Neighborhood News December 2022 |
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A survey conducted by the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice found that 14% of City University of New York (CUNY) students experience homelessness. Too often, this derails their pursuit of a degree.
NCS wants to change this. In October, students began moving into NCS Scholars: LIC, our pilot program that houses CUNY students experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
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Mary Jacobs, Program Director of NCS Scholars: LIC, speaking to the students at orientation |
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NCS Scholars provides year-round, stable housing and on-site supports that give unhoused students the best chance to complete their degrees and begin successful futures. “For generations, CUNY has been a gateway to the middle class for thousands of New Yorkers," said Ann L. Shalof, Chief Executive Officer of Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter. "Sadly, many students will never complete their degrees, not because they lack motivation, but because they do not have access to stable housing."
“Housing insecurity creates a serious obstacle to academic success for a significant number of students at CUNY. It is a problem that cuts to the very heart of educational equity in our city and the nation,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “The Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter pilot represents an important advance in our efforts to help students overcome personal circumstances that impede their pursuit of a degree. By providing much-needed housing along with access to crucial social and mental health services and supports, the pilot will help students address the underlying causes and consequences of housing insecurity. It is a model that we hope to replicate, and we are grateful to NCS for its invaluable collaboration and support.”
Students who have secure housing are more likely to enroll full-time, perform better academically, and graduate. And New York City residents with bachelor’s degrees earn more than twice the annual salary of those with only high school diplomas. NCS Scholars: LIC will house up to 36 students as part of a pilot designed to demonstrate that a relatively small, relatively short-term investment can change the trajectory of students’ lives. We are working to ensure these services are replicated to serve more students across New York City and beyond.
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On Thursday, December 8th, NCS held a press conference to officially announce the launch of NCS Scholars. |
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Ann Shalof (second from right) at a press conference formally announcing NCS Scholars. She was joined by (L-R) LaGuardia Community College President Kenneth Adams, CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, Council Member Julie Won, Medgar Evers College student and NCS Scholars resident Isabella, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, and Bea de la Torre from Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies.
The full press conference was 40 minutes, but you can watch a 3-minute video of a few of the highlights:
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Forty years ago, NCS was among the first organizations to tackle the problem of widespread homelessness. NCS was among the first to offer supportive housing, young adult housing, and ground-breaking harm-reduction substance-use treatment. NCS Scholars continues our long tradition of pioneering innovative solutions to complicated issues and providing housing and support that can transform lives. |
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Last week, CNN covered the launch of NCS Scholars, our new housing program to address the growing issue of homelessness among college students.
Click here to see CNN's coverage of the program, including an interview with Isabella, one of the first students to live at NCS Scholars: LIC and a speaker at last week's press conference.
If you're excited about this new program, tell your friends and family by sharing the CNN article on Facebook. |
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This fall, the first cohort of Medgar Evers College students moved into NCS’s newest residential program, NCS Scholars. The program may be new, but it’s directed by a familiar face: Mary Jacobs (nèe Clark)!
Mary worked at Louis Nine House, NCS’s young adult supportive residence, since 2016, first as a Case Manager and then as the Senior Case Manager. “I love working with young adults who have experienced homelessness,” she shared. “I love helping them break down barriers and helping them reach their goals.”
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But working with young adults at NCS is not Mary’s sole experience in the field. She was also a residential advisor for two years while an undergrad at SUNY Brockport. “I had originally wanted to go into residential life but ended up going into social work instead. When I learned that NCS was launching this program, I was so excited and knew I needed to be a part of it.”
Mary is also aware of how life treats everyone differently. “I grew up in the Bronx, about 10 minutes away from Louis Nine House. Anyone I grew up with could have been in this situation. I’ve never heard of housing like this for homeless college students before, and I am so happy NCS is working to fill this void.”
There is a great need for programs like NCS Scholars. Fifty-five percent of CUNY students have experienced housing insecurity, and 14% have experienced homelessness, according to a 2019 study by Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. NCS is proud to pioneer a solution to this problem, and we are so grateful to have Mary leading the way.
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We launched NCS Scholars to give homeless CUNY students a safe, stable home so they wouldn’t have to worry about where they’re going to sleep each night. And they're sleeping comfortably thanks to our friends at Casper, who donated a mattress for each bedroom at NCS Scholars: LIC! Thank you, Casper, for supporting NCS Scholars with this generous gift.
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Administrative Office
50 Broadway
Suite 1301
New York, NY 10004
Phone: (212) 537-5100
Fax: (212) 860-2301
ncs@ncsinc.org
www.ncsinc.org
Board of Directors
David A. Oliver
President
Wolcott B. Dunham, Jr.
Stephanie W. Guest
Thomas J. Kilkenny
Stuart N. Siegel
Vice Presidents
Susan Stevens
Treasurer
Jan F. Golann
Secretary
Victoria Bert
Anne S. Davidson
Abigail Black Elbaum
Matthew D. Hughes
Oren K. Isacoff
Ann Ross Loeb
Rachael Piltch-Loeb
Susan Shevell
Stephanie Shuman
Christopher W. Solomon
Eva Suarez
Ann L. Shalof
Chief Executive Officer
NCS Programs
Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter provides New Yorkers who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with a home, a community, and access to the services that they need to thrive. We create innovative solutions and engage community partners to provide housing and support that can transform lives.
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