Ponce De Leon Foundation 2018 to 2023 Report

Ponce De Leon Foundation ®

REPORT 5 YEARS OF INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITIES 2018 to 202 3

Rev. 9 /2024

A Look Back - Accomplishments F rom Inception O f I nvesting I n O ur Communities.

2018 to 2023

Rev. 9 /2024

Table of Contents

05 Messages To Our Readers 0 9 Focus Areas

Who We Are

Geographic Areas Served

49 Funds Provided By Focus Area 42 Funds Provided 2010-2023

Grants In Action & Accomplishments

Funds Provided By County

MESSAGES TO OUR READERS

From The Chairman – Steven A. Tsavaris

I am very pleased to present the anticipated report of the Ponce De Leon Foundation. This report celebrates the many accomplishments of our grantees. Through another year of extraordinary circumstances, our grantees again have proven their dedication in putting their communities first. The Ponce De Leon Foundation’s mission promotes equity in socio-economic development of low and moderate income communities by providing grants to nonprofits that provide services to those of special needs, the elderly,

and provide education to the unskilled, to name a few. I have the greatest respect for the e ff orts of everyone involved in these services. As our communities continue to recover from the assault of the coronavirus, we have witnessed the shockwaves it has sent through our communities with unprecedented challenges and we at the Foundation, will continue to support them with a flexible mindset and devote our very best e ff orts to carrying out our core mission.

From The President – Carlos P. Naudon

We began the year hopeful that the unusual challenges presented by a global pandemic, uncertain economy, and social unrest would soon be in the rearview mirror. As we have seen, these forces have been more enduring and the economic recovery has been uneven. The rifts in our society are still in need of healing and our banking system encountered turbulence of its own this year. At the same time, however, while our communities have not been immune from these struggles, we have also seen an extraordinary resilience in the individuals as well as the

non-profit organizations that make our communities strong. All the above would be meaningless without the enduring support of the people in the communities in which we work. Everyone – from those who advise and guide, to those who facilitate, to the one who executes and implements, and finally, the one who benefits – is an important link in this long but strong chain that forms and catalyzes the development process that brings about change.

We know every ounce of contribution counts to ensure success among the individuals that are served as well as the non-profit organizations. The Foundation remains committed to this mission of helping address the social and economic challenges that our communities face. In 2023, we have granted a total of $426,000 to non-profits that are working tirelessly to uplift members of the community from the inequities they experience on a day-to-day basis.

From The Executive Director- Madeline V. Marquez

Since 2017, the Ponce De Leon Foundation has supported over 90 local organizations and issued over $1.7 million in grants. The Foundation is proud to continue to help improve the socio-economic status in New YorkCity and New Jersey communities. For the past six years, we have been able to support a variety of organizations, ranging from homeless prevention to education and special needs programs. Our focus is to support non-profit organizations that give equitable resources to those who live in low to moderate income communities.

We are excited by the success of the Foundation and celebrate the passion and commitment of our Board Members. We work together to look for opportunities that will help our communities to continue to grow and improve As we look ahead, we are excited to continue to provide support to the many organizations in the communities we serve!

“Ponce De Leon Foundation has provided grant aid to over 90 organizations, totaling $1.7 million to programming.”

Madeline V. Marquez Executive Director

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WHO WE ARE

Our Mission

The Mission of the Ponce De Leon Foundation is to strengthen the communities served by Ponce Bank by supporting charitable causes and organizations located within any county in which the Bank has a branch o ffi ce. The Foundation awards grants to local not-for-profit organizations and community groups that provide programs focused on a ff ordable housing, education, healthcare, social services, economic development, and cultural diversity including housing assistance, scholarships, local education programs, local not-for-profit medical facilities, and other similar types of organizations or civic-minded projects.

About Us

Ponce Bank was born in the Bronx in 1960 to provide financial services to a community long ignored by bigger banks. We are certified as both a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and a Minority Depository Institution(MDI), one of less than 50 banks in the country with both these designations. To achieve this distinction, the Bank has never wavered from this mission and has reinvested more than 80% of its assets directly into the communities it serves. When Ponce Bank restructured in 2017, it seized the opportunity to endow The Ponce de Leon Foundation with funds to further this mission by providing grants to non-profit organizations throughout a service area which now extends from the Bronx to Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and parts of New Jersey.

Board of Directors

This work can’t be fulfilled without the dedication and support of our board of directors and staff, who work tirelessly on our common goal to strengthen our communities.

