A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO |
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Celebrating our Resiliency |
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For over 50 years, Acacia Network and our affiliates have been premier providers of integrated health, housing, social services, and economic development programs that provide pathways to healthier, brighter futures for 150,000+ individuals every year. At the core of our mission, we seek to address the pervasive impact of structural inequality and how it contributes to chronic health and socio-economic disparities in the communities we serve, largely comprised of low-income Latinx, African American, and immigrant households.
As a minority-led and -serving organization that understands that health & housing build the foundations for strong neighborhoods, it is fitting that we acknowledge a few of the national celebrations that are taking place in the month of April, including National Minority Health Month, Alcohol Awareness Month, National Fair Housing Month, and Celebrate Diversity Month.
These symbolic celebrations resonate with us on many levels. On one hand, our Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and other primary care locations serve as strongholds for minority health in underserved communities of color, providing much-needed access to integrated primary and behavioral health care for individuals of all ages. During the ongoing pandemic, we became essential hubs for COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts, with close to 4,700 vaccines and 2,600 PCR/nasal swab tests administered to date. We also expanded the scope and delivery of addiction services in our communities to further address the incidence of chemical dependency, which has reached alarming rates during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, our housing programs address the homelessness and affordability crisis in New York City through a three-pronged approach that encompasses transitional, supportive, and affordable housing. As one of the biggest providers of homeless services in the City, Acacia Network offers emergency and transitional housing to 6,000+ individuals in need of shelter, including families with children and people with severe mental health conditions. Our housing portfolio serves over 4,200 households, with 3,300+ units of affordable housing for low-to-moderate-income households, 728 units of supportive housing for individuals with disabilities and/or chronic conditions, and 130 units of permanent housing for the formerly homeless.
At Acacia, we believe that our strength lies in our diversity. With a workforce that is made up of 97% people of color, the majority of whom come from the very neighborhoods we serve, Acacia Network and our affiliates are deeply invested in effecting lasting change that will help break the inter-generational barriers preventing our communities from attaining better health and wealth.
As we reflect on the hardships and tragedies of the past year, we look ahead with a renewed sense of commitment and faith in our mission, knowing that the foundation we have built –together with our dedicated staff, leadership, partners, and supporters– will continue paving the way to a healthier, brighter future. Like the Acacia tree –which grows in desert environments– Acacia Network stands in places of need, growing deep roots and nourishing the communities that take shelter under its protective umbrella-shaped canopy.
Last but not least, April marks National Garden Month, with Earth Day to be held on Thursday, April 22nd. As a way to celebrate our resiliency, growth, and a blossoming future, we will host a Gardening Event at our BASICS residential program, in which we will engage program participants, staff, and volunteers through hands-on planting and garden maintenance activities. We invite you to tune in to our Earth Day Livestream! More details to come soon.
As always, we thank you for your continued support, and wish you a hopeful Spring.
Cordially,
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Raul Russi
President & CEO
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PUBLIC STATEMENT REGARDING ANTI ASIAN VIOLENCE |
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Among other unintended outcomes, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the cracks in our healthcare infrastructure and tested the strength of our social fabric. One of the more nefarious consequences of this crisis has been an increase in hate crimes against people of Asian descent across New York City, the State, our nation, and the world.
At Acacia Network, we do not and will not tolerate discrimination against any members of our communities. We stand firmly with our fellow Asian Americans in repudiation of these acts of violence, and vow to continue working with our diverse communities to improve the social, health, and economic outcomes of the people we serve.
If you or someone you know has been a member of a hate crime, you may report this to the Attorney General's Hate Crimes Hotline by calling 1-800-771-7755, or by contacting your local police precinct. If there is a serious crime in progress, please call 911.
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ACACIA NETWORK AT-A-GLANCE |
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Featured Profile: Shaneya Freeman |
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From Homelessness to Permanent Housing |
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Shaneya Freeman had been a victim of domestic violence when she entered the shelter system in 2019. After spending some time at a shelter managed by another homeless services provider, Shaneya and her young child were relocated to Wales Family Residence, a shelter for families with children operated by Acacia Network Housing (ANH).
At Wales Family Residence, Shaneya and her toddler received the ongoing support they needed to achieve stability, including wrap-around social services, case management, and housing assistance. Thanks to our integrated network, the young family was also connected to much-needed primary care and childcare services. With the help of our Social Services and Housing Specialists, Shaneya secured permanent affordable housing at Acacia Network’s Master Lease building in the Bronx.
