December 2010 Grants Newsletter

December 2010 Newsletter

grants

Most of the grants described in our newsletter are made possible through the generosity of past donors who established permanent, charitable funds with us during their lifetimes or through their wills. To learn more about how to set up a fund, please contact our general counsel, Jane Wilton, at 212.686.2563.

Hearing Immigrant Voices table of contents 2 Manufacturing Jobs in Brooklyn: Now Hiring 3 Gay and Gray 5 The Legacy of Madame Anna E. Schoen-René

T

hough the newspaper business has seen brighter days, Ewa KernJedrychowska still has a job as a journalist with the Polish-language paper Nowy Dziennik, one of 380 community and ethnic newspapers in the City. Ten years ago, Ewa came from Poland largely to further her career, but writing only for Dziennik limited her exposure to the paper’s loyal, but small, readership.

“When you work with ethnic media, you have to deal with limitations,” says Mohsin Zaheer, a journalist of 20 years currently reporting for two Pakistani news outlets in the City. “You get stuck with your day-to-day work and don’t get to try new things.”

Mohsin Zaheer, editor of Sada-e-Pakistan, an Urdu-language newspaper in the City, and a Feet in Two Worlds fellow, reporting from the site of the proposed Islamic community center in the Financial District.

“I have produced stories for The World on Public Radio International, and am now one of the go-to Polish sources for journalists and editors from The New York Times and other outlets.

Feet in Two Worlds has helped me find my professional niche.” —Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska

Limited media and language platforms stymie not only the ethnic press, but also hampers the opportunity for vibrant public conversation. “Experiences of immigrants are too often described in the English-language press only by people looking in from the outside,” says John Rudolph, producer of Feet in Two Worlds, a program started in 2005 at The New School Center for New York City Affairs to bring the marginalized voices of immigrants to their fellow New Yorkers.

As part of the Knight Community Information Challenge, a two-year grant of $110,500 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has been matched by a two-year grant of $80,000 from The Trust to expand Feet in Two Worlds.

“It has been a great opportunity to work with editors producing stories for broader audiences. They have shown me how to put my local reporting into a wider context,” says Ewa. “I have produced stories for The World on Public Radio International, and am now one of the go-to Polish sources for journalists and editors from The New York Times and other outlets. Feet in Two Worlds has helped me find my professional niche.”

“I had very little idea about blogs and multimedia, and now I have learned the importance of social media,” says Mohsin, who is new to the program. “I was not a regular user of Facebook, and now I use it as a way to communicate with community members and sources.”

This year, the program is emphasizing digital media— offering workshops on creating websites, podcasts, and blogs, and using Twitter and other social networks.

Some Feet in Two World fellows will also receive hands-on training in radio production, including field recording, voice technique, documentary storytelling, and sound editing. Stories will be published at news.feetintwoworlds.org and in other local, national, and international outlets.

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“As a city of immigrants, we have prided ourselves for our ability to embrace newcomers from all over the world and the unique contributions they make to New York’s cultural, social, and economic life,” said Pat Swann, senior program officer at The Trust. “But the recent discourse on the proposed Islamic cultural center in the Financial District has been anything but civil and is a symptom of fissures that are created when there has been little dialogue. We think that this project will contribute to increased conversations among the City’s residents and better understanding.”

Manufacturing Jobs in Brooklyn: Now Hiring Irene Schwartz recruits and trains workers for full-time jobs, paid vacation and benefits included, assembling U.S. Army and Air Force uniforms. So why, in this economy, is her job easier said than done?

On this particular shop floor in Kensington, Brooklyn, more than three quarters of the employees are blind.

Less than 12 percent of blind people have a high school diploma, with those who lost their vision early in life often growing up with low expectations and few educational opportunities.

Unfortunately, many of the jobs suitable for the visionimpaired require at least a college education because “most technological adaptations for the workplace, such as talking computer software, have been developed for college graduates,” says Irfan Hasan, program officer at The Trust. Manufacturing jobs at New York City Industries for the Blind don’t require higher education, but that doesn’t make them easy.

Obtaining and retaining a full-time job is very difficult for the vision impaired and as a result, 70 percent are

When Daniel Rodriquez was recruited to interview at New York City Industries for the Blind in April, he had little work experience and had never used a sewing machine. After interviewing with Irene and completing a sewing test, Daniel was hired. Through hard work and help from the staff, he graduated from the training program and began making military uniforms. Daniel is already producing 1,178 pieces per day, approaching the industry standard of 1,400 pieces, a level of productivity that usually takes five years to reach.

unemployed. Part of the problem is lack of work experience. “People will come in with one summer’s worth of job experience, or off-thebooks experience at a bodega—no one has ever expected them to be on time for a full day’s work, meet deadlines, or take responsibility,” says Irene, who has worked at the organization for eight years. “People want to work and contribute to society, but it’s a big adjustment.”