Mr. Steven Tsavaris, Chairman of the Board Mr. Carlos Naudon, President of the Board Mr. William Feldman, Board Director Mr. Nick Lugo, Board Director Bishop Dr. Raymond Rivera, Board Director Mr. James Demetriou, Board Director Ms. Maria Alvarez, Board Director Dr. Evelyn Laureano, Board Director Mr. James Perez, Board Director Ms. Madeline V. Marquez, Executive Director Mr. Sergio Vaccaro, Treasurer Ms. Lissette Rivera, Secretary Ms. Valerie Camejo, Grants Coordinator

FOCUS AREAS

Focus Areas of the Foundation

Cultural Events Our culture is our community. We celebrate diversity and take pride in where we’ve come from and where we’re headed. Economic Development A rising tide lifts all boats, and the value of a thriving local economy has never been more evident than during the pandemic. Let’s build a network of support for the local businesses that are engines of resiliency for our communities. Education Where you live shouldn’t limit access to education. Let’s make the sky the limit for anyone who wants to learn. Healthcare A lack of equality in healthcare services leads to chronic health issues that could be both treatable and preventable with education and support. While flattening the curve of the pandemic, let's balance the scales within our healthcare system and give our community members the care that they deserve. Housing Housing a ff ordability is more than just a hardship experienced by individuals. Its scarcity can have many side e ff ects on a community's overall health. Seniors Our futures were built on their shoulders, and we can learn so much from their experience and love. Let’s provide support, dignity, and community to our seniors to whom we owe so much and who often ask for little more than a warm smile and a helping hand. Social Services Every community is unique. Let’s support the many needs arising from communities that are creatively woven from the dense fabric of our diverse cultures. Youth They are our future, and we need to give them hope. Let’s provide our next generation with tools not just to survive but to thrive in a rapidly changing.

GEOGRAPHIC AREAS SERVED

GRANTS IN ACTION & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The overall goal of the Alzheimer’s Care Project (ACP) is to help keep low-income seniors in their homes by connecting them with vital programs and supportive services that help reduce the cost of long- Act Now Foundation

Throughout the 2019-2023 grant periods, the Act Now Foundation was successful in reaching an additional 143 seniors in Northern Hudson County su ff ering from memory loss during this period. Increased ADRD diagnosis by approximately 65%, with the remaining individuals waiting for physician and other service provider appointments. Improved independence through actionable and immediate recommendations on altering daily living, home safety, medication administration, and adherence to an action plan for 81% of new clients. Increased caregiver knowledge and skills by 69% through a variety of virtual, online, and phone-based consultations. Aided in the preparation of health care proxy forms and durable power of attorney for several new clients. term care. Specifically, the program consists of providing four key care issues, including: assessment, treatment, senior and family education and support, and legal considerations. The overreaching program objective is to establish treatment plans that optimize health, function, and symptom management with an emphasis on economically and socially disadvantaged people. All treatment plans are revised and adjusted as the disease progresses, allowing for the highest level of independence.

Ali Forney Center The Ali Forney Center is focused on assisting many LGBTQ youth through their LEAP (Learning, Employment, Advancement, and Placement) Vocational and Educational Program. The LEAP Program has provided invaluable services throughout the year for runaway and homeless LGBTQ youth.

They were able to provide services for over 200 individuals. Through initial assessments, goal setting, referrals, placements, and supportive counseling, they obtained results that gave these youths meaningful support.

With grant funding for 2021, this organization was able to provide 30 work readiness trainings, life skills events, career panels, poetry events, and financial literacy workshops. They enrolled and engaged with over 100 youth in Career Services. Supported them with metro cards, work clothes, school supplies, and tech necessary for engagement at work or school. The organization also connected 40 youths with mentors at Republic Music, Chase Bank, HSBC, Verizon,

and the U.S. government. Many of them were placed in various internships and full- time employment at JP Morgan Chase, Malai Ice Cream, Arrow Security, SYEP, CVS, and Mount Sinai. Lastly, they were able to get 6 youth successfully enrolled in college at CUNY, which allows them the opportunity to further their education.

Andromeda Community Initiative With help from the Ponce de Leon Foundation funding, ACI has executed more than 15 cycles of its Career Pathway/Masonry Restoration Training. The program, primarily geared to the world of mandatory

repair work on the building envelope and façade under local law, also provides general construction fundamentals useful in almost every area of the profession. All training provides a mix of hands-on skill building in masonry and general construction coupled with essential certifications necessary to engage in work on major buildings.

Their work has been substantial for both the organization and the participants. It has allowed them to incentivize and reward long-term work— enhancing client commitment towards workforce outcomes, creating concrete wage boosting e ff ects for multiple participants, and most importantly, it has kept participants involved to receive long-term support, driving retention outcomes.

Association of Community Employment Programs for the Homeless, Inc.

The grant provided to A.C.E. Programs for the Homeless specifically provided vulnerable New Yorkers with the therapeutic support that they needed to address the trauma incurred from long histories of extremely di ffi cult and unhealthy circumstances. Through this grant, they set out four goals in relation to expanding their therapeutic support o ff erings.

