Brooklyn Community Foundation Commits $1,485,000 to Support Older Adults

Brooklyn has the second-most residents older than 65 than any other county in the state, with one in five living in poverty 

(Brooklyn, N.Y.) — Brooklyn Community Foundation, the first and only public foundation solely dedicated to Brooklyn, today announced $1,485,000 in new funding from its Brooklyn Elders Fund to support 14 local nonprofits.

Brooklyn Elders Fund grants support Access to Benefits and Entitlements, Aging in Place, and Promoting Elders’ Rights⁠. Across all of its funding areas, Brooklyn Community Foundation’s strategic grantmaking advances racial justice and prioritizes organizations that are BIPOC-led, have relatively small budgets, and often face systemic barriers in accessing grants compared to white-led organizations.

“As the population of older adults continues to grow in our borough and around New York City, we know that we need to invest in the nonprofits who are showing up for this vulnerable population each and every day,” said Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, President and CEO of Brooklyn Community Foundation. “That’s why we are so proud to announce this year’s Brooklyn Elders Fund grant recipients, a wide selection of nonprofits who devote time and resources to help older adults improve their mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.”

Grants were awarded through the Foundation’s participatory grantmaking approach, bringing together older adults from across Brooklyn to review grant applications, attend site visits, and ultimately provide funding recommendations.

“Having lived in Brooklyn for the past 40 years, I’ve seen firsthand the issues that affect our older population – be it healthcare, housing, transportation, or food insecurity,” said Selma Jackson, a Brooklyn Elders Fund Advisory Council member. “Now that I'm a member of this population, I feel even stronger about stepping up and supporting programs that enrich our lives. It’s exciting to finally choose a strong selection of nonprofits after a year of sorting through applications, conducting site visits, and discussing with others about the stand-out applicants.”

“I’ve spent my career in the nonprofit sector, and was blown away by the participatory process that Brooklyn Community Foundation employs through all of their grantmaking initiatives. I was honored to be part of that selection process,” said Monique Brizz-Walker, a Brooklyn Elders Fund Advisory Council member. “And how special it is to see the final list of recipients, especially those I got a chance to visit in-person.”

The recipients of the 2023 Brooklyn Elders Fund grants are:

Three-year funding

• Access Justice Brooklyn
• Asian American Federation
• Brooklyn Community Pride Center
• CABS Home Attendants Service, Inc.
• Height and Hills
• YWCA of Brooklyn

Two-year funding

• Bloom Again Brooklyn
• Breaking Ground
• Bridge Street Development Corporation
• Caring Kind
• Council of People Organization
• Release Aging People in Prison
• The Doula Program

One-year funding

• GRIOT Circle

About Brooklyn Community Foundation

Brooklyn Community Foundation is on a mission to spark lasting social change, mobilizing people, capital, and expertise for a fair and just Brooklyn. It is the first and only public foundation solely dedicated to Brooklyn’s charitable community, working in partnership with generous donors and community leaders to advance racial justice and bolster vital nonprofits. Since its founding in 2009, the Foundation and its donors have provided over $90 million in grants to nonprofits in Brooklyn and beyond. Learn more at www.BrooklynCommunityFoundation.org.

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