New York nonprofits blast Trump administration’s public charge rule

Robin Hood CEO Wes Moore has joined the Black Economic Alliance Board. Black Economic Alliance is a political action committee focused on supporting candidates that “champion economic opportunities for black Americans.” He joins seven other board members, including several business leaders, in overseeing the organization. The alliance has been getting increasingly involved with the 2020 presidential election – in June, it hosted a forum attended by four presidential candidates. 

The New York City Department for the Aging awarded the Community Agency for Senior Citizens a $418,312 contract for senior services. Bergen Basin Community Development Corporation Millennium Development received a $400,268 contract for similar services. The Administration for Children’s Services has a contract public hearing scheduled for the end of the month, for a $141,000 proposed consultant services contract with Katherine Haver, LLC. 

John Oliver baked an enormous cake to anger a foreign dictator – and City Harvest got the leftovers. The host of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” focused an episode on Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his eclectic interests. Inspired by Berdimuhamedov’s love of collecting Guinness World Records and his fascination with horses, Oliver decided to bake a giant marble cake – with a photo of the dictator falling off a horse on top. He gave out slices of cake for all the audience members, with the rest going to City Harvest, New York City’s largest food rescue organization.

New York nonprofits are speaking out against the Trump administration’s public charge rule. Organizations like Make the Road New York and The New York Immigration Coalition are opposed to the rule, which would put permanent status in jeopardy for immigrants on public assistance. The stakes are high for both nonprofits and their clients, as people going without food stamps or health care may increasingly rely on services such as food banks or clinics. And in some cases, immigrants may even be reluctant to even get help from charities. 

Racist is 100% correct. @LegalAidNYC hits nail on the head. @WINNYC_ORG https://t.co/ypVPvFL74Y

— Christine Quinn (@chriscquinn) August 13, 2019

A Manhattan Supreme Court justice ordered the sealing of marijuana possession convictions for more than 300 people. The action was taken as a result of a class action petition brought forward by several organizations, including the Legal Action Center, Community Service Society, The Legal Aid Society, New York County Defender Services, and Neighborhood Defender Service. The decision was made just when a state law to decriminalize marijuana possession is about to come into effect, along with measures to allow people to expunge their criminal record of low-level possession. 

“By using the class action mechanism to streamline this process, we helped hundreds of people move beyond stale convictions and get on with their lives,” said Judy Whiting, General Counsel for the Community Service Society, via press release.

The Long Island Community Foundation is giving $265,500 to help 16 nonprofits. The funds will go toward a variety of organizations in Long Island focusing on the arts, education, and hunger, among other issues. This is the foundation’s second round of grants this year, bringing its total giving so far in 2019 to $630,500.

• East End Arts & Humanities Council 
• USDAN Center for the Creative & Performing Arts 
• Friends of Fire Island National Seashore 
• Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation 
• Children’s Museum of the East End 
• The Place for Learning D/B/A Long Island Science Center 
• TOURO Law 
• Maureen’s Haven 
• Welcome Friends 
• Wyandanch Homes & Property Development Corp. 
• Services for the Underserved 
• PRO BONO Partnership
• I-TRI: Inspirational Triathlon Racing International 
• Mission Be 
• Response of Suffolk County 
• Urban League Long Island