Licensed Master of Social Work, creating access to therapeutic services that led to better employ- ment outcomes for more ACE participants and graduates. They also designed and implemented additional therapeutic programming in response to expressed feedback and outcomes, with an emphasis on supporting individuals during year-one of employment. They expanded their after-hours counseling and peer support group meetings. Finally, they provided further sta ff training in crisis management and core topics related to mental and behavioral health. A.C.E. Programs for the Homeless was able to expand these important programs and address core issues that have historically prevented their participants and graduates from permanently transitioning to independent living and employment. This organization maintains integrity by keeping client/participant information confidential, including use of images.

Astoria/Queens SHARE-ING & CARE-ING, Inc.

SHAREing & CAREing was able to achieve its main goal of providing outreach and cancer health information to Spanish-speaking populations in Queens. In addition, they have been able to provide PPE supplies and COVID-19 health information to vulnerable their Spanish Bilingual Community

Outreach coordinator, to provide health educational activities, primarily focused on delivering Breast Cancer Awareness information, COVID-19 prevention, and education to vulnerable Queens populations.

The project’s main activity was the provision of educational infor- mation forums at Ponce Bank branches. Ponce clients were very receptive to both the cancer and COVID-19 health information o ff er- ed and were very appreciative and thankful for the PPE supplies provided. Bilingual care coordination and navigation for cancer survivors with health insurance coverage, assisting them with securing mammograms and/or COVID-19 testing. This assistance was provided via virtual platforms and/

or over the phone. SHAREing & CAREing outreached to a variety of multicultural communities in Queens, providing health information and services regardless of immigration status, language barriers, or health insurance limitations.

Our outreaches occurred at senior centers, public hospitals, and various Ponce Bank branch locations.

BOC Capital Corp.

BOC Capital Corp. was able to support the deployment of low-cost relief lending and technical assistance to enable impacted minority-owned businesses that are the most vulnerable to gain immediate economic relief and

long-term sustainability. These minority-owned small businesses in New York City were very much impacted by COVID-19. Through its Entrepreneurs of Color Fund (EOCF), BOC Capital provides loans that are supported by an interest-rate buydown to busi-nesses and independent contractors unable to access a bank lender. By providing relief through EOCF loans, BOC Capital helps to preserve small business assets and save or create jobs.

BronxNet’s Virtual Youth Internship is the first of its kind and was established to be a 10-week, paid summer internship for high school students that will be completely online via virtual classrooms. BronxNet received numerous resumes for only 10 slots in this internship. Ten high school students were hired as interns for a 10-week period and BronxNet

participated in up to 20 hours of experience building a week. BronxNet developed its very own unique curriculum that included an application process, interview, and work- plan development. This included an orientation that discussed time management, payroll, submission of hours, submission of employment documents, supervision, and team building. Interns held bi-weekly meetings in a virtual classroom for the weeks' activities and were assigned special projects with weekly deliverables. Participants received training from BronxNet Media Professionals and were assigned special projects with various department directors, such as programming, creative services, and web. Lastly, participants completed over 5 episodes of OPEN 2.0, as well as personal final projects and an opportunity to meet media professionals currently working on our network. This was truly a real-world experience. During this internship, interns were not only learning about media but were responsible for pre-production planning and for producing studio interviews and wraparounds, as well as participating in editing, graphics design, and all other activities that resulted in completed, broadcast-ready episodes.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest invites community members to participate in an annual competition to create beautiful and environmentally sustainable blocks. The program promotes streetscape gardening, tree stewardship, and sustainable practices. In addition to beautifying Brooklyn blocks, the contest builds community pride, spurs commerce on commercial blocks, puts oxygen into

the atmosphere, and encourages pollinators and biodiversity. Whether convening gardeners in-person or online, the Greenest Block in Brooklyn cultivates and supports local environmental leaders, block associations, and plant lovers of all ages. Provided with tools and encouragement, contest participants nurture tight-knit communities as they work together to grow a greener Brooklyn.

Business Outreach Center Network

BOC WBC activities continued and increased significantly due to the unprecedented COVID19; business counseling and training to support small businesses' survival, recovery, and continued sustainability from the impacts of the COVID19 pandemic.

BOC WBCs served a total of 324 new clients and provided over 627 sessions of one-on- one counseling. BOC WBCs delivered 50 workshops or webinars, reaching 983 participants. BOC WBCs served 22 small business owners with capital infusion transactions totaling $1,477,100. Started in March 2020, the BOC WBCs delivered services via a 100% virtual model—providing one-on-one counseling and webinars via Zoom and Vonage. The BOC WBCs continued to successfully o ff er disaster relief business counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic.Targeted support to women's businesses (webinars, PPP/EIDL assistance, crisis counseling, etc.) During the COVID- 19 pandemic, the BOC WBCs went from assisting clients to start businesses to helping them protect and sustain their businesses.

