When the pandemic first hit, we all went into information overdrive. Information about the coronavirus’s severity and health protocols was changing by the minute; it was overwhelming. Having clear and accurate information about COVID-19 and our response to it was a matter of life and death – especially for direct service providers. But, thanks to The Bronx Health and Housing Consortium, over 60 hospitals, health homes, community-based organizations, managed care plans, and government agencies got rapid access to the information they needed to serve the most vulnerable New Yorkers.
“After a decade of fostering deep relationships in The Bronx, we knew we had a unique role to play in bridging the gap between government agencies and frontline workers,” says Bonnie Mohan, Executive Director of The Bronx Health and Housing Consortium. “We began organizing virtual townhalls where medical experts were able to speak to our member organizations, so they could better support our borough as it confronts a multitude of crises at the intersection of the sectors we exist to serve.”
Getting everyone together – and on such short notice – was no easy matter, but it’s what The Bronx Health and Housing Consortium does best. Started in 2011 and incorporated as a 501-c-3 in 2017, they have brought together organizations in the health, housing, and homelessness sectors to improve healthcare systems for the most disadvantaged New Yorkers.
“We started doing this work before we ever had a way to pay for it,” says Bonnie Mohan. “It was a passion project for us, and we are proud to see the impact our work has had on The Bronx and beyond.”
In addition to organizing town halls, The Bronx Health and Housing Consortium carries out the only hospital homeless census that provides crucial data about the number of homeless people seeking care or shelter in New York City emergency departments. They recently launched a newsletter that includes news, resources, and funding opportunities to its member organizations.
Equitably disseminating information and bringing people together to work on shared challenges is invaluable; that’s why we decided to recognize their work with a $10,000 Small Business Recovery Grant sponsored by the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York. If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that nonprofits are a lifeline for our communities in times of crisis. Unfortunately, their vital work is too often uncompensated. With our Small Business Recovery Grant, we wanted to honor The Bronx Health and Housing Consortium’s efforts. It was the least we could do.
“2020 was a hard year for us,” says Bonnie Mohan. “The pandemic made us lose crucial funding sources while also making our work more demanding. Spring Bank’s flexible grant will allow us to be responsive to the needs of our community.”
“Because of this grant, we can carry out an eviction training moratorium that will help our community address the incoming housing crisis,” she continues. “We could not be more grateful for Spring Bank’s support and partnership.”
Supporting nonprofits is a part of our core mission as a community-based and community-informed bank. To learn more about how we can assist your nonprofit organization, check out our blog on nonprofit lending. You can also learn more about the Small Business Recovery Grant Program and the nine other nonprofits we supported here.