What they do: Make the Road New York (MRNY) is the largest participatory immigrant organization in New York with 20,000+ members. With vibrant community centers in Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond, Staten Island; and Brentwood, Long Island, MRNY gives voice to thousands of immigrants and working class New Yorkers through community organizing, educates tomorrow’s leaders and provides services to support families.
How they do it: Make the Road New York promotes equal rights and economic and political opportunity for immigrant New Yorkers through: Community and Electoral Organizing, Leadership Development, Adult Education, Youth Development, Legal and Health Services and Strategic Policy Advocacy.
Mission: MRNY builds the power of Latinx and working class communities of color to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education and the provision of survival services.
Major funding: Hagedorn Foundation, Robin Hood Foundation, Single Stop USA, New York State Department of Health/Community Service Society, United Way of New York City, New York State Education Department
Profit/Nonprofit: Non-profit
Annual Budget: $16,797,537
Interesting fact about how they are working to positively affect the food system: Make the Road NY’s Bushwick neighbors and pantry client-volunteers help harvest fresh vegetables grown at their community garden, Grove St. Farm, for distribution at their weekly food pantry!
FACT SHEET:
Location: Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond, Staten Island; and Brentwood, Long Island
Core Health Department Programs:
- Health Insurance Enrollment
- Food Stamp Enrollment
- Healthcare navigation services (including lowering hospital bills)
- Community Health Worker training and services
- Food pantry
- Grove Street Farm
- Partnership with Bushwick Campus High School – food justice programming, coordination with campus farm and service provision
Number of staff: 185
Number of volunteers: 50
Areas Served:
- Brooklyn
- Staten Island
- Queens
- Long Island
Date Started: Make the Road New York was created in the fall of 2007 through the merger of Make the Road by Walking and the Latin American Integration Center. Make the Road by Walking was founded in 1997 and the Latin American Integration Center was founded in 1992.
Contact for MRNY’s health department: Becca Telzak- rebecca.telzak@maketheroadny.org
Contact for MRNY’s food access work: Amy Richards – amy.richards@maketheroadny.org
Website: www.maketheroadny.org
Photo credit: Amy Richards, Make the Road New York
