January 2023 – Notes from NMIC
January is a month that marks new beginnings for many. For others, like us, it is a reminder of the commitment we have made to you, which 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. Join us in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by recognizing the profound impact he achieved throughout the world by calling out for the improvement of the well-being of our communities. Dr. King once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” Our community members need access to the tools to secure long-term and large-scale improvements to their lives. His dreams have continued to influence the world long after his passing, and NMIC’s wrap-around services aim to optimize those dreams.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day: National Day of Service
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the entire nation reflected upon the life and work of Dr. King, who was a Baptist minister and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement. MLK Day serves multiple purposes each year: It honors the legacy of King, focuses on the issue of civil rights, and calls people into public service. To honor the civil rights icon, New Yorkers across the city took time to perform a day of service to remember King’s teachings on justice, peace, love, community, and equality. Let us all honor these teachings not only on MLK day, but every day of the year, as we fight for a New York where all community members can access secure and prosperous futures.
If you are interested in volunteering for NMIC to serve as a catalyst for positive change in our community, please fill out a volunteer form here.
High School Students Organized a Clothing Drive for NMIC’s DVP
Young activists at The Clinton School from the Clinton Students Demand Action group reached out to us last month because they wanted to organize a winter clothing drive for our domestic violence survivors. Their high school action group was created to fight against gun violence, and the apparent links between domestic violence and firearm ownership.
“Clinton Students Demand Action is honored to work with NMIC and host a drive at our school. We acknowledge the overlap between domestic violence and gun violence, and we are committed to helping our community,” Sofia Dib-Gomez, Clinton Students Demand Action.
We are deeply touched by their gesture and generosity of the student volunteers, and we are impressed by their commitment to their advocacy work for gun safety legislation.
Click here to learn more about Students Demand Action.
Mount Sinai’s Black Women Leaders Connect
One of the wonderful things about the holiday season is the opportunity to give to others, which is exactly what Mount Sinai’s Black Women Leaders Connect did last month. Black Women Leaders Connection is a collective of executive and senior-level Black women administrative leaders with a mission to nurture and guide women within their communities. The collective graciously donated gift funds for the purchase of gift cards this month so that families experiencing domestic violence could celebrate Three Kings’ Day.
Donations like this help give survivors the tools and autonomy they need to build secure and prosperous futures. Click here to learn more about NMIC’s Domestic Violence Project and click here to donate today.
DoorDash Delivers Good
We are excited to join forces again with DoorDash through their Community Credits program! Community Credits provides DoorDash gift cards directly to nonprofit organizations to empower the communities they serve, reduce food insecurity, and expand programs and that access to opportunity, and we are delighted to make these available to the students in our Education & Career Services program. With this partnership, we’ll be providing meals to our community members. Sara Chapman, our Director of Education & Career Services, said, “Participants are not only thankful for the unexpected generosity, but also because they found the assistance very valuable in having the choice on how to nourish themselves.”
To learn more about how you can partner with us, visit our more ways to give webpage.
Promise NYC: All Children, Regardless of Immigration Status, Deserve Quality Childcare
Promise NYC is a program funded by New York City that will cover the cost of childcare for children who are ineligible for federally subsidized services due to their immigration status. All children deserve the opportunity to succeed, and we hope that this program will alleviate stress for undocumented parents.
“Insurmountable childcare costs are often a barrier to families seeking access to education, employment, and stable housing. That burden is particularly heavy for immigrant families who are ineligible for assistance. NMIC is proud to partner with the Administration of Children’s Services to offer childcare assistance to undocumented parents and children in our community; assistance that will alleviate families’ childcare cost burden so they can work toward secure and prosperous futures,” Maria Lizardo, LMSW, Executive Director.
We want to thank all the elected officials who advocated tirelessly for this program. The city has contracted four community organizations that will oversee selecting immigrant families who need help with care of their children. Center for Family Life will serve families in Brooklyn, NMIC will serve families in the Bronx and Manhattan, La Colmena will serve families in Staten Island, and the Chinese American Planning Council will serve families in Queens.
Click here to learn more about Promise NYC.
NMIC in the News
- City Limits recently wrote an article on Promise NYC, a $10 million program that aims to care for 600 children between January and June 2023. The city has contacted four community organizations that will oversee selecting immigrant families who need help with care of their children, one of which is NMIC. Click here to read more.
- Life in the largely Black and Latino communities of northern Manhattan is significantly shorter than it is elsewhere in New York City. In fact, residents of central and east Harlem can expect to live four to five years fewer, on average, than people in the rest of the city, according to the New York City Department of Mental Health and Hygiene. Columbia University Irving Medical Center recently wrote an article on their work addressing health disparities through partnerships with local organizations, including NMIC. Click here to read more.
Observances
- Stalking Awareness Month
- January 1, New Year’s Day
- January 6, Día de los Reyes
- January 9, First Anniversary of the Tragic Fire in the Bronx
- January 16, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- January 24, International Day of Education
- January 27, International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