CIVITAS In January 2020, CIVITAS initiated its East Harlem CommunityOutreach program to bring togetherEast Harlem community organizations, including sports groups, that use and benefit from the Jointly Owned Playgrounds ("JOPs") in East Harlem.The concept was

to build a coalition of active JOPs beneficiaries and concerned citizens in East Harlem who would be interested in helping CIVITAS protect East Harlem JOPs. By bringing the community together through events that engage the public, CIVITAS intends to ensure that the East Harlem neighborhood maintains a maximum number of safe spaces for physical and mental health, as well as enhance the natural environment surrounding the community for recreational, waterfront access, and fishing opportunities. During the height of the pandemic, CIVITAS saw an opportunity to help local small businesses and families in the communities it serves with the creation of a "COVID-19 Resources" web page providing critical information from the Community A ff airsUnit of the Mayor’s o ffi ce, as well as a directory of establishments that have been honored as part of the organization’s ongoing program of recognizing small businesses, and guidance on applying for a PPP loan.

Common Threads

Common Threads is pleased to have received grant funding that has helped further their mission to inspire communities to embrace healthy cooking, healthy eating, and the celebration of culture by providing children, families and educators with hands-on cooking and nutrition education classes. Common Threads implemented their hands-on cooking and nutrition programming designed to promote

health and wellness with partner schools that serve 50% or more of students that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Many of whom are located in areas with a high percentage of SNAP-eligible families in Queens, The Bronx and Manhattan.

Between January 2023 through December 2023, Common Threads’ programs are proven to improve nutrition knowledge, liking for fruits and vegetables and confidence in cooking skills. Additionally, the program serves over 14,800 students, 98,000 adults providing healthy snacks and meals and over 93,000 hours of programming for 2022-2023 school year. A notable accomplishment was the expansion to high school level education through Kitchen Clinic, a new

high school career exploration program aimed at increasing students’ health eating, cooking skills, and interest in healthcare-related careers.

Community Options, Inc. Community Options proposed to use a grant from The Ponce de Leon Foundation to preserve ten units of supportive and affordable housing and create one new unit. Each unit was intended to house one

person with an intellectual and developmental disability.

The project’s three goals were to: 1) rehabilitate and maintain ten units of affordable and supportive housing; 2) create one new unit of affordable and supportive housing, and 3) ensure dignity, integration, wellbeing and safety for eleven New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Eleven people with disabilities maintained their right to live in the community with support. All construction milestones were completed on both properties. Van Buren residents temporarily relocated during construction but are now living back in their newly updated home.

At 59th Street, we anticipate that residents will move in by the end of the summer. Funds contributed by The Ponce de Leon Foundation have been fully spent. Support from Ponce de Leon Foundation was critical to ensuring that both projects completed all renovations that were needed for resident safety, comfort, and access.

Council for Unity, Inc. The Council for Unity was able to meet all goals and objectives as outlined in the submitted proposal. 100% of CFU program enrollees graduated on time and achieved school success through meaningful school and community participation.

95% of students enrolled in CFU program were accepted to a 2- or 4-year college or matriculated in a trade-related career (e.g., apprenticeship). 100% of CFU students created heightened awareness of violence prevention throughout their schools and were discouraged from engaging in gang activity. All students promoted unity among diverse cultures and by engaging in meaningful and impactful community service. There was an 85% drop in reported violence incidents during the 2020-2021 academic year among the school populations of FHHS and MHS (e.g., student-on-student fighting and bullying), largely due to CFU interventions and engagements. Finally, they were able to update their Dragon Slayer curriculum by producing a high-quality publication, replete with graphics.

Cumbe: Center for African & Diaspora Dance

Cumbe is working intensively in 2023 with two senior centers in Brooklyn that are part of the SAGE network, an organization that provides advocacy and services to LGBTQ+ elders.

Cumbe and SAGE Stonewall House, a senior center who service LGBTQ+ elders of color, have complementary missions; both are strongly invested in the well-being of elders and serve communities that are majority people of color. Both took time at the beginning of the program to discuss Stonewall House’s current priorities and figure out which dance and music offerings would be of

most interest to members of the Stonewall House were responsible for scheduling classes and sharing information to their members. Cumbe was responsible for hiring a teaching artist that would successfully engage this population of elders, scheduling them, ensuring service delivery, providing program oversight, and providing the online Creative Caribbean Movement classes. In the fall of 2023, funding from the Ponce de Leon Foundation will support Combe’s work with both Stonewall House and the Griot Center, another senior center in the SAGE network. The biggest program achievement was serving 240 participants through in-person and online classes.