Today, Shaneya and her 3-year-old daughter are thriving. She credits Acacia Network with helping her regain stability during a time of great uncertainty, and says that she feels safe and happy in her new apartment. Our Social Services team continues to check in with Shaneya and other formerly homeless families to ensure that they continue to have access to the resources they need in their communities.
“Having my own apartment has given me a sense of maturity that I never thought I would feel. I thank Acacia every day for helping me when I needed it the most, and for continuing to check in with me and my daughter to make sure we’re doing okay,” says Shaneya.
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FEATURED HIGHLIGHTS... OUR WORK ON THE GROUND |
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Fighting the Opioid Epidemic in our Communities |
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Aware of these complexities, Acacia Network has been actively involved in City and State-wide efforts to curb the opioid epidemic.
Our integrated efforts range from street and mobile outreach through our Bronx Opioid Collective Impact Project and our Mobile Van units, to our Primary Care and Behavioral Health facilities, including our Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Outpatient & Inpatient Mental Health Clinics, Residential Treatment Centers, and Detox/Rehab. Among other services, our health centers and clinics offer Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) to address and treat substance use & addiction disorders through medications such as Buprenorphine-naloxone, Naltrexone, Vivitrol, and Methadone, among others.
In addition, Acacia Network –through our affiliate, PROMESA– is proud to be part of the Brooklyn Regional Network, whose collective efforts aim to improve community access to addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery programs in Brooklyn. Through the SOR II Grant awarded to the Brooklyn Regional Network, we are looking forward to improving access to treatment for individuals and families through the following three (3) projects:
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Increased Access to Rapid Initiation of MAT: Through this program, our Brooklyn-based Chemical Dependency Outpatient Program, Carlos Pagan, will provide rapid access to Medication-Assisted Treatment services and telehealth.
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Integrating Peers: Through our Residential Substance Use Treatment Program for Women, El Regreso, we will hire peers to facilitate patient engagement, education, and connection to MAT services in order to support our clients’ journeys toward long-term recovery from opioid addiction.
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Familias Unidas: In partnership with the New York Foundling and AsOne, we will deliver family-based behavioral health services in Spanish to Hispanic and Latinx teens and their families, using evidence-based short-term interventions focused on preventing and treating substance use, risky sexual behavior, and other behavior problems.
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Ensuring Vaccine Equity in the Capital Region |
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Our upstate affiliate in Albany, Capital District LATINOS (CDL), has been busy ensuring that underserved communities in the capital region are able to gain access to COVID-19 education and vaccines. Among other initiatives, CDL hosted pop-up vaccination clinics at its Cultural Empowerment & Community Engagement Center to offer the Pfizer vaccine to more than 75 individuals, in partnership with the Albany County Department of Health.
In addition, CDL and our Regional Director of the Capital District, Micky Jimenez, have been featured in the “Don't Hesitate. Vaccinate.” ad campaign produced by Albany Medical Center, in collaboration with community partners, with the goal of spreading awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine and dispel myths. CLICK HERE for more info!
It is worth noting that Micky Jimenez is the only Latina woman invited to be part of the New York State Vaccine Equity Taskforce, which was created to inform and advise vaccine distribution efforts across NYS. The Vaccine Distribution and Implementation Task Force is comprised of experts in public health, immunizations, government operations, data and other fields. More info HERE!
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Supporting Local Efforts in Puerto Rico |
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Acacia Network is thrilled to continue our relief efforts in Puerto Rico by addressing health and nutrition disparities across the island.
Through the USDA Farmer to Family Food Box Program, we have distributed approximately 9,000 boxes of groceries and 18,000 gallons of milk to low-income families. Special thanks to our local partners Ministerio Marc, Puerto Rico Salud, and EDP University whose efforts have been essential to the success of these initiatives.
In addition, we have coordinated multiple vaccination events through a collaboration with Puerto Rico Salud to ensure COVID-19 vaccine access to at-risk communities. Among other populations, we vaccinated seniors at our Palacio Dorado housing complex in Toa Alta, as well as essential workers, nonprofit human services providers, first responders, and other vulnerable groups. To date, Acacia Network and Puerto Rico Salud have inoculated over 270 eligible individuals.
We are also thrilled to announce that we’ve achieved yet another milestone in our most recent construction project in Puerto Rico, as we poured the concrete foundation on our Resilient Prototype Home in Caguas (pictured below). With expected completion by Fall of this year, this innovative housing development will provide long-term sustainable, green, and resilient housing for low-moderate income families, while creating a scalable model for implementation across the island and in other disaster and non-disaster areas.
