New York – Governance Matters, Inc., a division of the New York Council of Nonprofits, awarded The HOPE Program the 2017 Brooke W. Mahoney Award for Outstanding Governance. This award was established in 2010 to honor the memory of Ms. Mahoney, who served as the organization’s Executive Director and Innovator-in-Chief for over 38 years. Long before “good governance” became a discussion topic for the nonprofit sector, Mahoney set out to bring diverse, strong individuals into nonprofit board rooms with the goal of creating a “brain trust” to help organizations achieve their mission.
HOPE was recognized for several areas of excellence, notably the organization’s data-driven approach to governance, its strategic and thoughtful growth in partnership with Sustainable South Bronx, and the myriad ways in which each Board Member leverages their expertise to raise the bar to provide rigorous, effective, and compassionate services to New Yorkers seeking brighter futures through training, jobs and career advancement.
Additional finalists included America Needs You and BCA Global. Julie Silverman, Vice Chair of HOPE’s Board of Directors, received the award on behalf of the organization.
“We are very honored to be recognized by Governance Matters for our strong board governance. As board members we leverage our diverse backgrounds to help drive the continued success of The HOPE Program. We do this work for New Yorkers like Shauntay, a single mother without a high school diploma who just secured a position at a fast-growing co-working space in Manhattan.” – Julienne Silverman, Board Vice Chair, The HOPE Program
“HOPE’s Board of Directors is best-in-class and highly deserving of this recognition. We couldn’t do this work without their support, networks, and innovative thinking.” – Jennifer Mitchell, HOPE Executive Director
“The Brooke W. Mahoney Award recognizes the too-often unsung service that boards provide, which is nothing less than ensuring the financial soundness and strategic direction of successful nonprofits,” noted David Birdsell, Governance Matters Board President. “We have a great winner this year in The HOPE Program, whose board has just navigated a model merger and extended the program’s reach while affirming its core values. Congratulations too to the Boards of BCA Global and America Needs You, our runners-up, who also provide outstanding examples of inspired board leadership.”
About The HOPE Program
The HOPE Program was founded in 1984 by a soup kitchen volunteer and PhD student who believed that with the right support and resources, the clients she served in the soup line could succeed in the workforce and build bright futures. HOPE empowers New Yorkers to lift themselves out of poverty through training, jobs and career advancement.
In 2015, HOPE underwent the boldest phase of growth in our history with the acquisition of Sustainable South Bronx. We now operate rigorous and effective job training programs for low-income New Yorkers in both the Bronx and Brooklyn – the counties with highest unemployment rates in the city and among the most impacted by unemployment statewide (US BLS, 10/14). HOPE offers training for diverse careers as well as sector-specific training in the food and green collar industries, with outcomes among the strongest in the field, notably: 73% job placement and over 75% one-year job retention. To learn more, visit www.thehopeprogram.org.
About the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) NYCON, the Soapbox and Toolbox for New York’s nonprofits, works to develop and promote an effective, vibrant charitable community in New York State. With close to 3,000 nonprofit members, NYCON strengthens the business and organizational capacity of nonprofits, acts as an advocate and unifying voice, helps to inform philanthropic giving, and conducts research to demonstrate the relevance and impact of nonprofits. To learn more visit www.ncyon.org.
About Governance Matters, Inc. Governance Matters (formerly Volunteer Consulting Group) is an innovator in the field of nonprofit governance services both regionally and nationally. Governance Matters works to strengthen the governance and management ability of nonprofit Boards of Directors. Their services include Board Consulting, Training and Board Recruitment with a special focus on bringing together Boards needing new members with individuals who wish to serve across the broad range of skill, experience, ethnicity, age, and geography. To learn more visit http://governancemattersusa.org.
Contact:
Irene Branche, Chief Development Officer
ibranche@thehopeprogram.org
(718) 852-9307 ext. 26
