Brooklyn Org Funds 16 Nonprofits As Government Funding Cuts Impact Services to Communities

Brooklyn Org (BKO) announced today $1.5 million in new, multi-year grant commitments to 16 nonprofit organizations working to provide emergency food assistance, support immigrants’ rights, social services, and mental health, promote youth leadership, and assist older adults on fixed incomes.

The funding is made possible through donations from the Brooklyn Org donor community and comes at a critical time when communities are navigating unprecedented cuts to federal social service programs while daily cost-of-living rises. In a recent nonprofit survey conducted by Brooklyn Org, 86% of local nonprofits reported that their costs have gone up in the last year, while 60% said that they have lost government funding. More than half of Brooklyn nonprofits that responded to the survey fear they won’t be financially stable heading into 2026.

In response, Brooklyn Org launched the Brooklyn Backs Brooklyn campaign last summer, which aims to raise $5 million over the next year to increase financial support to frontline organizations by 25% over the previous year. In 2024, Brooklyn Org distributed more than $3.8 million through community grantmaking programs and over $15.7 million through Donor Advised Funds.

“At Brooklyn Org we believe that the surest path to transformative change is through local action” said Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, President and CEO of Brooklyn Org. “All of the nonprofits we are supporting today have done the work on the ground to develop solutions that will best serve our communities. We are thrilled to stand side-by-side with each of these organizations to help lift up our neighbors because we know that when Brooklyn backs Brooklyn, we all move forward together.”

The Brooklyn nonprofits receiving grants are:

• Black Veterans for Social Justice
• Brooklyn Rescue Mission Urban Harvest Center 
• Churches United For Fair Housing
• Global Trauma Research
• Homecrest Community Services
• Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort (ICARE)
• Mixteca Organization
• NY Birth Control Access Project
• QARAVAN 
• Sure We Can 
• The Circle Keepers
• The Family Center
• The Campaign Against Hunger
• UPROSE
• Volunteers of Legal Service
• We Build the Block

“Demand for mental health care among immigrants and refugees is soaring even as funding cuts make accessing those services harder. With Brooklyn Org’s support, Global Trauma Research will be able to reach more Brooklyn residents with in-language, culturally competent, and trauma-informed care that our communities trust,” said Dr. Florence Saint-Jean, Executive Director of Global Trauma Research.

“Brooklyn Org funding helps organizations provide positive change to every part of the borough. This investment affirms our community’s strength and helps Brooklyn Rescue Mission Urban Harvest Center do even more to fight hunger with dignity in a time of instability for so many of our neighbors,” said Robert Jackson, Executive Director of Brooklyn Rescue Mission Urban Harvest Center. “These grants will expand our urban farm, keep our pantry shelves full and bring fresh, culturally relevant food and nutrition education to more families across central Brooklyn.”

“Families across South Brooklyn are being squeezed by rising costs and the difficulty of navigating essential services without adequate language support,” said Wai Yee Chan, President and CEO of Homecrest Community Services. “As one of the few organizations providing multilingual, culturally competent services to Asian immigrant communities, Homecrest fills a critical gap by helping people access social services and health care, supporting youth and families, and strengthening civic engagement and advocacy. Brooklyn Org’s investment will help us reach more neighbors with wraparound support, strengthen our social, educational, and health programs, and ensure our community can thrive with dignity.”

Brooklyn Org distributes funding through a participatory grantmaking model that is led by an advisory council composed of community members, reflecting BKO’s long-standing commitment to investing in local solutions. Of the 16 nonprofits receiving grants, 7 have an annual budget of less than $1 million.

Brooklyn Org reviews funding applications on a rolling basis and announces new community grants twice a year. The next regular community grantmaking announcement will be made in spring of 2026.

About The Organizations Receiving Funding:

• Black Veterans for Social Justice supports veterans with housing assistance, financial coaching, food access, and help navigating complex government benefits, ensuring Black veterans and veteran families of all backgrounds across Brooklyn receive comprehensive and dignified care.
• Brooklyn Rescue Mission Urban Harvest Center combines a grocery-style pantry, benefits outreach, and community farming initiatives to strengthen neighborhood food access, empower residents to steward land and resources, and transform the local food system in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
• Churches United For Fair Housing works towards housing justice and community empowerment through political organizing, youth engagement, and social services, especially for low-income immigrant communities of color.
• Global Trauma Research provides accessible, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed mental health and education services to immigrants and underserved residents, including crisis intervention and harm reduction for those struggling with substance misuse.
• Homecrest Community Services offers nutritious meals, wellness programming, cultural activities, and civic engagement events at older adult centers while advocating for language access, healthcare, and housing older adults in South Brooklyn.
• Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort (ICARE) connects unaccompanied immigrant children to legal and social services through a citywide referral network while leading rapid-response advocacy, policy monitoring, and court support that safeguard young people facing deportation.
• Mixteca Organization provides Mexican and Latin American immigrants with a wide range of services spanning migrant rights, economic justice, mental health, and health and wellness, and encourages community organizing and civic engagement to help immigrants establish sustainable themselves socially and economically.
• NY Birth Control Access Project equips young people to expand access to birth control and reproductive options in Brooklyn and statewide through legislative training, work on college campuses, and paid professional development that prepares them for public service careers.
• QARAVAN offers therapy groups, legal assistance, English classes, case management, and multilingual peer support alongside community events like Brighton Beach Pride to help LGBTQ+ immigrants and refugees in South Brooklyn navigate services, reduce isolation, and build visibility.
• Sure We Can fosters a supportive, compassionate alternative for canners — people who collect empty beverage containers to then redeem for five cents each — to access redemption services that create pathways for their financial, social, and environmental empowerment.
• The Circle Keepers prepares young people to run restorative justice circles that address school conflicts before they escalate, teaching peer facilitation, mediation, and accountability; and builds youth voice to advocate for citywide education policies.
• The Family Center supports families and children affected by crisis, illness, or loss through legal support for custody and eviction, HIV/AIDS prevention services, and mental health services.
• The Campaign Against Hunger expands food access through a city-wide pantry network, home grocery delivery, and community farms that double as job training sites, supporting low-income families and communities disproportionately impacted by food insecurity.
• UPROSE promotes community-led sustainability, resiliency, and climate justice through community organizing, education, leadership development, and cultural and artistic expression in Sunset Park.
• Volunteers of Legal Service provides free civil legal services and a citywide pro bono network, helping low-income older adults in Brooklyn plan for their medical and financial futures and navigate systems that often exclude them.
• We Build the Block offers therapy, case management, court advocacy, and restorative justice circles as well as everyday needs like groceries, haircuts, and daily-living support in a trusted drop-in space for young men affected by gun violence and incarceration.