Daniel’s Music Foundation

The DMF VirtualCommunity is an online platform that provides a variety of virtual music programs, live events, and on-demand videos developed with the disability community in mind. Most of the music programming o ff ered through the Virtual Community is available without cost to participants. This includes weekly virtual live events such as dance parties, Open-MicNights, and Dance Along, along with over 100 videos that are available on our On-Demand Channel. Fee-based virtual programs include private lessons, small group classes, and virtual field trips.

In our proposal, we outlined the Virtual Community program goals for 2021, which included widening engagement nationally, continuing to serve our longstanding NYC members, and increasing weekly participation in our virtual music programs. By streamlining our services along two foundational pillars— music and disability awareness—we have been

able to serve a broader population in new, innovative ways while remaining dedicated to serving our local NYC community.

Educational Video Center

The Educational Video Center is a non-profit youth media organization dedicated to teaching documentary video to develop artistic, critical

literacy, and career skills of young people, while their idealism and commitment to social change.

With Ponce De Leon’s support, EVC’s media arts programming and broader initiatives 1) helped 84 young people heal, grow, and thrive as learners, leaders, and artists, 2) supported the development of 4 youth-produced films and 2 websites disrupting harmful systems and narratives, 3) connected youth producers to estimated audiences of 7,500, 4) trained 3 BIPOC educators and placed them in jobs in EVC partner schools, teaching 18 workshops, with a total of 272 students across all 5 boroughs. Without a doubt, this year has been challenging. Even as the pandemic began to recede, its impacts on the physical and mental wellbeing and economic welfare of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities we serve deepened.

Family Life Academy Charter School

FLACS Network K-2 Home Library Project. This project was to provide (approximately 598) students in grades K–2 reading books for independent reading

reading and to help create at-home libraries for FLACS scholars. This project’s overall goal is to increase student engagement in learning and mastering the vital components of basic literacy while fostering a positive attitude towards reading "print" versus digital books. Students received 10 books over the spring and summer of 2021; those included an outline of strategies/tools for parents to encourage a literacy-positive home environment.

This project was launched to support and enhance early-childhood education and literacy for all student populations (including ELLs and special needs) as well as address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on

students in grades K–2, who have been disproportionately impacted academically because of reduced in-person instruction and engagement in reading.

Fresh Youth Initiatives

Ponce De Leon grant funds for FYI’s Trauma and ACES Education project. Thanks to your support, 62 staff members, 31 schoolteachers and school personnel, and 1,128 children acquired new skills, knowledge, and vocabulary around normalizing mental health and wellness. Our Education Project leveraged the trusting relationships that our staff enjoys with our stakeholders, increasing the likelihood of our clients

mental health services when needed. Thank you for your strong partnership with FYI toward building healthy and resilient communities. Thanks to support from the Ponce De Leon Foundation, FYI successfully introduced new education and training to our staff, school partners, and parents of our enrolled youth participants. Staff, in turn, were equipped to provide culturally appropriate Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs and activities to 1,128 children and teens in 2023. With a noted increase in anxiety, depression, and COVID-related losses, our staff requested this type of professional development to help them work with struggling students. The same is true for teachers at our four partner schools who observe significant behavioral problems. At our partner high school, FYI clinical staff are providing educational support to teachers around identifying signs of trauma; from September through December, they have embedded within several classrooms to provide direct support working with ninth graders.

Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce of Queens, Inc.

The Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce promotes the community with the special events they sponsor. The chamber’s mission of commerce, culture, and community is to bring people together, and create revenue for the businesses and provide exposure for all the great things they have to o ff er.

They held 3 free concerts to benefit the Queens community audience, which was composed of diverse ethnicities and ages ranging from kids to seniors. They brought the community together during a pandemic to still be able to enjoy free jazz with friends and family that they have been attending and looking forward to year after year. The outdoorJazz Concert was held in conjunction with the Shop Forest Hills Fall Festival, which was one block long. The jazz ensemble performing was The Rakiem Walker Project, consisting of 7 band members. The chamber of commerce promotes the Forest Hills community to encourage visitors to come and "Eat, Shop, Love Forest Hills".

Fort Greene SNAP During the worst pandemic in 100 years, with its severe economic and health consequences, a lack of legal resources stood to make everything just that much worse for low-income working people and those too

elderly or disabled to work. The Coalition of Concerned Legal Professionals (CCLP) is completely volunteer run, including the lawyers who participate in our legal advice and legal educational sessions. With the support of the Ponce De Leon Foundation, their free-of-charge Legal Advice Sessions and Know Your Law Sessions made a real di ff erence in the lives of those facing unlawful evictions, wage theft, and credit and debt issues. They conducted 25–30 legal advice sessions: at the beginning of the year, in person, providing advice to 5-8 people at each session, with volunteers performing hours of follow-up advocacy. From April through June, they conducted these sessions entirely by phone, Zoom, and email. Since then, they have utilized a hybrid model, with some lawyers, advocates, and legal advice recipients receiving advice by phone or zoom, and others from within their o ffi ce. In addition, they provided advice and follow- up to individuals by phone, as situations arose, involving lawyers with experience in housing, elder law, wills and estates, employment, bankruptcy, immigration, and more.

