Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries Providing resources to asylum seekers

Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries’ (RMM) Migrant and Homelessness Support Program has responded to the recent influx of asylum seekers by addressing the emergency and long term needs of the unhoused. Located across the street from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the initiative is a first line of support for newly arrived migrant families. 

Utilizing WSCF grant funds, RMM partnered with Artists-Athletes-Activists to open a twice-weekly all day resource center, ROCC (Resources, Opportunities, Connections & Community). On Wednesdays and Thursdays, participants and their families can find legal and human resource support, trauma-informed support groups, clothing, and food. Currently, the program provides emergency supplies and food to nearly 500 individuals per week.

In one instance, RMM secured a comfortable stroller for a family with a disabled daughter. Accustomed to carrying their seven year old everywhere, this family continues to meet with ROCC team members weekly for assistance in finding more support for their child. Currently, RMM is working to obtain a wheelchair for her.

NYC Salt Broadening horizons through photography

High School Residency, a digital photography program by NYC Salt, uplifts students of historically marginalized backgrounds by investing in their creativity. Participants embrace their artistry while building relationships and gaining invaluable professional experience. The Chelsea program includes two exhibitions where students display and present their work, fostering much-needed skills in public speaking, socialization, and confidence in a post-pandemic world.

Due to a WSCF grant, each participant received individualized attention during the college application process. As a result, 100% of the senior class received acceptance letters. Every rising senior is a first generation college student. 

Audrea, a Residency participant, reflected, “Growing up I did not think I would go to college. My excuse was financial, but deeper than that, it was the fear of allowing myself to want bigger things. No one I knew had successfully completed college… Salt changed that. They were the first to see my creativity as more than a doodle on a page but as the beginnings of a future. Salt helped me realize that doing something creative could be turned into a job. I met all kinds of people in creative jobs, and through getting to know these people, I came to realize that creativity and money were not mutually exclusive. If I hadn’t been in Salt, I would be surviving instead of living right now.”

S3VEN Inc. Interrupting violence and raising awareness

S3V3N Inc. works to bring awareness and resources to the west side community to combat domestic violence. This fall, its Domestic Violence Awareness Symposium and Teen Mentorship events held at the Fulton Community Center provided participants with preventative measures and interventions to recognize and escape abusive situations. 

With funding from a WSCF grant, S3V3N Inc. held workshops dedicated to topics such as anger management and parenting. The organization also established an emergency hotline for crisis support. Home visits were made to families and survivors of domestic violence to provide therapy referrals, share insight about obtaining legal protection from abusers, and discuss safety planning.

One of many attendees from the community, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal lauded the importance of S3V3N’s symposium and mentorship programs, emphasizing the necessity of spreading awareness. Holyman-Sigal noted that breaking the silence and speaking up about abuse is a major step in affecting change.