2 0 1 8
ANNUAL REPORT
PAGEÂ 1
NMIC staff identifies and addresses a broad array of immediate needs, integrating numerous crisis intervention services under one roof. With their crises resolved, clients move seamlessly to capacity-building programs designed to support them as they develop the tools to transition to self-sufficiency. NMIC is stronger than ever thanks to our continually expanding support network, which comes together to donate time, resources, and talent in support of our mission, allowing us to impact over 14,000 clients per year. Thank you for championing our work and community.
MARIA LIZARDO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NMIC
PAGEÂ 2
OUR MISSION Our mission is to serve as a catalyst for positive change in the lives of the people in our community on their paths to secure and prosperous futures.
OUR HISTORY Since 1979 NMIC began in a small apartment on 181st Street and St. Nicholas Avenue with a staff of just two, ready to meet the needs of a growing immigrant population, primarily from the Dominican Republic.
PAGEÂ 3
OUR WORK NMIC provides a wide array of free services and programs that propels our clients from crisis to self-sufficiency and empowers individuals with the tools they need to prosper.
EDUCATION & CAREER SERVICES Pages 4-7
SOCIAL SERVICES Pages 8-10
LEGAL SERVICES Pages 11-16
WEATHERIZATION Page 17
PAGE 4
EDUCATION & CAREER SERVICES NMIC’s Education & Career Services Department offers a comprehensive set of services to support community members as they build the tools to move on to college, advanced training, and careers with livable wages.
Our education services bridge real-world skills with extensive educational and technical support. Our English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and English Conversation courses allow a community of immigrants to further their pursuit of the American dream and expand their access to opportunities. Other programs provide space for young adults and adults to continue their education by completing their High School Equivalency Diplomas (HSE). For clients on the path to higher education, NMIC provides guidance in the search and application process and also ongoing counseling that supports students on their new journey. Whether our client is an immigrant in search of opportunities to build a strong foundation or a young parent seeking to complete their education, NMIC’s education services provide the tools they need to transition into college, advanced training, or a prosperous career.
PAGE 5
WORKFORCE TRAINING NMIC’s workforce training programs allow students to develop professional skills and earn credentials that are recognized nationally in a variety of fields and disciplines. Programs like Jobs to Build On, allow young adults and adults to build a foundation of skill certifications, and training designed to propel their paths into the workforce. Customer Service training, Food Service training, Home Health Aide training, Security training, and more. NMIC’s Workforce Training programs offer our clients a clear path towards advancement.
1,698
Were served in different Education & Career Services programs, including workforce training in 2018.
PAGEÂ 6
JOB READINESS AND TRAINING Resume writing, job search and interview skills, and professional etiquette are just a selection of what our job readiness initiatives offer clients. These services support job seekers as they develop the tools they need to acquire employment and thrive in their new roles.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT Our career development initiatives offer clients tailored guidance in building new careers with access to interviewing and paid internship opportunities with local employers, along with the ongoing support needed to ensure retention and advancement.
PAGEÂ 7
JOEY FERNANDEZ Client, Education & Career Services
I DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AT AGE 14 AND WAS STRUGGLING TO FIND MY PLACE IN THE WORLD. Through NMIC's GED/HSE program, I gained the academic tools necessary to continue my education, and also found mentors who helped me earn my GED, do well in community college, and get accepted to Georgetown University, where I study today and will earn my bachelor's degree.
PAGE 8
SOCIAL SERVICES NMIC’s Social Services department provides health supports, tax assistance, and intensive case management services.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Victims and survivors of domestic violence are provided with a full array of supportive services that enable them to recover and regain their strength and selfsufficiency. We provide community-based counseling, safety planning, child welfare, and mental health support services. These platforms help allow our clients to find the courage, support, and tools they need to break free of oppressive circumstances.
TAX ASSISTANCE NMIC helps low-income families with free tax preparation services, including guidance finding appropriate credits and refunds. This service creates the potential for significant positive changes in their financial futures.
PAGE 9
HEALTH SUPPORT NMIC offers a variety of programs that support community members to maintain and improve their physical and mental health. These services and programs include the Juntos Podemos/Connections to Care program, run in partnership with Teachers College, Columbia University. The program offers clients mental health screenings, access to professional counseling, and access to psychological services at Teachers College, Columbia University. Access to quality health care can be a challenge for the communities we serve, so providing channels to quality health services is a top priority. Whether with emergency room visits, finding the right insurance plan, or caring for children with asthma, our community health support initiatives give clients the professional support they need to lead happy and healthy lives.
1,377
Individuals screened for mental health needs such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
PAGE 10
ZORAYA SANCHEZ Client, Domestic Violence Project
I AM A SURVIVOR OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND AN ADVOCATE FOR OTHER SURVIVORS. With NMIC’s support through counseling and therapy, I learned to value myself, trust others, and have confidence in my own decision making. I am a resilient mother of four children forging a better world for them.
PAGE 11
LEGAL SERVICES NMIC’s Legal Services department offers holistic advocacy and representation to obtain and preserve community members’ legal rights.
CONSUMER DEBT Consumer debt can weigh heavily on an individual and affect family members as well. With assistance from our legal team's services, individuals receive legal representation to reduce debt and collection activity and can access financial literacy services.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Providing support to domestic violence survivors is a holistic practice at NMIC. Our legal services address victims' unique housing, immigration, public benefits, and consumer debt needs in coordination with our social services supports.
PAGE 12
BENEFIT SCREENING/ ENROLLMENT Our benefit screening/enrollment initiative helps individuals and families find the proper assistance they need to sustain adequate and healthy living conditions and circumstances. From navigating through the complex health system and finding the best health insurance plan to sharing information and access to over 40 public benefits and social services.Â
$12.6 MILLION + Secured in benefits value for clients in 2018.
