BROOKLYN COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION
PRIZE
T H U R S D AY, F E B R U A R Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 7
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Congratulations Bob, on this honor. Thank you for your years of service on the Brooklyn Community Foundation Board, and your tremendous philanthropic leadership in Brooklyn! Alan and Judy Fishman 2
February 16, 2016
We are thrilled to welcome you to the first annual Spark Prize Celebration, where we honor the five outstanding recipients of Brooklyn Community Foundation’s $100,000 Spark Prize for Brooklyn nonprofits, as well as the legacy of a true Brooklyn philanthropist, Robert Catell. Thank you for your generous support and partnership as we celebrate Brooklyn’s nonprofit sector. More than 2,000 organizations call our borough home, providing vital lifelines to over 2.6 million residents living in 70 neighborhoods. We all know that Brooklyn is where great ideas begin—from hot dogs (invented in Coney Island in 1869) and air conditioning (developed in Bushwick in 1902) to museums dedicated to kids (Brooklyn Children’s Museum opened in 1899). Today, Brooklyn has pioneering start-ups like Etsy and Kickstarter. We also have innovative and inspiring nonprofits on the frontlines of social change, who are leaders not only here, but nationwide. Yet, for all of these Brooklyn-born breakthroughs, less than 5% of New York City’s charitable giving goes to organizations based in the borough. We are committed to changing that. We hope that by coming together to spotlight these “sparks” who are making Brooklyn stronger, fairer, and more just for all, we can drive ever greater support towards their critical work. Congratulations to our inaugural Spark Prize recipients The Audre Lorde Project, Common Justice, Make the Road New York, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), and Neighbors Together. And we extend our deepest gratitude to Robert (Bob) Catell, the embodiment of a proud Brooklynite, who has given so much to our borough through his chairmanship at National Grid and his generosity to our communities. Bob is a founding member of Brooklyn Community Foundation’s Board of Directors, Chairman of the Board at Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School, and serves on the Boards of nearly a dozen other vital civic organizations. We also want to recognize the commitment of our amazing Spark Prize Committee, who has worked diligently since last June to select these five Spark Prize recipients. You far exceeded our expectations for what this selection process could be, thank you! Deep gratitude goes to you, our Spark Prize Celebration sponsors and supporters, who made this day possible. Brooklyn Community Foundation is privileged to bring together so many Brooklyn changemakers and philanthropists. Because of your partnership, we can surely accomplish our mission to spark lasting change. Thank you for all that you do for Brooklyn.
Alan Fishman, Chairman
Cecilia Clarke, President and CEO 1
FEA TUR ED GU EST S JAMIE HECTOR
Jamie Hector, is a Brooklyn born, actor/director who began his career on stage; performing in a variety of roles, from the off-Broadway production of Lower Night to the role of Othello. Jamie studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and established himself as a notable actor in the role of Marlo Stansfield, on HBO’s critically acclaimed series The Wire. At the close of The Wire, Jamie joined the cast of Heroes as Benjamin Knox Washington, a villain with superpowers. Jamie has an extensive resume of TV appearances. On film he has appeared in roles opposite Mila Kunis and Mark Wahlberg in Max Payne, Jeffrey Wright in Blackout, and opposite Kerry Washington and Anthony Mackie in the feature Night Catches Us. Jamie now co-stars on the Amazon hit series Bosch as Detective Jerry Edgar. He also has a recurring role on the FX series The Strain, as Alonso Creem, the Cinemax series Quarry, Person of Interest and Power. In 2007, Jamie founded Moving Mountains Inc.; a non-profit New York City based theater organization, where inner-city youth from 6 to 21 can study the Arts and develop their innate talents in a safe and creative environment. The organization is now 10 years old and continues to guide aspiring young artist on their journey toward success. MAHOGANY BROWNE
Mahogany Browne is an internationally recognized performer, poet, and author, bridging the gap between lyrical poet and literary emcee. She is the author of Redbone (nominated for NAACP Outstanding Literary Works) and Dear Twitter: Love Letters Hashed Out On-line, and co-editor of the forthcoming anthology The Break Beat Poets: Black Girl Magic. She is an Urban Word NYC Artistic Director (as seen on HBO’s Brave New Voices), Founder of Women Writers of Color Reading Room, Director of BLM@Pratt Programming, and Poetry Program Director and Friday Night Slam curator for the Nuyorican Poets Café. She is a graduate from Pratt Institute MFA Writing & Activism program. 2
