For over a hundred years, New York City’s community non-profits have served as lifelines of hope, rising up in the most forgotten communities during times of hardship – but today, across the five boroughs, these nonprofits are the ones in danger. This is especially concerning in quickly-gentrifying communities experiencing displacement, like ours.
The neighborhoods of Los Sures, the Southside of Williamsburg, and Bushwick have a long history of community organizing when the City abandoned them through disinvestment, led by the non-profits that today make up the care infrastructure that keeps our communities connected and intact. As community leaders who have seen the critical support non-profits provide our neighborhoods, we cannot allow them to fail. The success of our neighborhoods and community organizations are intertwined; It’s time to secure the equitable pay that our non-profit employees deserve.
In times of crises, nonprofits are the first on the front lines. We depend on them to fill in the gaps in our government services, and as the City has continued to underfund agencies delivering human services, our reliance on non-profits has only grown. Non-profit workers are members of our community, and they are integral to the vitality of our city. It is unfair to deny them a contract that reflects their valuable labor, provides a living wage, and enables non-profit workers to support their families without the constant fear of displacement.
For those who have made the Southside home, organizations like El Puente, Los Sures, Riseboro, and St Nick’s Alliance are synonymous with the community. While speculation, gentrification, luxury developments, and high-end retail brands threaten the fabric of communities like Williamsburg and Bushwick, it’s even more important to double down on the infrastructure that has given these neighborhoods the life and culture that millions flock to from across the City and around the world.
Let’s address the irony at play here: while our city and state governments rely heavily on human service nonprofits, these workers are being forced to live off poverty wages. The majority of this contracted workforce are women and people of color, and nearly 60 percent rely on government assistance to make ends meet. As the forces of gentrification intensify and the cost of living continues to rise, our working-class Black and Latino neighbors are increasingly being pushed out of the communities they helped build. By keeping their wages stagnant and refusing them a cost-of-living adjustment, the City risks pushing them further to the fringe and losing a critical safety net altogether.
Non-profit contract employees, like those at El Puente, are active in every corner of our city, stepping up to deliver essential services for New Yorkers where city agencies fail to reach. From providing crucial case management services, to leading education initiatives, their dedication fuels our city. They educate and empower thousands of youths in community centers, schools, and programs, sparking inspiration and nurturing dreams for a brighter future. They help engage our youth around pressing local issues, empowering them to participate in civic conversations that help improve all of our communities.
New Yorkers everywhere benefit from the work accomplished by nonprofits. Investing in this workforce is a direct investment in our city, which must be reflected in our city’s budget. Just as our city’s labor unions reached a deal with the Mayor to increase wages for City employees, it is time to extend this recognition to the 125,000 New Yorkers who are doing the same work for a fraction of the pay. Our human service nonprofit sector deserves a multi-year cost-of-living-adjustment so they can have pay parity with their counterparts in government and the private sector.
These dedicated individuals – essential workers – who form the backbone of these organizations have earned fair compensation. It’s not just about keeping them rooted in the neighborhoods they serve; it’s about ensuring stability for our communities and creating a city in which all of us can thrive.
Jennifer Gutierrez is a Council Member representing communities in Brooklyn and Queens.
El Puente is a community-based organization serving youth and families in Williamsburg and Bushwick, Brooklyn.