PAGE 13
IMMIGRATION 2018 has shown a continuation of the anti-immigrant rhetoric that has been prominent in the country, and in this past year we’ve seen these notions reflected in new policies, procedures, and practices. Our legal team took on these challenges and continued our work to protect individuals and families who faced the fear of an uncertain future or were seeking avenues of refuge. With the help of our donors and supporters, NMIC’s legal team assisted on 2,723 legal issues, including helping 186 individuals naturalize. In addition to naturalization/citizenship applications, we helped with DACA applications, Battered Spouse Waivers, and Temporary Protective Status petitions, among many other forms of immigrant relief. NMIC’s legal team has aided NYC’s community of immigrants with the support they need to achieve the American dream.
9,000+ NMIC's Legal Department handled 9,751 cases involving issues like immigration, housing, consumer debt, and domestic violence.
PAGE 14
HOUSING Low-income families face a multitude of difficulties when it comes to housing in NYC. Poor living conditions and the pressure of gentrification are among a few of the many challenges that make living in rent-stabilized housing a great difficulty.  Through our work with a legal team of lawyers, paralegals, and interns, NMIC advocates for families who lack the means to protect and defend themselves from unjust evictions, landlord harassment, and the need for critical repairs. In 2018 alone, NMIC assisted over 3,000 families in cases involving unlawful evictions and harmful rent hikes, and provided families with emergency funds to prevent homelessness.
7,300 In 2018, NMIC's Legal team addressed 7,300 immigration, benefits, and housing cases and prevented 1,379 evictions.
PAGE 15
UNION COMUNAL The Community Union of Washington Heights & Inwood, or Union Communal, was founded almost 30 years ago. Union Comunal is guided by the desire to see the Washington Heights and Inwood community thrive economically, socially, and politically, and to protect residents against the many violations that afflict low-income communities.
$7.5MILLION
In 2018, Union Comunal raised over 7.5 million dollars from the New York City Council to revitalize the Audubon Playground in Washington Heights
PAGE 16
SANDRA HARRIS Board Chair
HOUSING SECURITY IS A FOUNDATION THAT PROMOTES FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL WELL BEING. I am proud of NMIC's commitment to protecting people's right to quality, safe, and affordable housing, which enhances their opportunities to pursue their aspirations for a brighter tomorrow.
PAGE 17
WEATHERIZATION NMIC’s Weatherization department offers environmental, health, and economic benefits to our community.
WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE The Weatherization Assistance Program plays a critical role in improving the living conditions for many low-income residents throughout Manhattan. In 2018, our Weatherization program helped 350 families increase the energy efficiency of their units, which resulted in reduced energy consumption, lifting the burden of high heating and cooling costs.
AIR CONDITIONING PROGRAM Our Air Conditioning program provides much-needed assistance to individuals who suffer from conditions that may worsen or become fatal without proper cooling systems in their homes during the hot spring and summer months.
PAGE 18
OUR LEADERS EXECUTIVE BOARD
EXECUTIVE STAFF
Sandra Harris, LMSW, MS Board Chair
Maria Lizardo, LMSW Executive Director
Seny Taveras, JD Board Member Edward Cuesta Board Member Evelyn De La Rosa Secretary Juan Arteaga, Esq. Board Member
Rosaura Morales Chief Financial Officer Greg Bangser Chief Program Officer Rosanna Montilla-Payano Director of Development Misratu Saka Director of Human Resources
SENIOR STAFF
Cheryl Kallem Board Treasurer
Sara Chapman Director of Education & Career Services
Nathalie Tejada Board Member
Dan Rieber Director of Weatherization
John Lyons Board Member
Rodrigo Sanchez-Camus, Esq. Director of Legal Services Evan Hess Director of Organizing
PAGE 19
THANK YOU to the individuals, community members, and organizations that make being a catalyst for positive change possible. COMMUNITY SUPPORT Trinity Church Wall Street
TeamLogic IT
A&C
Marathon Energy
Van Ameringen Foundation, Inc.
Mutual of America
Association for Energy Affordability (AEA)
NewYork- Presbyterian Hospital
Apartment House Supply Co. Inc.
Pronto Gas Heating Supplies
Catholic Charities
Rathe Associates
Community League of the Heights (CLOTH)
Riverdale Electrical Services
Columbia University Medical Center
Pomerantz LLP
Crowell Moring LLP
SOMOS Community Care
Cyrus D. Mehta & Partners, PLLC
Spectrum
DDR Consulting Services , LLC
Sterling Sanitary Supply
Dependable Office Supplies, Inc.
The Law Offices of Lynne R. Newkofsky
Dominican Women’s Development Center
The Wright Group, Inc.
Eccovia
Tunstall Corporation
Finger Management
Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ)
Isabella Geriatric Center
USI Insurance Services
Lemle & Wolff, Inc.
VBHC Value Homes Private Limited
PAGE 20
FOUNDATIONS AND CORPORATIONS City National Bank Con Edison Ecomundo Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Inc. The MUFG Foundation Poverty Justice Solutions Ridgewood Savings Bank Robin Hood Foundation Santander Bank Single Stop USA Sterling National Bank The M&T Charitable Foundation The New York Community Trust Times Square Alliance
PARTNER/AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS Columbia University Medical Center CUNY Service Corps Food Bank for New York City Hispanic Federation Homeless Services United Human Services Council LEAP National Association of Social Workers (NASW) New York Cares New York City Employment & Training Coalition New York City Network of Worker Cooperatives (NOWC) New York Immigration Coalition Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York The New York Legal Services Coalition United Neighborhood Houses
45 Wadsworth Avenue New York, NY 10032