B ROOKLYN COMM U NIT Y FOU NDATION ’ S
PRIZE
! N O I T A R B E L CE FEBRUARY 16, 2017
SPARK PRIZE MANIFESTO Mahogany Browne, Poet WELCOME Cecilia Clarke, President & CEO SPARK HONOREE Robert Catell Presented by Alan Fishman, Chair, Board of Directors William Henson, President, Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School THE SPARK PRIZE The Audre Lorde Project Common Justice Make the Road New York Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) Neighbors Together Presented by Jamie Hector, Actor CLOSING PERFORMANCE Mahogany Browne
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ABOUT THE SPARK PRIZE The Spark Prize provides annual recognition for Brooklyn organizations that demonstrate outstanding creativity and impact in addressing critical challenges and opportunities in the borough. The Prize is named for and informed by Brooklyn Community Foundation’s mission to spark lasting social change by supporting organizations working toward greater equity and justice, with a critical focus on racial justice. Each year a diverse committee of distinguished civic, business, and neighborhood leaders hailing from Brooklyn selects 20 Finalists and ultimately five Spark Prize recipients through a competitive application process. The Spark Prize recipients are each awarded $100,000 in general operating support.
WINNING CRITERIA
Born in Brooklyn Organizations that have a deep history in Brooklyn and continued commitment to serve the borough.
Commitment to Equity Organizations that address systemic challenges and are working toward racial and social justice for all Brooklynites.
Values Driven Organizations that have strong, articulated values that permeate through all aspects of their work and align with Brooklyn Community Foundation’s five defining values: Courage, Respect, Honesty, Collaboration, and Creativity.
Vision for Future Organizations that have a strong vision for the work of their organization in Brooklyn and beyond.
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PRIZE ROBERT CATELL
Brooklyn native, Robert (Bob) Catell was formerly the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of KeySpan Corporation and KeySpan Energy Delivery, the former Brooklyn Union Gas. His career with Brooklyn Union Gas started in 1958. Following National Grid’s acquisition of KeySpan Corporation, Mr. Catell became Chairman of National Grid, U.S. and Deputy Chairman of National Grid plc. He is a founding member of Brooklyn Community Foundation’s Board of Directors; he served from 2009 through 2016. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook University, New York State Smart Grid Consortium, Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School, Futures in Education Endowment Fund, and the New York Energy Policy Institute’s Advisory Council. Bob serves on the Board of the NYS Economic Development Power Allocation, City College of New York 21st Century Foundation, Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, Department of Education; Diocese of Rockville Centre, St. Francis Hospital Foundation, the New York City Police Foundation, National Grid Foundation, and the New York Academy of Sciences, among many others. He is an Executive in Residence at Hofstra University and was named the first “John J. Phelan, Jr. Fellow” of the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business at Adelphi University. Bob is a former Chairman of the American Gas Association, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, KEYERA Energy Management Ltd., Long Island Association, Partnership for New York City, U.S. Energy Association, Business Council of NYS, the Advisory Board of the City College of New York’s School of Engineering, and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. He was a former board member of: the Brooklyn Public Library Foundation, the advisory board of HeartShare for Human Services, and the Brooklyn Law School (Member Emeritus). He is a member of the Association of Energy Engineers, CUNY Business Leadership Council, National Society of Professional Engineers, NYS Society of Professional Engineers, and the Society of Gas Lighting. Bob received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the City College of New York and is a registered Professional Engineer. He attended Columbia University’s Executive Development Program and the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School. Bob lives in Garden City with his wife, Joan. He is a proud father of five and grandfather to fourteen. 5
PRIZE THE AUDRE LORDE PROJECT
The Audre Lorde Project (ALP) is an intergenerational organizing center for LGBT people of color that promotes community wellness and progressive social and economic justice in New York City. Founded in Brooklyn in 1996, ALP works with over 8,000 members on issues including creating safety models against police brutality and hate crimes, as well as training small businesses, community organizations, and neighborhood leaders on de-escalation and safety strategies. Cara Page, Executive Director