New York City Industries for the Blind, a small nonprofit manufacturing business, just landed a threeyear contract making 100,000 specialized combat uniforms, with the possibility of more work down the line. A Trust grant of $125,000 will help Irene and her team recruit, hire, and train 45 people to fill these jobs.

“You have to be understanding and supportive,” continues Irene, “but this is also a job, and you’ve got to get the uniforms produced. If your employees know they’re needed, they will work hard for you.” She recalled, “once while shopping, I struck up a conversation with a service man in uniform. I told him about our business, and he asked me to sincerely thank our staff for their work, and that it meant a lot to him that we sewed their uniforms. When I relayed this message to those laboring on the shop floor, productivity went through the roof.”

“We have been able to support a breadth of programs helping New Yorkers with vision problems because of the generosity of the late, great David Warfield,” says Lorie Slutsky, president of The Trust. One of the most prolific vaudeville and Broadway actors of the early 20th century, Warfield gradually lost his sight and by the time he died at age 84 in 1951, he was blind. During that time, it became his dream to help others avoid or cope with the loss of sight. Since 1955, when he left his estate to The Trust, his fund has supported everything from eye clinics for poor children to social programs for blind

seniors. “One of the best ways that we can channel this funding is to help blind people lead productive lives,” says Hasan. “NYC Industries for the Blind is able to connect them with meaningful work, no small feat in this tough job market.”

Gay and Gray

At age 78, Daniel Thomas* was becoming forgetful, not showing up for doctors’ appointments, and neglecting to pay his rent. A gay ex-pat from Great Britain, Daniel made New York City his home years ago. He has no family close by, no children, and no partner—which led one of his friend to call Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders (SAGE) for help.

Many gay elders don’t have biological children to take care of them, and are far more likely to grow old alone.

Coupled with a fear of discrimination from mainstream service providers, these factors often lead these older adults to isolate themselves.

Building families of support After meeting with Daniel, a SAGE social worker brought together his long-time friends to form a support system. One was appointed his health care agent, and another got power of attorney for financial and legal issues. The social worker taught Daniel’s friends how to *Name has been changed for privacy.

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(above) Seniors talk with a SAGE counselor experienced in helping the LGBT community with health, money, housing, and legal problems. (left) Sam Wilner, founder of the Sam Wilner Fund in The Trust.

deal with Social Security and Medicare, and when Daniel was diagnosed with dementia, SAGE provided him with home care through a roster of LGBT-friendly home health aides.

For other gay and lesbian seniors, the problem isn’t forgetting to pay the rent—it’s being unable to. Last year, The Trust made a grant to SAGE that helped 450 gay and lesbian seniors get counseling on medical bills, benefits eligibility, and finance-related stress. Thousands more got information from workshops and web resources. This year, a grant of $40,000 continues to support these services.

Griot Circle in downtown Brooklyn is a place where gay and lesbian elders of color come together and help each other—forming support groups, running activities, and pairing healthy buddies with frailer peers. But there’s some work, such as sorting out Medicare benefits, that calls for a pro.

Four years ago, we helped Griot Circle hire a part-time social worker, and with a recent $30,000 grant we are helping make this position full time. The grant is also providing stipends to social work interns from Long Island University who will help Circle members.

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Sam Wilner’s commitment to the community A native of the Bronx, Sam Wilner was a successful investment broker, a loner who was more apt to give help than to ask for it—and give he did. After Gay Men’s Health Crisis saw his partner through his final days, Sam began volunteering at the agency. Often spending hours each week answering hot-line calls, he learned about the myriad problems of less fortunate gay men and the amount of support they needed.

In his will, he created a fund in The Trust to provide that support. If Mr. Wilner were alive today, we think he would be pleased with the work of groups such as Griot Circle and SAGE—though he might pass on the bingo socials.

The Legacy of Madame Anna E. Schoen-René She came to the United States in 1872 to sing with the Metropolitan Opera. But before she set foot on the stage, a bout with tuberculosis ravaged her body and ended her singing career.

Madame Anna E. Schoen-René had trained at the Royal Academy of Music in Berlin, admitted by a panel that included Johannes Brahms. She made her concert debut in

Other Grants City/Regional Environment

City Parks Foundation, $50,000 to involve residents in supporting and revitalizing waterfront parks in the Bronx, south Brooklyn, and on the Lower East Side.

