Earlier this month, LIFT-New York hosted a meal for families we’ve been working closely with since moving to the Bronx last year. More than 38 parents and children filled our space that evening, leading to an office that buzzed with activity and chatter in both English and Spanish.
The supper was a chance for the families we work with to meet LIFT-New York’s team members – who with the exception of Executive Director Unique Braithwaite and Front Desk Associate Maggy Ureña, are all new (and eager to start LIFTing)!
The parents and caregivers in attendance were also able to learn more about some of our newest program offerings, like:
- Access to public benefits so families can directly apply (or recertify) for SNAP/food stamps at our office
- Free tax preparation and assistance with Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
- Credit and debt management counseling and assistance with identity theft
- Legal services for those facing eviction or having a dispute with their public benefits case
- Financial empowerment coaching, where families are assigned LIFT advocates who will work with them over the course of a year to provide tools and resources to identify financial goals and action steps in order to meet those goals
The evening ended with individual family photos and a ton of hugs. But this won’t be the first or last family event in our office. As we work to re-engage new members in New York, we look forward to hosting more events like this.
If you’re interested in joining, or in helping us host one, please let us know by emailing our Senior Development Manager, Yasmine Taylor-Hart ([email protected])! And stay tuned across LIFT’s social media for updates on what’s next.