice, and a $255,000 deal with Brooklyn Legal Services.

Nonprofits have 10 reasons to celebrate the City Council. A deal reached between the council and Mayor Bill de Blasio will restore tens of millions of dollars in funding in the upcoming city budget. Prior to the deal announced on Tuesday, only Bridge the Gap social workers were among the so-called “one-shot” programs funded in this year’s budget that would be renewed this time around. The $77 million deal represents about half of such programs overall, according to a press release.

“These programs and services are critical for our communities, which is why it was a priority for this Council to get them funded,” Speaker Corey Johnson said in the press release. “We know that they rely on city funding to help give our constituents the resources they need, and we were not going to let them down. From services at senior centers to translation services at poll sites to tree stump removal, these are all essential services that help run our city. We will keep fighting for a responsible budget for all New Yorkers.”

Here are 10 human services-related items that will now get funding:

1. Adult literacy ($8 million)
2. Baselining Bridging the Gap social workers ($13.9 million)
3. LGBTQ family outreach ($200,000)
4. Restorative justice ($1.3 million)
5. Home delivered meals rate increase ($2.84 million)
6. Senior centers ($2.8 million)
7. Summer Youth Employment Program ($11.9 million)
8. Child care contracts ($4.5 million
9. Comprehensive Afterschool System of New York City ($6.2 million)
10. Foster care taskforce recommendations ($7.8 million)