Madame Anna E. Schoen-René

Empire State Future, $75,000 for a coalition to promote sustainable planning in New York State, including advocacy for a land-banking authority, high-speed railways, and property taxes that cover infrastructure investments.

Environmental Advocates of New York, $75,000 to educate policymakers and the public about the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing.

Paris under the patronage of Charles Gounod. And now her doctors were telling her she was a hopeless consumptive.

Undeterred, a 98-pound Schoen-René moved to Minneapolis to live with a sister who taught at the University of Minnesota, where she became a singing instructor, still determined to bring quality music to the U.S. Starting with university glee clubs, she later founded what would become the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Northwestern Symphony Orchestra of St. Paul. She came back to New York in 1925 to direct the voice department at Juilliard. Schoen-René taught the greats, including the legendary Kitty Carlisle and Paul Robeson, until the end of her distinguished career.

In her will, she left a fund in The Trust to help talented vocalists further their studies, and since 1942, we have fulfilled her musical legacy. A recent grant of $37,000 to the Metropolitan Opera Association is helping to cultivate the next generation of opera singers, and a grant of $38,000 to The Juilliard School of Music for the Schoen-René loan fund will helps students pay for tuition, living expenses, medical emergencies, and study abroad.

As Julliard’s director of foundation and corporate relations Edward Sien puts it, “the fund enables students to make the most of their extraordinary talents, pursue their careers in the performing arts, and not have their dreams derailed by unexpected financial burdens.”

Green Light New York, $25,000 to complete development of a training center on energy-efficient lighting design for architects, designers, engineers, building operators, and contractors.

One Region Fund, $200,000 for a funders’ collaborative working to improve transportation in the tri-state metropolitan region.

Southern Bronx River Watershed Alliance, $50,000 to continue the fight for removal of the one-mile Sheridan Expressway in the South Bronx.

Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future, $75,000 to develop energy-efficient programs for buildings owned and managed by major affordable housing organizations.

National Environment

Center for Biological Diversity, $75,000 to reduce the acidification of oceans, which harms sea life.

Conservation Law Foundation, $75,000 for a campaign to establish legally protected areas in the Gulf of Maine that would curtail water pollution, over-fishing, and other damaging practices.

Environmental Health Fund, $100,000 to support a national campaign for safe chemicals that will educate policy makers and the public about the connection between exposure to dangerous chemicals and chronic disease.

Institute for Local Self-Reliance, $50,000 to promote plastics made from biodegradable plant matter as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics, and to create standards and a certification process for this quickly emerging industry.

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National Audubon Society, $75,000 to work with private property owners along the Atlantic Coast on sustainable land management practices so that birds can use their lands for migration, breeding, and wintering.

Northern Forest Center, $50,000 to develop renewable energy, tourism, and wood products that will build the economy sustainably in the Northern Forest, which spans 30 million acres across four New England states.

Ocean Conservancy, $75,000 to bring together agencies managing fisheries, marine mammals, shipping, and energy production to provide better stewardship of oceans.

Community Development

Fourth Arts Block, $50,000 to coordinate the promotion of 26 arts groups in the East 4th Street Cultural District.

International Documentary Association, $200,000 for awards to documentary filmmakers that are in the early stages of production on films that support the aims and concepts of Pare Lorentz, a filmmaker who made documentaries during the Great Depression.

The Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund helps gifted young people with limited financial means who aspire to careers in the arts.

The grants that follow support young people in both pre- and post-college programs.

Citizens Committee for New York City, $100,000 for cash awards to help volunteer neighborhood groups work with City agencies to improve their communities.

Pre-college

Technical Assistance

Boys & Girls Harbor, $60,000 for three-year fellowships for three students in classical and jazz piano, Latin percussion, theory, and choreography.

Hispanic Federation, $65,000 to help Latino nonprofits strengthen their financial management systems.

Public Policy and Education Fund of New York City, $40,000 to help City-based civic and advocacy groups working in Albany share a database and software system that allows them to better target door-to-door canvassing, phone-banking, and other outreach.

Youth Development

Ballet Hispanico of New York, $60,000 for three-year fellowships for four students in ballet and Spanish dance.

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution, $40,000 for two-year fellowships for twentyfour visual artists.

Dancewave, $50,000 for two-year fellowships for five modern dance students.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, $50,000 to recruit minority volunteers to mentor youth in poor and immigrant communities.

Reel Works, $60,000 for two-year fellowships for five students of film production.

Working in Support of Education, $47,500 to foster civic leadership by expanding a community service awards competition for high-school students.

