ANNUAL REPORT
20
23
Building Hope in NYC – Letter from POTS Executive Director
Dear reader,
2023 was a remarkable year of growth and renewal for Part of the Solution as we deepened our commitment to supporting our community. Building on our mission and values, we launched exciting projects and partnerships to address urgent needs, strengthen community ties, and provide a foundation for brighter futures.
With thoughtful planning and thanks to our network of supporters, we achieved several milestones:
- We opened a second location at 2450 Grand Concourse, which now houses our Legal Clinic, Development, Finance, and Communications departments, along with a large classroom where many clients can get the resources they need to get closer to financial stability and self-sufficiency.
- We began transforming our original headquarters, expanding the space for our pantry, long-term client services, and an outdoor community gathering area.
- Our new workforce-mentoring program gave clients access to education, training, job fairs, and resources for sustainable careers, with the first cohort graduating on June 30, 2023!
- We launched a Community Advisory Committee to deepen our understanding of our neighbors’ challenges and to amplify their voices in conversations with funders and government representatives.
- We joined forces with other nonprofit advocacy groups to champion our community’s needs in New York City, Albany, and Washington, DC.
As we increased our capacity to serve, we saw a surge in clients seeking food and essential services, even as public resources allocated to the Bronx declined. Rising costs of food, rent, and a persistent shortage of affordable housing added significant burdens, with the majority of adults in our area struggling to make ends meet.
Though combating poverty can feel like an uphill journey, we are motivated by our clients’ resilience, grit, and unwavering faith in the future. Our dedicated staff and diverse volunteers inspire each other, uniting across different backgrounds to form a strong, compassionate community, working tirelessly to fight poverty and hunger in the Bronx with enduring hope.
Join us in this vital mission. Learn more about the future of our organization and the many ways in which you can support us by visiting https://potsbronx.org/english/breaking-the-cycle/
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
POTS’ MISSION TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY
Our community struggles with poverty
- More than 75% of adults do not have enough income to pay for the true cost of living: housing, health care, food, transportation, childcare, etc.
- Public benefits, such as food stamps and housing vouchers, may not be enough to get them through the month and are difficult to access.
- People initially come to POTS for food for themselves and their families or for help to avoid eviction.
- 25% of all eviction proceedings in the State of New York are in the Bronx and 10% of residents of the borough received an eviction notice in 2023.
POTS addresses the most urgent needs of our clients and works with them to understand their stories and concerns. With kindness, love, and respect, we offer to help them on the path to a more sustainable future.
POTS’ Programs
Dignity & Wellness Services offers clients in need a shower program, haircuts, a secure mailing address, and access to dental care and substance abuse counseling.
Food Services provide anyone who comes to our door with pantry service (groceries and other nutritional food) and a community kitchen, which serves delicious, nutritious lunch weekdays year-round.
Long Term Stability Services helps clients in their journey from crisis to stability by offering coordinated services tailored to the individual and their family, including case management, a legal clinic focused on avoiding evictions, a workforce development program, and a mentorship program.
POTS Impact in 2023
Meals
Provided through lunch service and pantry.
People served
Evictions prevented
- We served more than 34,000 New Yorkers, helping them and their families move from crisis towards stability.
- We distributed more than 2.8 million nourishing meals.
- We provided access to showers, a secure mailing address, medical services, and other critical services to thousands of people in need.
- We protected our community by preventing more than 300 evictions.
- Our dedicated mentors worked with more than 1,000 households to help clients achieve transformational goals in their journey towards stability.
POTS: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty for Generations in the Bronx
POTS is deeply committed to helping individuals and families in the Bronx overcome the cycle of poverty. Our mission is to empower clients to move from personal crisis to stability, paving the way for brighter futures. With this goal, we are continuously expanding our capacity and evolving our services to meet the community’s needs, providing the support necessary for clients to thrive.
In 2023, we proudly opened a new center at 2450 Grand Concourse. This facility enables us to help more clients build work skills and enhance earning power, with a special focus on training for roles in growing industries. In collaboration with The HOPE Program, we connect our clients with education, training, job fairs, and resources to improve their job readiness. Our expanded space has also allowed our Legal Services team to grow, supporting more clients on housing issues, and prioritizing eviction prevention.
Meanwhile, on Webster Avenue, we have been working to expand our facilities to accommodate our community’s growing needs. We have demolished the building housing our original soup kitchen to make way for an enlarged pantry, offering clients a dignified, self-select shopping experience. Since COVID-19, the demand for these services has doubled, and we are committed to meeting this need.
The Webster Avenue renovation also provides more privacy for client conversations focused on Long Term Stability Services. Behind the building, we’re creating a new outdoor area that will host community events, furthering our promise to foster a compassionate, supportive environment in the Bronx.
From left to right
Assembly member George Alvarez, representing District 78 in The Bronx
Former Chief Program Officer of The HOPE Program, Ana Chapman
POTS’ Executive Director, Christina Hanson,
Chair of POTS’ Board of Directors, Keith Pagnani.
COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE – Advocating for our Neighbors
In 2023, POTS took a significant step forward in strengthening our commitment to community-driven advocacy and decision-making by launching the POTS Community Advisory Committee. Dedicated representatives from our neighborhood joined the Committee and bring invaluable perspectives on the issues facing our community. By meeting regularly with our leadership, these representatives share insights into the daily challenges faced by residents, helping POTS to better understand the evolving needs of our clients.
The establishment of the Community Advisory Committee underscores our commitment to creating spaces where the voices of our community can be elevated and heard. We believe that by empowering our neighbors to actively participate in the conversation about our programs and services, we can foster a more inclusive and responsive approach to addressing poverty in the Bronx.
Beyond internal discussions, the Committee plays a vital role in helping POTS advocate for the Bronx community with city, state, and federal government. Our representatives amplify the needs and concerns of our community, working alongside us to ensure that policy-makers understand the real impact of legislative and funding decisions on the lives of those we serve.
Thanks to their contributions, POTS received the 2023 City Harvest Advocacy Award for “outstanding advocacy against hunger and its root causes throughout the past year.”
MEET OUR CLIENTS
At POTS, we believe that hearing directly from our clients is one of the most powerful ways to understand the impact of our work. Our clients’ stories, filled with resilience, hope, and determination, offer a firsthand perspective on the challenges they face and the ways in which POTS has been able to make a meaningful difference in their lives. Learn more about our client’s experiences here:
Financials
Thanks to the support of our donors, we maintained a strong financial position throughout 2023. Our commitment to using donated funds efficiently has paid off in terms of low management and fundraising costs.
REVENUE
| Individuals & Community Groups | $1,463,117 | |
| Government | $1,906,952 | |
| Foundations & Corporations | $2,234,752 | |
| Special Events | $1,092,774 | |
| In-kind | $1,389,813 | |
| Other | $441,683 | |
| TOTAL REVENUES | $8,529,091 |
EXPENSES
| Food security program | $3,773,526 | |
| Long Term Stability Program | $3,093,165 | |
| Dignity and Wellness Program | $451,539 | |
| Management and general | $541,341 | |
| Fundraising | $834,234 | |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | $8,693,805 |
PART OF THE SOLUTION AND AFFILIATE AUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES
| ASSETS | 2023 |
|---|---|
| ASSETS | 2023 |
| Cash and cash equivalent | $8,970,712 |
| Restricted cash | $2,189,091 |
| Investments | $248,184 |
| Contributions and grants receivable | $749,944 |
| Prepaid expenses and other assets | $122,993 |
| Right of use assets, operating leases | $34,801 |
| Property and equipment, net | $7,040,808 |
| ASSETS | $19,356,533 |
| LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS | 2021 |
|---|---|
| LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS | 2023 |
| LIABILITIES | |
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | $275,969 |
| Deferred revenue | $410,001 |
| Operating lease liabilities | $34,909 |
| LIABILITIES | $720,879 |
| NET ASSETS | $18,395,940 |
| NET ASSETS | 2021 |
|---|---|
| WITHOUT DONOR RESTRICTIONS | |
| Undesignated | $14,018,001 |
| Board designated for capital campaign | $1,650,000 |
| Total net assets without donor restrictions | $15,668,001 |
| With donor restrictions | $2,967,653 |
| NET ASSETS | $18,635,654 |
| LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS | $19,356,533 |
| OPERATING REVENUE WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS | |
|---|---|
| OPERATING REVENUE WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS | 2023 |
| Contributions | $1,291,414 |
| Government Grants | $1,701,952 |
| Foundations and corporate contributions | $677,484 |
| Special events, net of expenses | $1,092,774 |
| In-kind contributions | $1,389,813 |
| Investment income | $428,989 |
| Miscellaneous income | $12,694 |
| OPERATING REVENUE WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS | $6,595,120 |
| OPERATING REVENUE WITH RESTRICTIONS | |
|---|---|
| OPERATING REVENUE WITH RESTRICTIONS | |
| Contributions | $171,703 |
| Government Gifts | $205,000 |
| Foundations and corporate contributions | $1,557,268 |
| OPERATING REVENUE WITH RESTRICTIONS | $1,933,971 |
| Expenses | |
|---|---|
| EXPENSES | |
| Food security program | $3,773,526 |
| Long Term Stability Program | $3,093,165 |
| Dignity and Wellness Program | $451,539 |
| Management and general | $541,341 |
| Fundraising | $834,234 |
| EXPENSES | $8,693,805 |
| CHANGE IN NET ASSETS | |
|---|---|
| CHANGE IN NET ASSETS | |
| Change in net assets | -$239,714 |
| Net Assets released from restriction | $2,128,961 |
| Change in net assets with donor restriction | -$204,990 |