Greater Jamaica Development Corporation

Greater Corporation proposed a two-step plan to fill a service gap for small businesses, especially minority entrepreneurs in underserved neighborhoods. Accordingly, they Jamaica Development

created an account to pull the business credit report of all loan applicants to their CDFI. They helped build business credit history by reporting on it for compliant loan recipients. Despite the daunting challenges of COVID, their Business Services Group successfully implemented this program.

Hot Bread Kitchen

The Hot Bread Kitchen’sSmall Business Incubator o ff ers small food businesses access to a ff ordable, licensed commercial kitchen space, industry- specific technical assistance, and the business development resources they need to reach the next level of business success. The team at Hot Bread Kitchen turned its focus from immediate emergency relief to helping businesses adapt to changes in market demand. Early in the pandemic, they pivoted all programs to meet the immediate

needs of their community and committed to partnering with member businesses through recovery. Their guiding principle has been to continue to provide tailored support to businesses to regenerate lost sales opportunities, spur relationships with corporate and institutional buyers, and uplift MWBEs that face unique challenges in addition to those created by the pandemic. Despite radically altered market conditions and the pandemic’s enormous impact, the Hot BreadKitchen was able to achieve their goal of facilitating direct sales introductions and improving access to markets and networks for 273 entrepreneurs in their program.

Greater Jamaica Development Corporation

Greater Corporation proposed a two-step plan to fill a service gap for small businesses, especially minority entrepreneurs in underserved neighborhoods. Accordingly, they Jamaica Development

Hot Bread Kitchen

Hudson Pride Center

The Hudson Pride Center aims to provide critical services to the LGBTQ+ community. They were able to provide 32 LGBTQ+ clients with mental health counseling services, more than twice their original goal.

They achieved getting 7 clients to receive a total of 19 nights in emergency motel placements and providing 40 individuals with psycho-educational support groups for transgender or non- binary individuals. They also served nine trans clients with case management to provide them with essential assistance. Lastly, the Hudson Pride Center submitted a proposal to the City of Jersey City for continuation of the

transgender care services portion of the Ponce grant program (i.e., support group, HRT counseling, case management) and received a 3-month pilot grant to extend services through the end of February 2022 to allow for further funding opportunities to be pursued.

India Home

In May 2023, we launched our 3D Care Desi Dementia Daycare Program at our Jamaica Estates center, fostering a stronger support system and respite care for clients and their caregivers. India Home also offers in-house mental health talks that cover topics such as isolation, anxiety, depression, and more. Our social worker expertly guides these conversations. Additionally, we partnered with NYU Langone Health to facilitate Mental Health to

facilitate Mental Health listening sessions. Over 90% of attendees at each session expressed comfort, interest, and a newfound willingness to engage in conversations about mental health. In just 3 months, between 10-15 South Asian elders with dementia and their caregivers are now regular participants of 3D Care.

“The session about Dementia and the first seminar of its kind for South Asian seniors was very helpful. We all learned a lot through discussion and interaction and with the help of everyone’s experience. Looking forward to the next session very soon!” - Mr. Raisinghani, Member

Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc.

Jumpstart NYC aimed to achieve three goals for the2021– 2022 year. The first was to increase the language and literacy skills of 980 participating preschool-aged children from underserved New York City communities.

Then to recruit and provide a minimum of 40 hours of comprehensive early education training to 406 corps members. The third goal was to have a majority of corps members express improvement in their their parents.They provided homework assistance daily. Additionally, LPAC provided interactive art/science projects, virtual/live storybook reading, and group chats/hangout-and-chill virtual safe spaces. LPAC wanted to ensure that students received as much attention/service

as was needed to make certain that their experience was comprehensive—in meeting their needs—while providing them with opportunities to have assistance with their schoolwork, have some fun, hang out with schoolmates, and provide opportunities for positive interactions and engagement. They did this by creating a series of di ff erent daily interactions-Mindful Monday's, Tik Tok Tuesday's, Wellness Check-in Wednesday's,Trivia Thursday's, and FUN Friday's.

Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Service, Inc.

