HELP USA’s COO joins Adams administration

Karen Ford, COO of national homeless services provider HELP USA, is stepping down to join New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration as head of a new effort in support of the nonprofit sector.

Ford, according to an announcement made by the city Tuesday, will be joining the administration as executive director of the newly created Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services. Ford will lead efforts to engage and build relationships with nonprofits, create and implement capacity-building programs and help to advance the recommendations from the Joint Task Force to Get Nonprofits Paid on Time, a group that includes representatives from the mayor’s and city comptroller’s office and nonprofit professionals. 

She is coming into the role with 30 years of experience in public service, including work focusing on housing, health care, veterans, addiction, domestic and intimate partner violence, and welfare reform, according to the city’s announcement. Ford also previously worked for the Department of Homeless Services’ Street Outreach Team and returned to the department nearly twenty years later as the deputy commissioner for family services. As deputy commissioner, she oversaw the agency’s Family Intake Center and Family Transitional Services Unit. 

Ford’s resume also includes stints as the New York City Housing Authority's borough administrator and as program administrator for the New York State AIDS Institute.

“Karen will bring her expertise from serving as COO at HELP USA to develop and deliver a capacity-building office to support our city's nonprofit partners. Her appointment will make it easier to support New Yorkers by helping us cut red tape in the contract process with the city and help us 'Get Stuff Done' more quickly," said Adams’ chief of staff Frank Carone.

Replacing Ford at HELP USA is Daniel Farrell, who had been the organization’s senior vice president of homeless prevention, diversion and research. Farrell was promoted to succeed Ford and as HELP USA plans to expand transitional and permanent affordable housing in Brooklyn and the Bronx. 

“Danny is the exact right person to lead our operations, programs, and client care efforts as we rapidly expand the number of people we can serve in the next three to five years,” said Anthony Williams, HELP USA’s board chair. “(Farrell’s) broad knowledge of the human services sector, deep connections within the industry, and collaborative management style will keep HELP USA moving forward with our mission to assist the homeless to become and remain self-reliant.” 

Farrell is a trained psychoanalyst from the New York Institute for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology. His past work experience includes leadership positions at Lenox Hill’s Park Avenue Women’s Shelter Bronxworks’ Homeless Outreach Team.