www.ALP.org
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PRIZE COMMON JUSTICE
Common Justice is a restorative justice program of the Vera Institute of Justice that works with responsible parties and those harmed by violent crime in Brooklyn. Founded in 2008, it is the first and only alternative to incarceration program for violent crimes in the adult courts in the United States. It works with 16 to 24-year-olds to address the criminal justice system’s over-reliance on incarceration, to halt cycles of violence, and to meet the needs of victims of crime. To date, fewer than 8% of its participants have been terminated from the program for committing a new crime. Danielle Sered, Executive Director
www.vera.org/centers/common-justice
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PRIZE MAKE THE ROAD NEW YORK
Make the Road New York (MRNY) is an immigrant-led organization that develops grassroots leadership to mobilize Latino and working class communities. MRNY provides legal services, education, and employment access to achieve policy change and is dedicated to building community power and racial equity in Bushwick, where it was founded in 1997. It now has over 20,000 members and 200 staff working across New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. Deborah Axt, Co-Executive Director Javier H. ValdĂŠs, Co-Executive Director
www.maketheroad.org
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PRIZE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN DIASPORAN ARTS (MoCADA)
A “museum without walls,” MoCADA serves the African Diasporan community through art exhibitions, education, and community programs to promote African Diasporan art, racial equity, and social justice in Brooklyn. Founded in 1999, this year it is expanding from 2,000 square feet to a new 20,000 square feet headquarters in Fort Greene. James E. Bartlett, Executive Director
www.mocada.org
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PRIZE NEIGHBORS TOGETHER
Neighbors Together is a dynamic soup kitchen, social service provider, and community center committed to ending hunger and poverty in Ocean Hill, Brownsville, and Bedford-Stuyvesant since 1982. It provides empowerment and community action programming to organize community members to advocate for policy change, in addition to serving 80,000 meals annually out of its community cafĂŠ. Denny Marsh, Executive Director
www.neighborstogether.org
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PRIZE
FINALISTS
Finalists for the Spark Prize were each eligible for a $5,000 matching grant from Brooklyn Community Foundation on Giving Tuesday, November 29, 2016—the annual national day of giving observed the Tuesday after Thanksgiving—to incentivize greater contributions from local donors. The Foundation provided the match as part of the launch of a new annual local giving campaign called Brooklyn Gives, presented in partnership with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and local businesses including TD Bank, National Grid, Brooklyn Nets Foundation, and Brooklyn Industries. Brooklyn Industries hosted the Brooklyn Gives kickoff at its Court Street store (pictured), and donated 10% of sales on Giving Tuesday to support the campaign. The first annual Brooklyn Gives raised $271,208 from 988 total donations. SPARK PRIZE FINALISTS
Arab-American Family Support Center www.aafscny.org Black Women’s Blueprint www.blackwomensblueprint.org Center for Community Alternatives www.communityalternatives.org Center for NuLeadership on Urban Solutions www.centerfornuleadership.org Children of Promise www.cpnyc.org Dance Theatre Etcetera www.dtetc.org Green City Force www.greencityforce.org IMPACCT Brooklyn www.impacctbrooklyn.org
Reconnect Brooklyn www.reconnectbrooklyn.org Red Hook Community Justice Center www.courtinnovation.org/project/redhook-community-justice-center Red Hook Initiative www.rhicenter.org Turning Point Brooklyn www.tpbk.org United Community Centers www.ucceny.org UPROSE www.uprose.org YWCA of Brooklyn www.ywcabklyn.org 11
SPARK PRIZE COMMITTEE
Alexa Aviles Program Director Scherman Foundation
Lizanne Fontaine Counsel & Compliance Officer Morris Heights Health Center
Judilee Reed Director of Thriving Cultures Surdna Foundation
Rabbi Andy Bachman Director of Jewish Content & Community Ritual 92Y
Mamie Kanfer Stewart Founder & CEO Meeteor
Diana Reyna Deputy Borough President Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams
Ingrid Benedict Director Daphne Foundation Jonathan Butler Co-Founder Brooklyn Flea & Smorgasburg Nina Collins Writer, Coach, & Narrative Medicine Consultant Rufus Collins Actor Ashley Cotton Senior Vice President & Chief of Staff Forest City Ratner Companies
