Having recently marked my 10th anniversary as Chief Executive Officer at COJO Flatbush, it seemed an appropriate time to share with the community a few personal reflections, to take stock of what we’ve accomplished as an agency, to convey our expectations going forward, and to express my gratitude to those who have played such a significant role in our agency’s dynamic growth.
My first decade at COJO Flatbush has been both deeply fulfilling and profoundly humbling – fulfilling because there is no satisfaction equal to the feeling that comes from changing and, yes, saving lives; humbling because in serving others one realizes how thin the line is between poverty and sustenance, tragedy and good fortune, success and failure.
These years have not been without challenges, some of them severe – most notably a once-in-a-century pandemic that forced us to change the way we lived our lives, and an economic situation that resulted in skyrocketing costs for all products and services. We had to find new and creative ways to carry out our mandate undeterred and uninterrupted. I am proud to say that we – and I emphasize we – did so in a professional and empathetic manner, managing to widen the scope of our programs and services as well as launching new ones. To accommodate that growth, we’ve expanded our office space and now make full use of two complete floors at our agency’s Avenue M headquarters.
A significant and extremely popular addition to COJO’s roster of services has been our rapidly growing Tax Prep Center, which provides free tax-return preparation for eligible taxpayers, enabling families and individuals to keep more of their hard-earned income.
We’ve made changes to our Immigration Law Center and broadened its outreach, which now includes a partnership with City Council Member Susan Zhuang’s office in assisting constituents on immigration-related matters. That partnership will evolve to include services such as free tax prep, adult education, and more. Last year we welcomed Congresswoman Yvette Clarke’s satellite office to our headquarters, where her community liaison works with our clients on issues ranging from immigration to housing (Section 8) to veterans’ affairs.
These close working partnerships are a natural outgrowth of the relationships we’ve fostered with a wide array of political and communal leaders; combining our experience with that of elected officials like Yvette Clarke and Susan Zhuang can only make life better in our neighborhoods and our city.
We’ve also increased the frequency of our regularly scheduled Seniors events, with monthly Arts Parties, pre-holiday Senior Luncheons, and the newest treat: a magnificent Annual Summer Garden Party, held in a picturesque venue and featuring a full afternoon of interactive entertainment, dynamic speakers, and exquisite food. The Summer Garden Party has already taken its place – along with our annual Community Legislative Breakfast, our annual Chol HaMoed Family Fun Extravaganza, and our pre-holiday Food Distributions – as one of the red-letter days on the COJO calendar.
In addition, our Benefits and Entitlements Department – long an entryway to greater financial and nutritional security for thousands of Brooklynites – continues to set the highest standards for community service and outreach, and our Financial Services Department advises clients on matters of budgeting and financial management, offering personalized counseling for those grappling with excessive debt and other money problems. Meanwhile, our Adult Education Department’s free GED and computer classes provide a lifeline to people seeking to enlarge and improve their range of employment opportunities.
Of particular importance to me is COJO’s vital role in New York City’s Summer Youth Employment Program. As the city’s largest SYEP provider, our flexibility in matching young people with jobs suitable to their individual interests and aptitudes is a source of confidence for students and parents alike. The program is, in a very real sense, the lifeblood of the city, a training ground for young people on the cusp of adult responsibility – tomorrow’s professionals and business leaders and government officials.
COJO Flatbush certainly has plenty to be proud of, and I look forward to even greater growth in the coming decade, with more programs, services, and partnership opportunities with elected officials representing our city’s diverse communities. My hope is that COJO will always have the wherewithal to help the less fortunate among us, in every way possible, until they no longer need our help.
None of what we accomplish would be possible without the participation of a number of outstanding individuals whose devotion to our mission is truly remarkable, starting with our generous private donors and the elected officials whose funding constitutes COJO’s main source of support; our incredibly active and involved Board of Directors, headed by Moshe Zakheim, Larry Spiewak, and Leon Goldenberg; and our tireless Director of Social Services, Shulamis Shapiro, my partner for most of my tenure in everything I do at COJO.
Our terrific staff members, past and present, deserve special recognition for their hard work and caring interaction with those who turn to COJO – nearly thirty thousand unduplicated clients this past year – for help and support on so many levels. To say that I’m proud of our army of dedicated COJITES doesn’t begin to do justice to my deep appreciation for what they do.
I want to wish all our Board members, donors, staffers, clients, and the community at large health, safety, and financial security in the year ahead. And may everyone who is part of our COJO Flatbush family continue to share in the unmatched satisfaction of living out the meaning of our motto and mandate: HELP STARTS HERE!