BronxNet, $40,000 for two fellowships focusing on videography, TV production, and editing.

Youth Development Institute, $35,000 to expand a math and literacy program that helps court-involved youth pass the GED high-school equivalency test.

Children and Families

HeartShare Human Services of New York, $50,000 for cash grants to help families pay their utility bills.

Jumpstart for Young Children, $25,000 for a program in which college students and volunteers, paid through federally funded service programs, work in early childhood programs helping children improve their language and literacy skills.

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Arts and Culture

grants newsletter

Post-college (two years)

Flux Factory, $40,000 for six fellowships that provide live/work studios, room and board, workshops, and solo exhibition space.

Friends of Alice Austen, $40,000 for four photography fellowships at a Staten Island museum collection.

Lark Play Development Center, $40,000 for fellowships for four playwrights and directors.

Lower East Side Printshop, $36,000 for fellowships for six printmakers.

Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance, $60,000 for fellowships for three dancers.

Meet the Composer, $40,000 for fellowships for four composers.

Historic Preservation

Queens Museum of Art, $60,000 for six fellowships for artists interested in both creating and curating art.

New York Landmarks Conservancy, $50,000 to help save the City’s historically and architecturally significant religious buildings in the wake of budget cuts and church closings.

UrbanGlass, $40,000 for four fellowships for glass artists.

Health

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, $40,000 for four fellowships for artists who explore legal and judicial issues in their work.

Education

Asian American Coalition for Children and Families, $50,000 to advocate for the improvement of instruction and support for Asian-American students not proficient in English.

Internationals Network for Public Schools, $50,000 to promote and expand an effective approach for educating immigrant students of different backgrounds in mainstream City schools.

National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, $95,000 to improve the climate for learning in low-performing schools by providing workshops on resolving conflict and building community, and advocacy for system-wide changes in conflict management policies.

The New School Center for New York City Affairs, $38,000 to evaluate and improve the Department of Education’s support system for principals in poorly performing schools.

New York University, $50,000 to expand a successful literacy program that is particularly good for classes of children with varying levels of English proficiency and learning levels to three elementary schools.

Workforce Development

New York City Workforce Development Fund, $125,000 for a workforce funders’ group.

Human Justice

Immigration Equality, $50,000 to recruit and train pro bono attorneys to help gay people and people with HIV/ AIDS get asylum and become legal residents.

Bronx Addiction Services Integrated Concepts Systems, $114,000 for a case management system that helps chronic substance abusers stay clean.

Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State, $100,000 to improve care by developing and installing an electronic medical record system at clinics that serve people with physical, developmental, and cognitive disabilities.

Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, $100,000 to educate young women about reproductive health through text-messaging and a birth control discussion group.

New York City AIDS Fund, $50,000 for a funders’ group that supports City organizations fighting the disease and helping those who are infected.

United Hospital Fund of New York, $90,000 for multilingual workshops and guides to help family members take care of their old and infirm relatives at home.

Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, $125,000 to continue to study a new treatment for women at high risk of breast cancer recurrence.

People with Special Needs

Brooklyn Academy of Music, $35,000 for a free film program for poor and disabled elders.

New Alternatives for Children, $40,000 to complete consolidation of health and mental health operations at an agency that serves seriously ill and disabled children in foster care.

Resources for Children with Special Need, $65,000 to help parents of disabled children understand changes to the special education system and get services for their kids.

Legal Action Center of the City of New York, $75,000 to help New Yorkers with criminal records find jobs and housing.

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909 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 www.nycommunitytrust.org Address Service Requested

December 2010 Newsletter

I nside: Hearing Immigrant Voices, Manufacturing Jobs in Brooklyn, Gay and Gray, Madame Anna E. Schoen-René, and more…

grants

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 5013 New York, NY

The grants described in this issue were approved by The New York Community Trust’s governing body at its October 2010 meeting.

For grantee contact information, or for more information about the grants, please call The Trust’s receptionist at 212.686.0010, ext. 0.

This issue and past newsletters can be found at www.nycommunitytrust.org.

If you’d prefer to receive our newsletter by email, write to newsletter@nyct-cfi.org.

Through a grant to Brooklyn’s UrbanGlass, four artists will have access to glass blowing studios, receive stipends, and present their work to collectors, gallery owners, and other artists. Photo by Amy Wolf

Most of the grants in our newsletter are made possible through the generosity of past donors who established permanent, charitable funds with us during their lifetimes or through their wills. To learn more about setting up a fund, please contact our general counsel, Jane Wilton, at 212.686.2563.