Melville, NY - Feburary 5, 2014 - The Bank of America Charitable Foundation has named Adelante of Suffolk County, Inc, (Adelante) and Transitional Services of New York for Long Island, Inc. (TSLI) as recipients of the 2013 Neighborhood Builders® award. The Neighborhood Builders initiative is a strategic investment that couples leadership training with a $200,000 unrestricted grant for high-performing nonprofits that have made a significant impact addressing community development, critical needs or workforce development and education. Through the award, nonprofit leaders gain valuable skills and the freedom to apply funding where it is needed most.
“Adelante and TSLI are committed to improving their communities and the lives of people they work with,” said Bob Isaksen, Long Island president, Bank of America. “Both nonprofits offer a range of services to Long Islanders in need, empowering individuals along a path toward self-sufficiency.”
Adelante provides services to the communities of Suffolk County in the areas of health, education, employment, supported housing, leadership development, volunteerism and culture. A portion of the funds will go toward the organization’s computer skills training program, where families will learn how to utilize Microsoft Office through bilingual lessons designed to prepare students to perform in a variety of scenarios.
TSLI is a human service agency that provides housing and support services to mentally ill and homeless individuals and families. The organization will put its Neighborhood Builder grant toward their Special Employment Program (SEP), which provides job training experience to adults with a psychiatric diagnosis, some of whom may also be chemically addicted. The program employs individuals in various aspects of building maintenance such as office cleaning, painting, minor repairs, floors waxing and outdoor maintenance.
“With the funds provided through the Neighborhood Builder grant, TSLI will be able to double the amount of individuals that participate in SEP, as well as expand our support staff,” said Lindsay Meyer, director of operations, TSLI. “Having a job is vital for our participants to feel a sense of purpose, viability and self-actualization.”
According to the Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit advisor for mission-driven organizations and philanthropists, Neighborhood Builders is the largest investment in nonprofit leadership development, Neighborhood Builders is the largest investment in nonprofit leadership development, 2.5 times the next largest program (in spending) and the third largest in number of leaders served. Through the program, now in its tenth year, Bank of America has invested $160 million in 800 nonprofit organizations and provided training to 1,600 nonprofit leaders. Neighborhood Builders furthers the company’s broader philanthropic commitment to addressing core issues that are critical to the economic vitality of local economies, with a particular focus on low- and moderate-income communities.
Bank of America Corporate Social Responsibility
Bank of America’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic part of doing business globally. Our CSR efforts guide how we operate in a socially, economically, financially and environmentally responsible way around the world, to deliver for shareholders, customers, clients and employees. Our goal is to help create economically vibrant regions and communities through lending, investing and giving. By partnering with our stakeholders, we create value that empowers individuals and communities to thrive and contributes to the long-term success of our business. We have several core areas of focus for our CSR, including responsible business practices; environmental sustainability; strengthening local communities with a focus on housing, hunger and jobs; investing in global leadership development; and engaging through arts and culture. As part of these efforts, employee volunteers across the company contribute their time, passion and expertise to address issues in communities where they live and work. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about and follow us on Twitter at @BofA_Community.