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COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER |
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Free Crisis Counseling Program |
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Acacia Network and our affiliate, the Community Association of Progressive Dominicans (ACDP), is a proud provider agency of NY Project Hope, New York State’s COVID-19 Crisis Counseling Program.
We provide FREE one-on-one therapy sessions and crisis counseling, as well as information, education, emotional support, resources, and referrals.
In addition, we can provide virtual sessions to help families:
- Recognize common reactions to COVID
- Build coping skills for the recovery process
- Manage COVID-related stress
- Identify and meet children’s needs
Our crisis counseling program aims to help families cope with the diverse challenges caused by COVID-19. All services are free, confidential, and anonymous.
NY Project Hope is a program of the NYS Office of Mental Health, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. For more information, CLICK HERE!
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Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) |
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Summer Jobs for NYC Youth Between the Ages of 14-21 |
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We are now accepting applications for the New York City Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)! This program is operated by community-based nonprofit organizations that are funded and overseen by New York City's Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), such as the Community Association of Progressive Dominicans (ACDP), an affiliate of Acacia Network.
All youth between the ages of 14 through 21 are invited to apply. The deadline to apply is April 23rd!
*When you apply, make sure to select the Community Association of Progressive Dominicans (ACDP) as your SYEP Provider/ Community Base Organization!
Contact:
Rosmery Vallejo
Phone: 212-781-5500 ext. 5516,5515
Ananyer Rodriguez
Phone: 212-781-5500
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Employment & Housing Assistance for Veterans |
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Acacia Network, Promesa Inc, and Seedco are providing employment, training, and housing opportunities for veterans in New York City through a program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP).
For more information on the program and for referrals, please contact Charles Staten at 646-499-1230 or cstaten@promesa.org.
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COVID-19 Vaccination & Testing |
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The COVID-19 vaccine is currently available for all New York State residents age 16 and older, as well as people ages 16+ who study or work in New York. People who are 16 or 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and Acacia Network is currently only offering the Moderna vaccine. Therefore, we can only make appointments at our community health centers for individuals ages 18+ at this time.
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In an effort to ensure widespread testing in our community, Acacia Network continues to offer COVID-19 testing to our clients, staff, and community members. We are conducting COVID-19 nasal swab tests for those who suspect they might currently be infected with COVID-19, as well as COVID-19 antibody blood tests for those who suspect they might have had COVID-19 in the past.
We accept most insurance plans, as well as Medicaid and Medicare. We also offer sliding scale and/or free testing for uninsured patients.
For more info or to make an appointment, please call: (347)352-2484 or (718)734-2539.
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Learn More About our Work & Services |
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Acacia Network and our affiliates provide integrated, culturally-competent, and trauma-informed services to more than 150,000 individuals of all ages every year. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have continued to provide uninterrupted access to critical resources to ensure that those most at risk are able to overcome the challenges of mental health and addiction disorders, chronic health conditions, poverty, housing insecurity and homelessness, food inequality, economic hardship and unemployment, educational barriers, cultural alienation, among others.
For more information on our programs and contact information for referrals, please click the links below:
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Help Us Uplift Vulnerable Communities |
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Acacia Network is pleased to invite you to our Julio Martinez Memorial Fund (JMMF) Breakfast on Thursday, June 17, 2021 from 8:30-11:00AM at the New York Botanical Garden. This annual fundraising event supports our addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts in the communities hardest hit by the opioid epidemic, such as the South Bronx.
Funds raised through the JMMF Breakfast support a wide array of programs and initiatives carried out by Acacia and our affiliates in the areas of substance use treatment and addiction prevention, including services for underserved youth and families experiencing homelessness.
Your support is critical. Now more than ever, as our communities continue to be among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that we don’t continue to lose more lives as a result of addiction.
Ways to Give:
TEXT TO GIVE: Simply text the code JMMF21 to 44-321
CONTACT US:
Julia Jones
300 East 175th Street, Bronx, New York 10457
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For over 50 years, Acacia Network and its affiliates have been committed to improving the quality-of-life and wellbeing of underserved Latino communities by providing access to integrated health and housing programs, and by reinvesting in communities through innovative programming, employment opportunities and affordable housing ownership, among other initiatives. Acacia Network’s offices are located in New York City, Buffalo, Albany, and Syracuse in New York State, as well as Florida, Maryland, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Connecticut, and Puerto Rico. Acacia Network’s extensive array of community-based services are fully integrated, bilingual and culturally competent. For more information, visit: www.acacianetwork.org |
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