Season’s Greetings, OBT Community!

Wishing you peace and a warm heart during this season of Giving, Reflection, and Holiday Celebrations. December is often a time to reflect on the impact made over the past year in preparation for a prosperous New Year. Amidst your holiday spirit for giving, consider giving the Gift of Opportunity. Your donation can go a long way in helping us serve unrepresented populations by providing skills-based training, education, and job placement to rebuild our economy and strengthen the workforce. We are so grateful to you, our followers, for another year of support. Your belief in our mission has helped us build a bridge to economic opportunities for individuals, youth, and families as we approach 2023. We hope to continue this momentum and build upon all we’ve accomplished this past year.

November was an exciting and busy month for OBT.

  • On November 3, 2022, the Center for an Urban Future released its report, City of Aspiration: 150 Ideas for Building a more Equitable NYC. My contribution focused on strengthening NYC’s social safety net by “Ensuring pay equity and creating growth opportunities for nonprofit workers of Color.” Read the full report here. https://nycfuture.org/pdf/CUF_CITY-OF-ASPIRATION_Report_10.24.22.pdf
  • In addition to being spotlighted in this year’s CUF report, I am proud to share OBT’s recognition by being named one of New York’s 100 Most Outstanding Corporate Citizens by City & State Magazine. This year’s honorees are an elite group of New York’s most powerful executives. I share the recognition with other thought leaders, visionaries, and influencers who set new standards of excellence, dedication, and leadership in improving their communities and making transformative changes. The full feature will be highlighted in the December 14 magazine issue, followed by a Responsibility Award Luncheon on December 15. Follow this link to learn more about the event and my fellow honorees. https://www.cityandstateny.com/feature/2022-Responsible-100-Reception-/
  • The OBT Government and Public Policy team joined me for this year’s annual SOMOS Conference. SOMOS is organized by the New York State Assembly and Senate Puerto Rican and Hispanic Task Force to help craft policy proposals and raise awareness on issues that unite the Latinx community of New York and Puerto Rico. As OBT works to break the barriers created by societal inequities in NYC through job training, workforce development, and education, it’s essential to consider that over 80 percent of our program participants are BIPOC. We must be present in spaces where conversations about the future of our city, state, and nation are occurring as it impacts the communities we serve. An estimated one million Puerto Ricans call New York home, with the majority in New York City’s five boroughs. The theme of SOMOS 2022 was “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” The theme manifested in several days of service events and workshops. To read more about SOMOS, click the link. https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-what-somos-is-really-all-about-20211103-orarsco35bg45cwcg6hiz6prui-story.html
  • “Conversations on The Block” with Patricia Robinson, Host of 94.7 FM (New York’s #1 for Throwbacks) Sunday morning Public Talks Show, featured OBT. In the conversation, I shared information about OBT’s mission, 40-year history, and our service to the community. It was an honor and privilege to share all we do with a new audience. Feel free to click the link to hear the broadcast https://youtu.be/zYGmHZhvpTE
  • Our capacity-building journey continued in November. Stephen Duncanson of True Destiny Leadership Group facilitated parts three and four of our leadership training series. We also gathered for an employee holiday potluck to celebrate and share gratitude for each other and our unparalleled passion for mission-driven service. Here is a video of TEAM OBT in action last month https://youtu.be/jA4hatfHnys
  • November concluded with OBT joining hundreds of nonprofits in the global generosity movement, Giving Tuesday. We are so thankful for the donations we received. Be sure to look out for our Annual Campaign, where we will continue sharing participant success stories that would not be possible without you. If you missed your chance to donate on Giving Tuesday, you could always do so via our website https://obtjobs.org/donate/

We are beyond grateful for your partnership and support throughout the year, and we look forward to continuing our mission with you in 2023!

Wishing you and your families a Joyous Holiday Season and a Prosperous New Year.

See you in 2023!