The enduring COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years has devastated LSA’s low-income and immigrant community financially, physically, and mentally, and exacerbated health inequities. And today, the need for support is more critical than ever. As of early 2022, demand for LSA’s food pantry, community health, and advocacy services continues to grow, with LSA serving about three times the number of people we served before

COVID, averaging approximately 2,500 people each month. This increased community need is only further amplified due to other local community-run pantries and community health clinics shuttering their doors due to community health sta ff shortages, volunteer shortages, rises in prices, and lack of funding. The generosity of our supporters, and our deep relationship with the East Harlem community, has enabled LSA to adapt and respond nimbly to the evolving needs of our community throughout the pandemic, and continue expanding and strengthening our services to combat the most pressing health and social inequities in our community. Because of COVID, LSA collaborated with Mount Sinai Hospital on a community needs assessment to identify specific needs of community members. Food and access to services were identified as the top two priorities. Mental health and general health were also identified as priorities.

Morris Heights Health Center

The Achieving Diabetes Excellence (ADE) program addresses the increase in uncontrolled diabetes and the rise in diabetic lower limb amputations in low-income and underserved populations in the Morris Heights Health Center (MHHC) community. ADE aims to improve outcomes for poorly managed diabetic patients, reengage existing diabetic patients, and close gaps in care within the MHHC patient population and broaderBronx community.

My Time, Inc.

The mission of My Time, Inc. is to support, educate, empower, enlighten, and uplift parents of children diagnosed with autism and developmental disabilities to live the quality of life they deserve in their community. With the e ff ects of COVID 19 still gripping our city, My Time Inc continued to work from home,

adapting to the world of technology while providing for the parents they serve: E-Circle of Support remains the theme to provide the necessary support for the parents they serve via zoom. They continued parent support classes, workshops, and Me Time, a social and recreational program. The parent support groups are still being held twice a week and are seeing an increase in parents logging on. The Emotional Wellness Workshops continued and care packages are still being sent to the parents to remind them that My Time Inc is here for them.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn, CDC, Inc. (NHS Brooklyn)

Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklyn CDC, Inc. (NHS Brooklyn)used this opportunity to expand essential housing services to residents during these uncertain times. NHS Brooklyn provides residents with tools they need to buy, improve, and keep their homes. In response to the devastation that resulted from COVID-19, NHS Brooklyn now o ff ers a more robust series of workshops and webinars about a diverse range of topics, including homeownership, foreclosure intervention, home repair and maintenance services, homeowner's insurance, and disaster preparedness.

Neighborhood Self Help by Older Persons Project, Inc. (SHOPP)

At the start of the pandemic, SHOPP’s sta ff of 100 pivoted from in-person programming to supporting older adults and caregivers through virtual communication. In a two-week span, we went from an organization delivering hundreds of on-site and o ff -

site services and activities to working remotely, maintaining contact with thousands of seniors either by phone or connecting virtually. We quickly determined the need to engage seniors in virtual activities, wellness services, education, and other forms of support. Our goal was to promote social connectedness, build awareness, provide social service support and o ff er cognitive stimulation as many were beginning to express loneliness, sadness, depression and a sense of emptiness due to their inability to attend programming, visit family and friends and engage in normal daily activities due to stay at home orders. This is extremely concerning for seniors who may now be at home with their abuser during this isolation period, unable to receive respite or support in dealing with their abuser and preventing further abuse. With the support from the Ponce De Leon Foundation, SHOPP’s Safe Elders Project allowed us to successfully outreach, connect, and educate seniors and professionals on the issues of elder abuse and financial exploitation, as well as focus on safety, wellness, education, and community empowerment. Due to the pandemic, we restructured the project and focused on establishing vital relationships and partnerships that will allow us to deliver quality training and build community awareness through SHOPP’sElder Abuse, FinancialExploitation, and Prevention Training Series.

New Heights, NYC

The Ponce De Leon Foundation’s $25,000 grant, awarded in December 2022, has played a tremendous role in our successes. Your support for our sports-based college and career readiness programming resulted in life-changing opportunities for boys and girls who come from households that struggle economically. College Bound is our signature program that uses basketball to engage underserved youth in a network of educational and mentoring services that help them make it to and through high school and college. The College Bound Program.

New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

From January throughMay of 2022, the Women’sChamber provided business and financial education to a total of 62 disadvantaged Latino women entrepreneurs whose businesses were impacted by COVID-19. Through the first cohort, NYWCC trained 35 Latina women entrepreneurs. Through the second cohort, NYWCC trained 27 Latina women entrepreneurs. The participants were women entrepreneurs who own micro businesses in the beauty industry, primarily

beauty salons, located in Harlem, Washington Heights, the South Bronx, as well as in other economically disadvantaged areas in Brooklyn and Queens. These women entrepreneurs, prior to this training, had never received business and financial management education. Those that completed the training feel they have been given the tools and the knowledge to better manage their business and business finances and are better prepared to apply for financial assistance, increasing their possibilities for survival, sustainability, and and growth. Participants attended the courses and committed to the program despite their busy schedules. NYWCC continues to work with the cohorts, providing one-on-one guidance and assisting them in implementing best practices learned during the training. Currently, we are working with the participants to help them create a business binder with all the business formation and regulatory documents. copies of all their business documentation, including business registration, permits, licenses, tax returns, financial statements, etc. This business binder will give them ownership and access to all their documentation, which is usually in the hands of their accountant or tax preparer.

