Across the five boroughs there are an absolute myriad of non-profit organizations working to bring peace and prosperity to the city. These organizations tirelessly toil for vulnerable populations across the city, in many different ways. Hope for New York, an over 20-year-old initiative of Redeemer Presbyterian, mobilizes over 40 non-profit affiliates to do their own work powerfully and efficiently.
With a mission to, “provide volunteer and financial resources to organizations serving the poor and marginalized of New York City,” Hope for New York (HFNY) plays the role of facilitator perfectly. HFNY uses through three avenues: volunteers, grants, and training, to cast a vision of, “a city in which individuals and communities experience spiritual, personal, social and economic well-being through the demonstration of Christ’s love.”
Connecting with a large volunteer base can be difficult and challenging for a burgeoning non-profit. Hope for New York remedies the issue by mobilizing volunteers to each of its 43 affiliates, bolstering fantastic efforts. On the HFNY volunteer page volunteers can browse innumerable opportunities by need, date, category, and even region.
Beyond mobilizing the masses to volunteer, Hope for New York provides meaningful and impactful grants to its affiliates. Ranging from grants towards adult recovery to community development, HFNY distributed over $1.3 million during the 2013 fiscal year. These grants allow HFNY affiliates to perform the best practices to truly serve the poor and marginalized in the city. Strengthening these organizations and helping the launch nascent ones show the kind of collaboration that CityServe is all about.
Lastly through training, Hope for New York further bolsters the work of its affiliates. For example, HFNY has, “offered training seminars through The Foundation Center and The New York Association for Volunteer Administrators. “ These courses, which include Grant Writing, Proposal Budgeting and Outcomes Thinking and Management, have proven to be effective resources for HFNY affiliates.
Beyond celebrating its affiliates on social media, Hope for New York’s three-pronged approach accelerates non-profits across the city to do their own work effectively.