Andrew MacArthur Managing Director CWCapital Leslie Marshall Partner Cornell Marshall Team, Corcoran Jeanne Masel President Jeanne & Dennis Masel Foundation Aletha Maybank Associate Commissioner NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Gaia DiLoreto Entrepreneur
Merle McGee Chief Program Officer YWCA of the City of New York
Martin Dunn President Dunn Development Corporation
Noa Meyer Managing Director and Head of Philanthropic Initiatives BDT & Company
Sarah Durham President Big Duck
C. Zawadi Morris Publisher The Brooklyn Reader
Nicola Fabens Communications Professional
Erika Nijenhuis Partner Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
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Jennifer Rodgers Executive Director Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity, Columbia Law School Shaheen Rushd Retired Attorney & Activist Diane Steinberg Trustee Brooklyn Botanic Garden Matthew Stinchcomb Executive Director Good Work Institute Tupper W. Thomas Former Executive Director New Yorkers for Parks Stephen Warnke Partner Ropes & Gray Jonathan Weld Of Counsel Shearman & Sterling LLP Keith White Principal Free Integrated Media
BROOKLYN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Alan Fishman, Chairman Harsha Marti, Co-Vice Chairman Sarah Williams, Co-Vice Chairman Genevieve Kahr, Treasurer Richard W. Moore, Secretary
Nicole Gueron Emma Jordan-Simpson Amani Martin Noa Meyer Constance Rogers Roosevelt Gabriel Schwartz Hildy Simmons John Wright
BROOKLYN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION EMERITUS TRUSTEES Robert Catell Rohit Desai Donald Elliott
Malcolm MacKay Maria Fiorini Ramirez
BROOKLYN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION STAFF Cecilia Clarke, President & CEO Julia Metro, Manager of Donor Services Kaberi Banerjee Murthy, Vice President of Programs
Prachi Patankar, Senior Program Officer Sarah Shannon, Chief Operating Officer Liane Stegmaier, Director of Communications Justine Gonzalez, Spark Prize Consultant
ABOUT US Brooklyn Community Foundation is on a mission to spark lasting social change, mobilizing people, capital, and expertise for a fair and just Brooklyn. It is the first and only public foundation solely dedicated to Brooklyn’s charitable community, working in partnership with generous donors and community leaders to bolster vital nonprofits, strengthen neighborhoods, and increase opportunities for youth. Since its founding in 2009, the Foundation and its donors have provided over $33 million in grants to more than 300 nonprofits in Brooklyn and beyond. Learn more at www.BrooklynCommunityFoundation.org.
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! U O Y THANK
A very special thanks to our partners on the Spark Prize:
501 Union Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Brooklyn Nets Foundation Brooklyn Industries Dough Jamie Hector National Grid Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Praytell TD Bank As well as to our Spark Prize Board “Liaisons,� Amani Martin and Hildy Simmons. And thank you to all the members of the Spark Prize Committee for their time and service.
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OUR GENEROUS DONORS: MAJOR SPONSOR TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank SPONSOR Kirkland & Ellis SUPPORTER Alan and Judy Fishman PATRONS Cleary Gottlieb EY Richmond County Savings Foundation Gabriel and Jolie Schwartz PARTNERS Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce Brooklyn Industries Brooklyn Nets Foundation National Grid Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Praytell FRIENDS Bert E. Brodsky Brooklyn Community Services The Brooklyn Hospital Center Mark Buller Cullen and Dykman LLP Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School Dunn Development Corp. Forest City Ratner Companies GM Advisory Group - Frank Marzano Leslie Marshall, Corcoran Group Meeteor National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University The New York Academy of Sciences Pat and Ed Travaglianti 15
Thanks for making a difference. TD Bank is proud to join the Brooklyn Community Foundation in shining a spotlight on today’s honoree and award recipients for their dedication and commitment to sparking change in the Brooklyn community.
Kirkland & Ellis is proud to support the Spark Prize Celebration and Brooklyn Community Foundation in its impactful community outreach work.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the $100,000 Spark Prize for Brooklyn Nonprofits.
We enthusiastically congratulate and applaud the Five Recipients of the Inaugural Spark Prize: The Audre Lorde Project Common Justice Make the Road New York MoCADA Neighbors Together
and we extend our admiration and gratitude for their superb work.
Pat & Ed
We also very proudly support our dear friend,
Bob Catell and congratulate him on receiving this honor. Bob's enlightened leadership is legendary and his legacy continues to flourish and expand.