Palisades Emergency Residence Corp (PERC Shelter)

PERC Emergency Shelter is in North Hudson, and provides emergency housing to this largely Latino, low to moderate income area. All their emergency shelter program participants are low - no income, unemployed or underemployed, disabled, or have other health, mental health, or substance abuse issues. They work with all 12 municipalities and Hudson County providers and agencies.

PERC has provided emergency shelter to 499 unduplicated homeless individuals thus far and continues to operate 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. During this period, PERC has purchased the following supplies to support the shelter operations: They purchased 25 mattresses for the shelter beds, and two laptops. They plan to purchase 15 additional mattresses by the end of the year. They also purchased paper goods, toiletry items, and cleaning supplies.

Part of the Solution, POTS

POTS proposed to use grant funds to enhance its ESOL offerings to the local community and provided a timetable listing the class sessions and levels it planned to offer in 2023. POTS successfully accomplished all goals outlined in its proposal. POTS’ goals for this program included the following: Hold two ESOL class sessions, each of which was to have at least 15 students, and meet twice a week for 4 months. 1. Track attendance and graduation rates for each class level in each semester. 2. Conduct CASAS eTests to determine improvement in the students’ English literacy skills. 3. We are proud to report that POTS achieved these goals. Each class began with at least 15 students and met twice a week for four months. Thanks to the support of the Ponce De Leon Foundation, POTS was able to help community members improve their language skills in 2023, strengthening the non- English speaking community in the Bronx by enhancing integration, fostering independence, and developing more inclusive and engaged neighborhoods.

Per Scholas

In 2021, Per Scholas enrolled617 New Yorkers across 39 cycles. Throughout 2021 they have been able to provide tech toolkits —including laptops, headsets, Mifi devices,

and webcams—to all 572 New Yorkers enrolled in remote courses. This does not include the Raspberry Pi handheld computing devices, which were distributed to all 298 learners enrolled in their remote12-week IT Support course. These devices allow learners to participate in crucial "Break and Fix"exercises, providing learners enrolled in our remote courses the hands-on experience needed to enter entry-level tech roles. Per Scholas will maintain and expand its connections with the tech industry leaders in NYC, and 80% of graduates will find full-time employment in New York's tech industry within one year of graduation. Since 2019, the Ponce De Leon Foundation has supported our e ff orts to launch tech careers for New Yorkers, regardless of their previous educational, employment, or economic background. Since then, Per Scholas has trained approximately 1650 New Yorkers in leading tech skills, and over 1270 graduates have used these skills to jump start their careers.

Project FIND

While at the onset of COVID 19, our congregate services and activities were halted, the Co ff eehouse Senior Center advocated for and received special permission to provide grab-and-go meals five days a week to the homeless. Through this expanded Day for

Night initiative, we are serving hot, nutritious meals to 25 homeless individuals each day, Monday through Friday.In addition to receiving a hot, nutritious to-go meal, our participants are fortunate to have the support and assistance of our social worker. Some examples of the services provided throughout that time frame included referrals to area senior centers, food pantries, and soup kitchens; enrolling participants in Housing Connects; and assisting them with applications for programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.

Queens Public Library Foundation

Queens Public Library Foundation requested a grant from the Ponce de Leon Foundation to fund two six-week offerings of Incubadora de Pequeñas Empresas, a Spanish-language version of our popular Small Business Incubator.

The Spring Cohort had more participants than the 20 that were projected in the initial proposal—36 individuals attended at least one workshop, and 25 participants completed the four workshop minimum that was required to graduate. Of the 36 participants, 13 participants also signed up for one-on-one consultations with business advisors. FSC-Creative, the curriculum development consultants, observed the Spring Cohort’s weekly workshops to provide real-time evaluation of the program, and made several adjustments to the curriculum to reflect the unique circumstances of asylum seekers. After the first workshop, for example, the curriculum was tailored to more introductory topics essential to people who are new to the United States, including: a more detailed breakdown of what LLCs are, how businesses function in New York, and information on how to start a business legally without a green card. These adjustments were critical to participants’ success, and the lessons learned from these changes will be carried into the Fall Cohort’s structure. Incubadora de Pequeñas Empresas helped budding Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs from the neighborhoods of Corona, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside turn their small businesses from concepts into reality.

SAPNA NYC, Inc.

Providing immediate food assistance to families in danger of going hungry and connecting families to benefits and services has been an essential mission for SapnaNYC. In addition, helping the community reduce food costs, providing access to di ff erent forms of financial assistance, and assisting with understanding policies like eviction moratoriums, directly impacts their ability to survive the next year in New York City.

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