Travaglianti
TO OUR FORMER CHAIRMAN
BOB CATELL and the Brooklyn Community Foundation’s
SPARK PRIZE RECIPIENTS from your friends at the
Andrew Hoan, President and CEO Bob Catell + Sparkle Prize Congrats Journal resize.indd 1
2/2/2017 2:21:25 PM
The Brooklyn Hospital Center extends its congratulations and admiration to
Robert B. Catell for whom we have named the enduring
ROBERT B. CATELL YOUNG PHILANTHROPIST AWARD recognizing and inspiring our next generation of philanthropic and community leaders
Corcoran congratulates the Spark Prize Award Recipients for your incredible forward thinking and amazing commitment to Brooklyn. THE CORNELL MARSHALL TEAM AT THE CORCORAN GROUP
JIM CORNELL Lic. Associate RE Broker (o) 718.923.8081 (m) 917.882.4412 james.cornell@corcoran.com
LESLIE MARSHALL Lic. Associate RE Broker (o) 718.923.8034 (m) 646.361.3384 leslie.marshall@corcoran.com
Real estate agents affiliated with The Corcoran Group are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of The Corcoran Group. The Corcoran Group is a licensed real estate broker located at 660 Madison Ave, NY, NY 10065.
www.cullenanddykman.com
Cullen and Dykman LLP has been serving institutional and individual clients for over 160 years.
Banking Construction
We are proud to join Brooklyn Community Foundation
Corporate and Commercial Creditor’s Rights Energy and Utilities Equipment Leasing and Finance Immigration Intellectual Property
in honoring
Labor and Employment Lending
Robert Catell
Litigation Municipal
at its
Not-for-Profit and Education Real Estate
Spark Prize Celebration
Restructuring and Workout Group Tax Certiorari and Condemnation Trusts and Estates
MANHATTAN T: 212.732.2000
LONG ISLAND T: 516.357.3700
BROOKLYN T: 718.855.9000
ALBANY T: 518.788.9440
NEW JERSEY T:201.488.1300
WASHINGTON, D.C. T: 202.223.8890
WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT OUR GOOD FRIEND
Bob Catell & THE BROOKLYN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION for “sparking” positive change in this beautiful borough
Jennifer and Frank Marzano
We congratulate all
Spark Prize Recipients and honoree
Robert Catell
for their service to our communities
Lawrence Levy, Executive Dean National Center for Suburban Studies
THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
PROUDLY SALUTES
Robert Catell 2017 Spark Prize Honoree
As the New York Academy of Sciences celebrates its 200th anniversary, we join the Spark Prize in recognizing and thanking our Treasurer, Board Governor, and Academy Member Robert Catell, whose generosity and commitment to giving back has been a spark of inspiration for Brooklynites and New Yorkers everywhere.
“Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.” — Golda Meir
Proudly Supports
Brooklyn Community Foundation Spark Prize Celebration Honoree
Robert Catell Spark Prize Recipients The Audre Lorde Project Common Justice
Make the Road New York
Neighbors Together
MoCADA
BROOKLYN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
salutes
BOB CATELL
We proudly support the
Brooklyn Community Foundation and join in paying tribute to Robert Catell and celebrating the recipients of this year’s Spark Prize.
clearygottlieb.com
Congratulations to the 2017 Spark Prize Winners and Bob Catell on this honor! We are so grateful for your leadership and generosity to Brooklyn. Gabriel & Jolie Schwartz
Congratulations Bob Catell on this well deserved honor Bert E. Brodsky
We Congratulate Honoree
ROBERT CATELL and All Recipients of the 285 Schermerhorn Street | Brooklyn, NY 11217 | WeAreBCS.org
2017 SPARK PRIZE
On behalf of the students, staff, board and entire Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School community, we congratulate our Board Chair and dear friend
Mr. Bob Catell
on this well-deserved honor.
Putting our energy behind the community. National Grid is one of the largest energy companies in the world. But our commitment to being a top flight organization starts right here in Brooklyn. Our energy efficiency and economic development programs are leading the way in our overall partnership with customers, and the neighbors we serve. We recognize Robert Catell for helping us lead the way. www.nationalgridus.com Connect with us on
We are on a mission to spark lasting social change, mobilizing people, capital and expertise for a fair and just Brooklyn.
1000 Dean Street, Suite 307, Brooklyn, NY 11238 w: BrooklynCommunityFoundation.org ph: 718 480 7500
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